Weareseven(终极版)

1、We Are Seven刘 畅连心桐王 悦何 欣石佳宁CONTENT Structure of Poem Background Theme Poetry DissectionConwayAt SeaJane & JohnStructure of Poem The poem is written in sixteen 4-line stanzas, except for the last stanza which is written in 5 lines. The first 9 stanzas are written in ballad form and have cross rhyme:

2、ABAB The 10th stanza is also written in ABAB format but the “B” lines have internal rhyme instead of cross rhyme. The last stanza is written in 5 lines instead of 4 in the format of: ABCCB There is a full stop at the end of every stanza. The whole poem is written in dialogue form and the poem is a n

3、arrative since it is conversation between a man and an eight-year old girl.Background Wordsworth claimed that the idea for We Are Seven came to him while travelling alone to Goodrich Castle and met a little girl who would sever as the model for the little girl in the poem. This solitude with nature

4、he claimed encouraged him to reach a deeper understanding where the experience was no longer just for pleasure, as it was in his earlier days, but also hinted at a darker side. It was written while he was on the walk from Alfoxden to Lenton, and perfected with his sister Dorothy and his really good

5、friend Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and published in his Lyrical Ballads in 1798. Theme- Death In his preface to Lyrical Ballads, Wordsworth wrote that the poems exhibit a power of real and substantial action and suffering and, in particular to We Are Seven, to express the perplexity and obscurity which

6、 in childhood attend our notion of death, or rather our utter inability to admit that notion. Wordworth demonstrates a childs refusal to acknowledge the dead as being gone, the persistent and constant questioning about the number of siblings in the girls famliy proves that the famliy now consists of

7、 five members instead of seven because two siblings are dead. However the girl continually and stubbornly insists that there are seven of them. At the beginning of the poem we are told that she is only 8 years old. Keeping that in mind one can automatically imagine how a child that age would perceiv

8、e death of their own siblings. Poetry Dissection We dont know too much about the speaker. But we do know hes always up for an argument and he has a pretty limited view of death. This guy believes that death is the end of everything. And he believes it so firmly that hes willing to argue with a child

9、. The girl refuses to ackonwledge the death of her siblings as a complete separation from them; she chooses to accept that they are gone physically; they are still with her in spirit, and as long as the girl imagines her brother and sister playing right along with her, her family remains whole. On t

10、he surface the poem seems puerile, relating a child singing and playing merrily. This was an intriguing poem to read since Wordsworth explores a childs perception on death. It is numb to some of realitys truths and reluctant to understand the actuality. In We Are Seven, the changing of the seasons m

11、arks time going by. But the change of the seasons is not a big or flashy symbol in the poem; its a subtle reminder that death is not a one-time event in the girls life. Shes been coping with death for a long timeseveral seasons worth of time, in fact. Unlike many other of Wordsworths poems We Are Se

12、ven is not nature-obsessed, but the natural world does creep in in some key moments and have an effect on the way our little girl sees the world. A simple child That lightly draws its breath, And feels its life in every limb, What should it know of death?The poem begins with the askingbrisklyvitalit

13、yRhetorical questionThe first part describes the condition of the child, bright and carefree. I met a little cottage Girl: She was eight years old, she said; Her hair was thick with many a curl. That clustered round her head. describe a beautiful girlruralThe third person objectiveA big amount of th

14、e hair put together to create a bunch.Gives the little girl attributes of a harmless looking person. She had a rustic, woodland air, And she was wildly clad. Her eyes were fair, and very fair; Her beauty made me glad. describe the beautiful girlRelating to countryside ruralHer persona.Simple wearing

15、 styleEmphasize the girl was very beautiful.The second and third parts describe the girls appearance. Her beauty appeared the author to know and talk with her. Sisters and brothers, little Maid, How many may you be?” “How many? Seven in all,” she said And wondering looked at me. question her about h

16、er siblingsThe girls siblingsdelusivelyShe did not know why the author would ask this kind of question. And where are they? I you tell. She answered, Seven are we; And two of us at Conway dwell, And two are gone to sea. pray: to ask a question politely. it shows the authors modest attitude.dwell: to

17、 live in a particular placel.This stanza has across rhyme: ABABtell and dwell, we and sea. Two of us in the, My sister and my brother; And, in the church-yard cottage, I near them with my mother.Two of the little girls sister and brother dead, but the girl denies the fact. She believes that they are

