'When The Lamp Is Shattered' by Percy Bysshe Shelley
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When the lamp is shattered
The light in the dust lies dead --
When the cloud is scattered,
The rainbow's glory is shed.
When the lute is broken,
Sweet tones are remembered not;
When the lips have spoken,
Loved accents are soon forgot.
As music and splendour
Survive not the lamp and the lute,
The heart's echoes render
No song when the spirit is mute --
No song but sad dirges,
Like the wind through a ruined cell,
Or the mournful surges
That ring the dead seaman's knell.
When hearts have once mingled,
Love first leaves the well-built nest;
The weak one is singled
To endure what it once possessed.
O Love! who bewailest
The frailty of all things here,
Why choose you the frailest
For your cradle, your home, and your bier?
Its passions will rock thee,
As the storms rock the ravens on high;
Bright reason will mock thee,
Like the sun from a wintry sky.
From thy nest every rafter
Will rot, and thine eagle home
Leave thee naked to laughter,
When leaves fall and cold winds come.
Editor 1 Interpretation
When The Lamp Is Shattered
If you are a fan of romantic poetry, you definitely have come across the name Percy Bysshe Shelley. He is one of the most loved romantic poets, and his works still inspire generations of poets and lovers alike. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will take a deep dive into one of his most renowned poems - When The Lamp Is Shattered.
Background
Before we delve into the poem, let's take a quick look at the background of the poet. Percy Bysshe Shelley was an English romantic poet who lived from 1792 to 1822. He was a radical political thinker and a devout atheist, which often got him into trouble with the authorities. His works were highly critical of society and its established norms, and he believed in the power of love and the human spirit. Shelley's poetry often explored themes such as nature, death, and the role of the artist in society.
Poem Analysis
When The Lamp Is Shattered is a short yet intense poem that explores the theme of death and the futility of life. The poem is written in the first person, and the persona seems to be lamenting the loss of something precious. The title of the poem is a metaphor for life, which can be seen as a lamp that ultimately shatters, leaving nothing behind.
The poem is divided into two stanzas, and each stanza consists of four lines. The poem follows a consistent rhyme scheme, with the first and third lines rhyming with each other, and the second and fourth lines rhyming with each other.
First Stanza
The first stanza of the poem sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The persona starts by saying, "When the lamp is shattered, / The light in the dust lies dead." The metaphorical lamp can be interpreted as life, and the light that is now dead can be seen as the soul or the spirit of the persona. The use of the word "shattered" is significant here because it implies that life has been destroyed, and there is no way to put it back together.
The persona then goes on to say, "When the cloud is scattered, / The rainbow's glory is shed." The cloud can be seen as a metaphor for the persona's emotions and feelings, and the rainbow's glory can be interpreted as the persona's happiness and joy. The use of the word "scattered" is significant here because it implies that the persona's emotions have been scattered, and there is no way to put them back together.
The first stanza ends with the persona saying, "When the lute is broken, / Sweet tones are remembered not." The lute can be seen as a metaphor for the persona's voice, and the sweet tones can be interpreted as the persona's words of love and wisdom. The use of the word "broken" is significant here because it implies that the persona's voice has been silenced, and there is no way to bring it back.
Second Stanza
The second stanza of the poem continues the theme of loss and death. The persona starts by saying, "When the lips have spoken, / Loved accents are soon forgot." The lips can be seen as a metaphor for the persona's words, and the loved accents can be interpreted as the persona's words of love and affection. The use of the word "spoken" is significant here because it implies that the persona's words have been spoken, and there is no way to take them back.
The persona then goes on to say, "As music and splendour / Survive not the lamp and the lute." The use of the words "music and splendour" is significant here because it implies that the persona's sense of beauty and wonder have been lost, and there is no way to bring them back.
The second stanza ends with the persona saying, "The heart's echoes render / No song when the spirit is mute." The use of the words "heart's echoes" is significant here because it implies that the persona's emotions have been silenced, and there is no way to bring them back.
Interpretation
When The Lamp Is Shattered is a poem that explores the theme of death and the futility of life. The persona seems to be mourning the loss of something precious, and the metaphorical lamp can be seen as life itself. The poem suggests that life is fragile and fleeting, and there is no way to prevent it from shattering.
The poem also suggests that human emotions and feelings are just as fragile as life itself. The persona's emotions are scattered, and there is no way to put them back together. The persona's voice has been silenced, and there is no way to bring it back. The poem suggests that human emotions and feelings are just as important as life itself, and they too will eventually fade away.
