Break Break Break by Alfred Lord Tennyson | Break Break Break Poem | Detailed Explanation | Summary | Key Points | Alexander Pope | Questions Answers | Free PDF Download – Easy Literary Lessons
Break, Break, Break
Break, break, break,
On thy cold gray stones, O Sea!
And I would that my tongue could utter
The thoughts that arise in me.
O, well for the fisherman’s boy,
That he shouts with his sister at play!
O, well for the sailor lad,
That he sings in his boat on the bay!
And the stately ships go on
To their haven under the hill;
But O for the touch of a vanish’d hand,
And the sound of a voice that is still!
Break, break, break
At the foot of thy crags, O Sea!
But the tender grace of a day that is dead
Will never come back to me.
line-by-line explanation of the poem
Break, break, break,
On thy cold gray stones, O Sea!
And I would that my tongue could utter
The thoughts that arise in me.
Explanation
The poem begins with the speaker addressing the sea and its “cold gray stones”. The repetition of the word “break” emphasizes the relentless crashing of the waves, which serves as a metaphor for the speaker’s persistent grief and the unending passage of time. The speaker expresses a deep longing to articulate his inner thoughts and feelings, but finds himself unable to do so. This inability to express his grief could be a reflection of the Victorian era’s societal norms, which often discouraged the open expression of emotion. The sea, with its vastness and indifference, also symbolizes the speaker’s feelings of loneliness and insignificance in the face of his loss.
Poetic devices:
Repetition: The word “break” is repeated three times, creating a rhythmic pattern that mirrors the relentless crashing of the waves. This repetition also serves to emphasize the speaker’s persistent grief and the unending passage of time, creating a sense of despair and hopelessness.
Apostrophe: This is a figure of speech where the speaker addresses an inanimate object (in this case, the sea) as if it were capable of understanding his feelings. This device serves to highlight the speaker’s intense emotions and his desperate need for an outlet for his grief.
Imagery: The “cold gray stones” of the sea create a vivid image in the reader’s mind, setting a somber and melancholic tone for the poem. This imagery also serves to evoke a sense of loneliness and desolation, reflecting the speaker’s emotional state.
O, well for the fisherman’s boy,
That he shouts with his sister at play!
O, well for the sailor lad,
That he sings in his boat on the bay!
Explanation
The second stanza presents a stark contrast to the speaker’s grief. The fisherman’s boy and the sailor lad, who are oblivious to the speaker’s sorrow, represent life’s continuity despite personal loss. Their joy and vitality accentuate the speaker’s isolation and his longing for normalcy. The boy’s innocent play and the sailor’s cheerful song are poignant reminders of the happiness and normalcy that the speaker feels he has lost forever.
Poetic Device:
Contrast: The joy and vitality of the fisherman’s boy and the sailor lad are starkly contrasted with the speaker’s sorrow. This contrast serves to highlight the speaker’s sense of isolation and his longing for the carefree happiness that he observes in others.
Alliteration: The phrase “sailor lad sings” uses the repetition of the ‘s’ sound, a device known as alliteration. This adds a musical quality to the line, enhancing its auditory appeal and creating a rhythmic flow.
And the stately ships go on
To their haven under the hill;
But O for the touch of a vanish’d hand,
And the sound of a voice that is still!
Explanation
The third stanza introduces the “stately ships” that continue their journey regardless of the speaker’s grief. This serves as another reminder of the world moving on, indifferent to individual suffering. The speaker’s yearning for the “touch of a vanished hand” and the “sound of a voice that is still” clearly indicates his longing for his deceased friend. The “haven under the hill” could symbolize the final resting place or the afterlife, adding a layer of melancholy to the speaker’s longing.
Poetic Device:
Symbolism: The “stately ships” symbolize the passage of time and the world moving on, indifferent to the speaker’s grief. This symbolism underscores the speaker’s feelings of insignificance and his struggle to come to terms with his loss.
Metaphor: The “haven under the hill” could be interpreted as a metaphor for the final resting place or the afterlife. This metaphor adds a layer of depth to the poem, evoking a sense of longing and melancholy.
Break, break, break
At the foot of thy crags, O Sea!
But the tender grace of a day that is dead
Will never come back to me.
