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NL888 Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
What does "both" refer to?
Context:
| Make me thy lyre, even as the forest is: | |
| What if my leaves are falling like its own? | |
| The tumult of thy mighty harmonies | |
| Will take from both a deep autumnal tone, | 60 |
| Sweet though in sadness. Be thou, Spirit fierce, | |
| My spirit! Be thou me, impetuous one! | |
| Drive my dead thoughts over the universe, | |
| Like wither'd leaves, to quicken a new birth; | |
| And, by the incantation of this verse, | 65 |
| Scatter, as from an unextinguish'd hearth | |
| Ashes and sparks, my words among mankind! | |
Be through my lips to unawaken'd earth MOre: http://bartleby.com/101/610.html |
Top answer
The forest and the poet. That is, take from the forest, and from me, a deep autumn-like tone, in the sound that you (the wind) make when you blow the dead leaves free from the trees in autumn, and when you (figuratively) blow my (dead) poetic thoughts free from me.
- The forest and the poet.
- That is, take from the forest, and from me, a deep autumn-like tone, in the sound that you (the wind) make when you blow the dead leaves free from the trees in autumn, and when you (figuratively) blow my (dead) poetic thoughts free from me.
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5 Answers
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The forest and the poet. That is, take from the forest, and from me, a deep autumn-like tone, in the sound that you (the wind) make when you blow the dead leaves free from the trees in autumn, and when you (figuratively) blow my (dead) poetic thoughts free from me.
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Hi
I had to think about it, but I'm pretty sure that 'both' refers to the forest and to the poet
Like the forest, he has a heavy weight of dead leaves and he imagines that the West Wind will blow through both the forest and himself. The result - for the forest - is that the dead leaves then provide nutrition for new growth on the forest floor. Similarly, Shelley hopes that his
I had to think about it, but I'm pretty sure that 'both' refers to the forest and to the poet
Like the forest, he has a heavy weight of dead leaves and he imagines that the West Wind will blow through both the forest and himself. The result - for the forest - is that the dead leaves then provide nutrition for new growth on the forest floor. Similarly, Shelley hopes that his
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... and having said that, I can see that the lyre ought to come into the comparison too. So isn't the lyre one of the two things referred to by 'both'?
But I think I'll stick with my suggestion. I believe the syntax is: 'I can be like the lyre; the forest is your lyre; both of us, when affected by you, will produce a sad, autumnal tone'
Dave
But I think I'll stick with my suggestion. I believe the syntax is: 'I can be like the lyre; the forest is your lyre; both of us, when affected by you, will produce a sad, autumnal tone'
Dave
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Thank you both.
Does "What if my leaves are falling like its own?" mean "supposing my leaves are shedding like the forest's own"?
Does "What if my leaves are falling like its own?" mean "supposing my leaves are shedding like the forest's own"?
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I think this is a much stronger statement than just: "Supposing my leaves...", more like: "Imagine, my dead poetic 'leaves' falling from the wind like its (the forest's) own leaves! Oh, wonder upon wonders! My formerly dead thoughts blown far and wide, and brought to life, by the wind!"
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