Life
Alexander Pope was born on 21 May 1688 in London, England. the year of the Glorious Revolution. Alexander Pope is seen as one of the greatest English poets and the foremost poet of the early 18th century. He is best known for satirical and discursive poetry. His best works are The Rape of the Lock, The Dunciad, and An Essay on Criticism, and for his translation of Homer. After Shakespeare, Pope is the second-most quoted writer in English, according to The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations. He is one of the most epigrammatic of all English authors. pope was died on 30 May 1744 (aged 56) in Twickenham, Middlesex, England. His father was a successful linen merchant in the Strand.
What is the Ode
An ode is usually addressed to someone or something in order to make poem. An ode (from Ancient Greek ) is a type of lyrical stanza. It is an elaborately structured poem praising or glorifying an event or individual, describing nature intellectually as well as emotionally and Alexander Pope's ''Ode on Solitude'' is a Horatian ode. Odes are usually long (at least about five stanzas).
About the Poem
Solitude is a about being happy, blest in the company of our self. In this poem, the blessed thing of life is solitude and contentment. The poem Ode on Solitude throws light on the real happiness of life. The Poem projects the importance of nature and feeling of satisfaction in life. This idea mainly express by poet.
The poem “Ode on solitude” was written when Alexander Pope was very young , poem is in praise of a simple, calm, peaceful and quiet life. Poet wants to lead a simple life and wants to live in solitude, so that people, should not express sorrow over his death. Poem rhyme scheme is ABAB. The poem is written in five quarters ( 20 lines ), first three lines of each stanza are tretameter lines and the last line of each stanza is dimeter line. An oxymoron used in this poem is winter fire and sound sleep.
Theme of the poem
The theme of this poem is a farmer man who is happy and satisfied ( contentment ) with his life and he wants to live lonely life ( solitude life ).
In first stanza, Poet talk about truly happy man and his cheerful life. He cares and love his ancestors land ( acres bounds). Poet expresses his desire as well as his ambition to lead a lonely life with limited property ( parental land ). He don't want to go for material wealth from his native land. He don't have to go for lively things. The Poets deepest desire is that he should have extend a few acres of his own ( parental ) land, where he is content to live and work. the word “parental” suggests that the land belongs to the inheritance. Its means that he is contented. He will be happy to breathe the air of his native(ancestral place) land. ( Content to breathe his native air, ) poet says that he is much satisfied with the place ( his own ground ) where he was born. And its means that his own land or his parental land. Also he is happy with what he has in his native place and he does not wish to have more.That's why, A man can be truly happy if he leads a life of contentment and simplicity. He should be satisfied with the few acres of land inherited from his ancestors. The person should not be bounded by the rules of society. He wants to have a comfortable and self sufficient life.
In brief, It describes the benefits of a peace , contentment and solitude life. Satisfaction is essential to peace. Contented man remains worry free, one, who is the happy man. Thus, the poet praises the life of peace in the countryside where one lives with contentment.
In second stanza, Poet describes the farmer's life who lives in a farm. And describes Self sufficient, individuals. And talks about The farmer is happy with simple things, like fields, cows, sheep and trees, he sees as a peasant life and likes to live it. he has own herds (animals), so he has his own milk. It's means that He would get milk from the herds. He has his own fields, it's means that he makes his own food, he is able to bake his own bread from the grain (cereals), so he grows in his own fields. His land, now shown to be a farm, provides for all of his needs. He has own flocks ( group of sheep or birds ). so his sheep will give him the wool for clothing. It's means that he makes own clothes ( attire ). In the summer, he has trees in his own fields, His trees will give him ample shade, so He prefers to be under the shadow of trees and also give wood ( firewood ) for heating his home during winter And also use the wood to make fire during the winter. He has no need of anything because he has his own land.
In brief, the poet describes certain things which make a happy. One, who can satisfy all his wants there. ( bread and shade could be used as rhymes During this period in Britain, “bread” was pronounced with a longer vowel sound )
In third stanza, Poet says that the farmer represents the epitome of a satisfied life. And the farming life represents an earthly paradise. poet Portrays this farmer is blessed (blest), happy and satisfied individual. he is unconcerned and his days quietly pass. One who blest, he does not care about the society. One whose days ( hours) and years are passing softly are happy man and only those people can stay with happiness. It's means that whose days pass quickly, quietly, and soothingly. only people who live in such life has a supreme health of body, peace of mind, quietness of life and such people can be free from the stress, anxiety, worries. These people do not care about the judgments of society. Those people do not need a lavish life for their enjoyment. These people are blessed And that's why poet says that the farmer is blessed.