Explanation
The final stanza echoes the first, reinforcing the unchanging nature of the sea and the speaker’s grief. The “tender grace of a day that is dead” could refer to the cherished memories of his friend, which, like the day, will never return. The speaker acknowledges the finality of death and the enduring pain of loss, ending the poem on a note of resignation and sorrow.
Poetic Device:
Repetition: The repetition of the first stanza in the final stanza serves to reinforce the unchanging nature of the sea and the speaker’s grief. This repetition creates a cyclical structure, reflecting the ceaseless passage of time and the enduring nature of the speaker’s sorrow.
Euphemism: The phrase “a day that is dead” is a euphemistic way of referring to the speaker’s deceased friend. This euphemism softens the harsh reality of death, while still conveying the speaker’s sense of loss and longing.
Summary
“Break, Break, Break” is a lyric poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson, written in 1834 shortly after the death of his close friend Arthur Hallam. The poem is an expression of grief and longing, with the relentless breaking of the waves serving as a metaphor for the speaker’s unending sorrow.
The poem is divided into four stanzas.
The first stanza sets the scene with the speaker addressing the sea and its “cold gray stones”. He wishes he could articulate the thoughts welling up inside him, but finds himself unable to do so.
In the second stanza, the speaker observes a fisherman’s boy playing with his sister and a sailor singing in his boat. These scenes of joy and normalcy contrast sharply with the speaker’s inner turmoil, highlighting his sense of isolation and despair.
The third stanza describes the “stately ships” moving towards their destination. The speaker yearns for the touch of a “vanished hand” and the sound of a voice that is now silent, presumably referring to his deceased friend.
The final stanza repeats the opening lines, emphasizing the unchanging nature of the sea and the speaker’s grief. He acknowledges that the “tender grace of a day that is dead” will never return, expressing a profound sense of loss and longing.
Throughout the poem, the sea serves as a powerful symbol of time’s relentless march and the unceasing nature of the speaker’s grief. Despite the world moving on around him, the speaker remains trapped in his sorrow, unable to find solace or express his inner turmoil. The poem is a poignant exploration of grief, loss, and the human struggle to articulate profound emotional pain.
Key Points
Author
Alfred Lord Tennyson is one of the most celebrated poets of the Victorian era. His work is renowned for its exploration of a wide range of human emotions and experiences, often reflecting the societal changes and philosophical debates of his time. Tennyson’s poetry is characterized by its emotional depth, intricate imagery, and musical rhythm.
Structure
The poem is composed of four stanzas. Each stanza consists of four lines, making it a quatrain. The first two lines of each stanza are longer, while the last two lines are shorter.
Form
The poem is a lyric poem, which is a type of poem that expresses personal emotions or feelings. Lyric poems often have a musical rhythm, and may have a specific rhyme scheme.
Rhyme Scheme
The rhyme scheme of the poem is ABCB. In this pattern, the second and fourth lines of each stanza rhyme with each other. Here’s how it works in the first stanza:
This rhyme scheme is consistent throughout all four stanzas of the poem. The use of this rhyme scheme creates a rhythmic pattern that enhances the musical quality of the verse and emphasizes the repetitive nature of the sea’s waves, mirroring the speaker’s unending grief.
Speaker
The speaker in the poem is an unnamed individual who is experiencing profound grief over the loss of a loved one. The speaker’s emotions are raw and intense, and he struggles to articulate his feelings of sorrow and longing. The use of the first-person perspective makes the speaker’s grief feel personal and immediate, drawing the reader into his emotional experience.
Setting
The poem is set by the sea, with the continuous breaking of the waves serving as a constant backdrop to the speaker’s reflections. The sea is a powerful symbol in the poem, representing the relentless passage of time and the unchanging nature of the speaker’s grief. The setting also contributes to the melancholic mood of the poem, with the cold gray stones and the vast, indifferent sea reflecting the speaker’s feelings of loneliness and despair.
Theme
The central theme of the poem is grief and loss. The speaker expresses a deep sense of sorrow over the loss of a loved one, and his struggle to come to terms with this loss. The poem also explores the themes of time and transience, with the ceaseless breaking of the sea’s waves serving as a metaphor for the relentless march of time and the fleeting nature of human life.
Plot
The plot of the poem revolves around the speaker’s expression of grief and his observations of the world around him. He watches the sea and the people around him, contrasting their normalcy and vitality with his own sorrow and longing. He yearns for the touch of a “vanished hand” and the sound of a voice that is now silent, indicating his longing for his deceased friend.