18、 alive and they are the same with other sisters and brothersDwell: means live. The author uses capital character in order to emphasize they are alive as well You say that two at Conway dwell, And two are gone to sea, Yet ye are seven!-I pray you tell, Sweet Maid, how this may be.the author repeated

19、the the girlss words, but he didnt mention the two who lived in church-yard, because he wanted to to remind the little girl that they had dead. that is to say they should be five not seven. Then did the little Maid reply, Seven boys and girls are we; Two of us in the church-yard lie, the church-yard

20、 tree.in this stanza, the first two sentences are intersion. the little girl refused to accept that her brother and sister had dead. they just slept in the church-yard.beneath: under the church-yard tree.Tone(s) and tone shift(s)“You run about, my little Maid,Your limbs they are alive;If two are in

21、the church-yard laid,Then ye are only five.”Puzzled and confusedThe first 9 stanzas are written in ballad(民谣,歌谣) form and have cross rhyme(交叉韵): ABAB. “Their graves are green, they may be seen,”The little Maid replied,“Twelve steps or more from my mothers door,And they are side by side.Internal rhym

22、e: rhyming of the two words within the same line of poetry.Illustrates a transformation in the format: the little girl is persistent upon having siblings although they are only five. “Green” and “seen” symbolize life. The girls perception of what is a live may derive(源于) from color, which catches a

23、childs eyes very often.The 10th stanza is also written in ABAB format, but the “B” lines have internal rhyme(中间韵) instead of cross rhyme(交叉韵). “My stockings there I often knit,My kerchief there I hem;And there upon the ground I sit,And sing a song to them.Anaphora(首语重复法)Illustrates the emotional att

24、achment she has with her brother and sisters. She sits and sings to them although they cannot accompany her. It shows her deep misunderstanding of what “dead” mean. It also signifies that a child who lacks knowledge of words has many emotions and things they want to say, which gives a childly effect

25、 to the poem. 方头巾，A piece of fabric(织物，布) used to cover the head: she knits her scarf.Cross rhyme: ABAB“And often after sunset, Sir,When it is light and fair,I take my little porringer,And eat my supper there.Assonance(谐音，类韵): the repetition of the letter “i” adds rhythm to the overall structure of

26、the poem.小汤碗，粥碗: A small bowl with a handle used for soup, etc.Cross rhyme: ABAB“The first that died was sister Jane;In bed she moaning lay,Till God released her of her pain;And then she went away.Cross rhyme: ABABChildrens feelings are much closer to the core of the nature and they have more innoce

27、nt and more holy emotions. Compared with girls simplicity and innocence, the adults incessant(不断的) questions of the number of her siblings betray his inner sorrow and pessimistic attitudes towards death. It is worth noting that the girls consistent correction of the poets wrong addition leads him to

28、 the profound understanding of the different views of death between children and adults.So in the church-yard she was laid;And, when the grass was dry,Together round her grave we played,My brother John and I.Cross rhyme: ABABFourth time Wordsworth used euphemism to soothe readers.Euphemism（委婉语）In th

29、e girls eyes, the graves are green-the natures color and she can still have fun beside the grave, just like indulging（使高兴） herself in the embrace of the nature. We cant feel a touch of sadness and grief from her words, while what we can receive is her happiness and warmth as if she is explaining aga

30、in and again to the poet that her sister and brother are not dead, but they are just returning to nature, or lying in the nature, waiting for her to have fun together. And when the ground was white with snow,And I could run and slide,My brother John was forced to go,And he lies by her side. Cross rh

31、yme: ABABThe alliteration is on the W while Wordsworth write, “was white with snow”. This emphasizes on the visual imagery created to describe the snows color and how white the floor was. It also intensifies the cold theme of death in throughout the poem. The color white illustrates the gloomy atmos

32、phere and the little girls state of mind. Alliteration（头韵） How many are you, then, said I,If they two are in heaven?“Quick was the little Maids reply,O Master! we are seven.Cross rhyme: ABABThe girl at this point in time has answered the mans question many times and refuses to change her answer. The

33、refore her tone is indignant（义愤的） understand the feeling and attitude of the girl. It illustrates the persistence the girl holds about her siblingsdeath. Her exclamation（感叹）, “O Master!” conveys that he should stop asking though he does not understand. This tone helps in showing the innocence of a c