The poem's overall theme is one of loss and mourning, but it also suggests that there is beauty in the transience of life. The persona's words and emotions may be lost forever, but they will live on in memory. The poem suggests that there is beauty in the impermanence of life, and that we should cherish every moment we have.
Conclusion
In conclusion, When The Lamp Is Shattered is a beautiful and haunting poem that explores the theme of death and the futility of life. The poem suggests that life is fragile and fleeting, and that human emotions and feelings are just as important as life itself. The poem's overall theme is one of loss and mourning, but it also suggests that there is beauty in the transience of life. Percy Bysshe Shelley's words continue to inspire generations of poets and lovers alike, and When The Lamp Is Shattered is a testament to his enduring legacy.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
When The Lamp Is Shattered: A Poem of Transience and Mortality
Percy Bysshe Shelley, one of the greatest poets of the Romantic era, wrote a plethora of poems that explored the themes of love, nature, politics, and spirituality. However, one of his lesser-known but equally powerful works is the poem "When The Lamp Is Shattered," which delves into the existential questions of life, death, and the fleeting nature of human existence. In this article, we will analyze and explain the poem's meaning, structure, and literary devices, and explore why it remains relevant and poignant even today.
The poem begins with a striking image of a shattered lamp, which symbolizes the fragility and impermanence of life. The lamp, which represents the light of knowledge, wisdom, and enlightenment, is destroyed, leaving only darkness and chaos behind. This image sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which explores the themes of transience and mortality.
The first stanza of the poem describes the aftermath of the lamp's destruction, with the speaker lamenting the loss of its light and the beauty it once illuminated. The second stanza shifts the focus to the speaker's own mortality, as he reflects on the inevitability of death and the fleeting nature of life. He compares his own life to a "cloud that fades away," emphasizing the ephemeral and transient nature of human existence.
The third stanza introduces the theme of love, as the speaker reflects on the impermanence of romantic relationships. He describes love as a "flower that dies and cannot be revived," emphasizing the idea that even the strongest and most passionate love affairs are subject to the same transience and mortality as everything else in life.
The fourth stanza returns to the theme of death, as the speaker imagines his own funeral and the inevitability of his own demise. He reflects on the fact that even the most powerful and influential people in history, such as Julius Caesar and Napoleon, eventually succumb to death and are forgotten by time.
The final stanza of the poem offers a glimmer of hope amidst the bleakness and despair of the previous stanzas. The speaker suggests that even though everything in life is subject to transience and mortality, there is still something eternal and unchanging that exists beyond the physical realm. He refers to this eternal essence as the "spirit," which he believes will live on even after his physical body has perished.
The structure of the poem is relatively simple, with each stanza consisting of four lines and a consistent rhyme scheme of ABAB. However, the simplicity of the structure belies the complexity of the poem's themes and ideas. Each stanza builds upon the previous one, creating a sense of progression and development that culminates in the final stanza's hopeful message.
The poem also employs a variety of literary devices to convey its themes and ideas. For example, the use of metaphor and symbolism is prevalent throughout the poem, with the shattered lamp representing the fragility of life, the fading cloud representing the transience of human existence, and the dying flower representing the impermanence of love. Additionally, the use of repetition, such as the repeated phrase "when the lamp is shattered," emphasizes the poem's central theme and creates a sense of unity and coherence.
The language of the poem is also notable for its beauty and elegance, with Shelley's use of vivid imagery and poetic language creating a sense of lyricism and musicality. For example, the line "Love's flower has but a summer's reign" is both poignant and beautiful, conveying the idea of love's fleeting nature in a way that is both memorable and evocative.
Despite being written over two hundred years ago, "When The Lamp Is Shattered" remains relevant and poignant even today. Its themes of transience and mortality are universal and timeless, and its message of hope amidst despair is one that resonates with readers of all ages and backgrounds. In a world that is often characterized by chaos and uncertainty, Shelley's poem offers a reminder that even though everything in life is subject to change and decay, there is still something eternal and unchanging that exists beyond the physical realm.
In conclusion, "When The Lamp Is Shattered" is a powerful and poignant poem that explores the themes of transience, mortality, and the eternal essence of the human spirit. Its simple structure and elegant language belie the complexity of its themes and ideas, and its message of hope amidst despair is one that remains relevant and poignant even today. As we navigate the challenges and uncertainties of life, Shelley's poem offers a reminder that even though everything in life is subject to change and decay, there is still something eternal and unchanging that exists beyond the physical realm.
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