Tone
The tone of the poem is somber and melancholic. The speaker’s words convey a profound sense of loss, longing, and despair. His grief is palpable, and his longing for his lost loved one is expressed with a poignant intensity that resonates with the reader.
Style
Tennyson’s style in this poem is characterized by its emotional depth, vivid imagery, and rhythmic flow. He uses simple, straightforward language to convey complex emotions, making the poem accessible and relatable. The use of repetition, metaphor, and contrast enhances the emotional impact of the poem, creating a powerful expression of grief and longing.
Message
The message of the poem is the enduring nature of grief and the difficulty of expressing profound emotional pain. Despite the world moving on around him, the speaker remains trapped in his sorrow, unable to find solace or express his inner turmoil. The poem serves as a poignant reminder of the pain of loss and the unchanging nature of grief, offering a deeply human exploration of sorrow and longing.
Alfred Lord Tennyson
Birth and Early Life
Alfred Tennyson was born on August 6, 1809, in Somersby, Lincolnshire, England. He was the fourth of 12 children in his family. His father was a rector, and the family was of minor landowning status.
Education
Tennyson was educated at Louth Grammar School and later at Trinity College, Cambridge. During his time at Cambridge, he was awarded the Chancellor’s Gold Medal in 1829 for one of his first pieces, “Timbuktu”.
Career
Tennyson published his first solo collection of poems, “Poems, Chiefly Lyrical”, in 1830. Despite some criticism, his verse soon proved popular and brought him to the attention of well-known writers of the day, including Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Tennyson’s early poetry, with its medievalism and powerful visual imagery, was a major influence on the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.
Poet
Laureate Tennyson was appointed Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom in 1850, a position he held until his death in 1892. As Poet Laureate, Tennyson was the official poet of the royal court, and his work reflected the major events and concerns of the Victorian era.
Notable Works
Some of Tennyson’s most notable works include “In Memoriam A.H.H.”, “The Charge of the Light Brigade”, “Crossing the Bar”, and “Idylls of the King”. His work is characterized by its emotional depth, intricate imagery, and musical rhythm.
Legacy
Tennyson is one of the most frequently quoted writers in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations. His exploration of a wide range of human emotions and experiences, often reflecting the societal changes and philosophical debates of his time, has left a lasting impact on English literature.
Death
Tennyson passed away on October 6, 1892, in Aldworth, Surrey, England. His work continues to be celebrated for its profound exploration of human emotions and the human condition.
Word Meaning
Tough Word |
Meaning in English |
Meaning in Hindi |
| Break | To separate into pieces or fragments | तोड़ना |
| Utter | To articulate or speak out | कहना |
| Arise | To come into being or notice | उत्पन्न होना |
| Shouts | Loud cries or calls | चीखें |
| Sailor lad | A young sailor | नाविक लड़का |
| Bay | A broad inlet of the sea where the land curves inward | खाड़ी |
| Stately | Dignified or impressive in appearance | शानदार |
| Haven | A place of safety or refuge | सुरक्षित स्थान |
| Vanish’d | Disappeared or ceased to exist (archaic) | गायब |
| Thy | Your (possessive form, archaic) | तेरा |
| Crags | Steep, rugged cliffs or rocks | खंडहर |
| Tender | Showing gentleness and concern | कोमल |
| Grace | Elegance or beauty of movement or expression | शोभा |
Very Short Answer Questions
Q: Who is the author of the poem “Break, Break, Break”?
A: The author of the poem is Alfred Lord Tennyson.
Q: What is the setting of the poem?
A: The setting of the poem is a seashore.
Q: What is the main theme of the poem?
A: The main theme of the poem is grief and loss.
Q: How many stanzas are there in the poem?
A: The poem consists of four stanzas.
Q: What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?
A: The rhyme scheme of the poem is ABCB.
Q: Who is the speaker in the poem?
A: The speaker in the poem is an unnamed person who is grieving the loss of a loved one.
Q: What does the sea symbolize in the poem?
A: The sea symbolizes the relentless passage of time and the unchanging nature of the speaker’s grief.
Q: What does the “vanished hand” refer to in the poem?
A: The “vanished hand” refers to the speaker’s deceased friend.
Q: What type of poem is “Break, Break, Break”?
A: “Break, Break, Break” is a lyric poem.