In brief, Poet says in preceding stanza that a man who lives in the countryside is really happy man, he spends his time with contentment. The people who are alone they do not need to care about what others think, what others do, what others say, they live their life for themselves only, and therefore they do not care what society is going to think. That's why his life is blessed because he is free from anxiety, worry. His whole day is full of peace.
In forth stanza, poet describes farmer as solitude. And talks about his leisure life and sound sleep, This stanza leads ( preceding) third stanza because of the farmer who live softly life, He have a healthy body and peace of mind. that's why he sound sleep ( Sleeping deeply by ) during the night. and Spending his time in study, ease, together mixed, rest, and sweet recreation. Its means that he would spend his days in leisure to study. He has enough time for reading. His desire for knowledge is everything, he says that without study, pleasure and ease is worthless. He has enough free time For thinking. he want to live a life of a innocence and happily. and He leads an innocent life. and a life of meditation. And the meditation gives him pleasure, rest.
In brief, The poem is about solitude. He has leisure to study and sound sleep during night. He passes his days in meditation. A contented life results from happiness, peace, sleep, joy and study. Hence the poet wants a solitary life in a rural environment.
In the final stanza, poet says that he wants to live a life of solitude, and loneliness where he will remain unseen, unknown, unremarked and He does not want to make name, fame. also, He wants to be a unknown man. In this line poet says that he is longing for such a life where he remain unknown, unseen, unnoticed by the people and society. And also, He expresses his longing for such a life, where there is no values of society, where people cannot identify him and force him to follow the rules made by them. He has no value for society and world.
And thus, let me live. In second line poet says that he wants to die unlamented and it's means that when he will die, and leave this world, nobody will come to express grieve, mourn, sorrow over his death body, Nobody should cry after me, Because he wanted to be unknown. and
Such place he will die, doesn't know the world and society. Nobody will come to know about his death. He doesn’t want to allow anyone to know where he is buried. He don't want to make tombstone by anybody after his death. Even, Not a stone should be carved on his grave so that nobody will know where he lies after death. ( Any stone would not know and say where he lie..) And say that Thus, let me die.
At the end, Really he wants to lie unseen and unknown, He wants to hide himself from the world which gives pains, He also doesn't want people to express sorrow over his passing away. the poet says that he would like to live such a life and die in peace without being lamented by people. He would like to live an oblivious life, Or a perfect life of solitude and peace. He express a desire to live, and die, in solitude.
In brief, Poet wants to live in a lonely place. He does not like any fame, reputation and publicity. And when he dies, there should be no funeral and no lament. and there should be no tombstone, so that nobody can find out the place of his burial. Poet believes in simplicity peace and self contentment.
Thus, This Poem makes more interesting for this simple wards, language. Thus the poem reflects the harsh reality of society. contentment is the secret of happiness.
Other
Many people might be surprised to learn that Alexander Pope wrote Ode on Solitude in 1700, at the age of twelve. At the time, Pope had just moved to a small estate by a forest, in a small village far from the main British towns. His family had been forced to live there because of their Catholic faith and in the village now known as Popeswood ( named after Pope himself ) that the young child found his ideals in solitude.
The title of this poem was also used by other poets, such as Joseph Warton.
One can argue that the poet is escaping from the society, but there is vast difference between escapism and solitude. Escapism is all about not accepting the society and solitude is all about first accept the society, and then when you feel not comfortable then reject it. Society is for human beings, human beings are not for society so the right is of human beings whether accept it or reject it. Solitude simple can mean that living life for one's own self and without other's interference.
The poet talks about freedom and content in the first stanza and talks about the happiness and joy, Man does not need much lend. Second stanza poet talks about the self sufficient with herds and fields. And third stanza poet talks about the blest man who unconcern about society that's the reason his health of body. In forth stanza poet talks about his sound sleep, innocence and meditation. In the last stanza poet talks about his unseen unknown death and unlamented die by people.
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