Q: What does the repetition of the word “break” signify in the poem?
A: The repetition of the word “break” signifies the speaker’s persistent grief and the unending passage of time.
Q: What contrast is presented in the second stanza of the poem?
A: The second stanza presents a contrast between the joy and vitality of the fisherman’s boy and the sailor lad, and the speaker’s sorrow.
Q: What do the “stately ships” symbolize in the poem?
A: The “stately ships” symbolize the passage of time and the world moving on, indifferent to the speaker’s grief.
Q: What is the tone of the poem?
A: The tone of the poem is somber and melancholic.
Q: What does the phrase “a day that is dead” refer to in the poem?
A: The phrase “a day that is dead” refers to the cherished memories of his friend, which, like the day, will never return.
Q: What is the form of the poem?
A: The poem is a quatrain, a type of poem that has four lines in each stanza.
Q: What does the speaker yearn for in the poem?
A: The speaker yearns for the touch of a “vanished hand” and the sound of a voice that is now silent.
Q: What does the speaker observe in the second stanza of the poem?
A: In the second stanza, the speaker observes a fisherman’s boy playing with his sister and a sailor singing in his boat.
Q: What is the mood of the poem?
A: The mood of the poem is melancholic and somber.
Q: What does the speaker struggle with in the poem?
A: The speaker struggles with expressing his feelings of sorrow and longing.
Q: What is the message of the poem?
A: The message of the poem is the enduring nature of grief and the difficulty of expressing profound emotional pain.
Short Answer Questions
Q: How does the speaker in the poem express his grief?
A: The speaker expresses his grief through his longing for his deceased friend and his observations of the world around him. He watches the sea and the people around him, contrasting their normalcy and vitality with his own sorrow and longing. He yearns for the touch of a “vanished hand” and the sound of a voice that is now silent.
Q: What is the significance of the sea in the poem?
A: The sea is a powerful symbol in the poem, representing the relentless passage of time and the unchanging nature of the speaker’s grief. The continuous breaking of the waves serves as a constant backdrop to the speaker’s reflections and emphasizes the repetitive nature of his sorrow.
Q: How does the poem reflect the societal norms of the Victorian era?
A: The poem reflects the Victorian era’s societal norms through the speaker’s struggle to articulate his feelings of sorrow and longing. During this time, open expressions of emotion were often discouraged, and the speaker’s inability to express his grief could be seen as a reflection of these societal constraints.
Q: What is the effect of the repetition of the word “break” in the poem?
A: The repetition of the word “break” emphasizes the relentless crashing of the waves and the speaker’s persistent grief. It creates a rhythmic pattern that mirrors the ceaseless passage of time and the unending nature of the speaker’s sorrow.
Q: How does the poem explore the theme of loss and grief?
A: The poem explores the theme of loss and grief through the speaker’s expression of sorrow over the loss of a loved one and his struggle to come to terms with this loss. The speaker’s yearning for the “touch of a vanished hand” and the “sound of a voice that is still” clearly indicates his longing for his deceased friend.
Q: What is the tone of the poem and how is it conveyed?
A: The tone of the poem is somber and melancholic. This is conveyed through the speaker’s words, which express a profound sense of loss, longing, and despair. The setting of the poem, by the cold gray stones of the sea, also contributes to the somber tone.
Q: How does the poem use contrast to highlight the speaker’s grief?
A: The poem uses contrast to highlight the speaker’s grief by juxtaposing the joy and vitality of the fisherman’s boy and the sailor lad with the speaker’s sorrow and longing. These scenes of joy and normalcy serve to accentuate the speaker’s sense of isolation and his longing for the happiness that he observes in others.
Q: What does the phrase “a day that is dead” refer to in the poem?
A: The phrase “a day that is dead” refers to the cherished memories of his friend, which, like the day, will never return. This phrase expresses the speaker’s sense of loss and his longing for the past.
Q: How does the form of the poem contribute to its meaning?
A: The form of the poem, with its four-line stanzas and ABCB rhyme scheme, contributes to its meaning by creating a rhythmic flow that enhances the musical quality of the verse. The use of this form also serves to emphasize the repetitive nature of the sea’s waves, mirroring the speaker’s unending grief.
Q: What is the message of the poem?
A: The message of the poem is the enduring nature of grief and the difficulty of expressing profound emotional pain. Despite the world moving on around him, the speaker remains trapped in his sorrow, unable to find solace or express his inner turmoil. The poem serves as a poignant reminder of the pain of loss and the unchanging nature of grief.
Essay Type Questions
Write the critical appreciation of the poem.
Introduction
“Break, Break, Break” is a lyric poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson, one of the most well-known poets of the Victorian era. Written in 1834, the poem is an expression of grief and longing, with the relentless breaking of the waves serving as a metaphor for the speaker’s unending sorrow.
Central Idea
The central idea of the poem is the speaker’s profound sense of loss and longing for a deceased loved one. The speaker observes the world around him, contrasting the joy and vitality of others with his own sorrow and longing. Despite the world moving on, the speaker remains trapped in his sorrow, unable to find solace or express his inner turmoil.
Structure & Rhyme Scheme
The poem is composed of four stanzas, each with four lines, making it a quatrain. The rhyme scheme is ABCB, which means the first- and third-lines rhyme with each other, and the second- and fourth-lines rhyme with each other. This pattern is consistent throughout the poem, creating a rhythmic flow that enhances the musical quality of the verse.
Theme
Grief and Loss The most prominent theme in the poem is grief and loss. The speaker expresses a deep sense of sorrow over the loss of a loved one. His yearning for the “touch of a vanished hand” and the “sound of a voice that is still” clearly indicates his longing for his deceased friend. The speaker’s grief is palpable, and his longing for his lost loved one is expressed with a poignant intensity that resonates with the reader.
Time and Transience The poem also explores the themes of time and transience. The continuous breaking of the sea’s waves serves as a metaphor for the relentless passage of time and the fleeting nature of human life. Despite the world moving on around him, the speaker remains trapped in his sorrow, unable to find solace or express his inner turmoil. The poem serves as a poignant reminder of the pain of loss and the unchanging nature of grief.
Isolation and Loneliness The speaker’s grief isolates him from the world around him. He observes the joy and vitality of the fisherman’s boy and the sailor lad, contrasting their normalcy and vitality with his own sorrow and longing. These scenes of joy and normalcy serve to accentuate the speaker’s sense of isolation and his longing for the happiness that he observes in others.
Inability to Express Emotion The speaker struggles to articulate his feelings of sorrow and longing. He watches the sea and the people around him, contrasting their normalcy and vitality with his own sorrow and longing. He yearns for the touch of a “vanished hand” and the sound of a voice that is now silent, indicating his longing for his deceased friend.
Style
Tennyson’s style in this poem is characterized by its emotional depth, vivid imagery, and rhythmic flow. He uses simple, straightforward language to convey complex emotions, making the poem accessible and relatable. The use of repetition, metaphor, and contrast enhances the emotional impact of the poem, creating a powerful expression of grief and longing.
Poetic Devices
“Break, Break, Break” by Alfred Lord Tennyson employs several poetic devices to convey the speaker’s profound sense of loss and longing. Here’s a detailed look at some of these devices:
Repetition The word “break” is repeated three times at the beginning of the poem, creating a rhythmic pattern that mirrors the relentless crashing of the waves. This repetition also serves to emphasize the speaker’s persistent grief and the unending passage of time.
Apostrophe This is a figure of speech where the speaker addresses an inanimate object (in this case, the sea) as if it were capable of understanding his feelings. This device serves to highlight the speaker’s intense emotions and his desperate need for an outlet for his grief.
Imagery Tennyson uses vivid imagery to create a somber and melancholic mood in the poem. The “cold gray stones” of the sea create a vivid image in the reader’s mind, setting a somber tone for the poem. This imagery also serves to evoke a sense of loneliness and desolation, reflecting the speaker’s emotional state.
Contrast The second stanza presents a stark contrast between the joy and vitality of the fisherman’s boy and the sailor lad, and the speaker’s sorrow. These scenes of joy and normalcy serve to accentuate the speaker’s sense of isolation and his longing for the happiness that he observes in others.
Symbolism The “stately ships” and the “haven under the hill” in the third stanza symbolize the passage of time and the world moving on, indifferent to the speaker’s grief. The sea, with its relentless breaking waves, serves as a powerful symbol of time’s ceaseless march and the unchanging nature of the speaker’s grief.
Euphemism The phrase “a day that is dead” in the final stanza is a euphemistic way of referring to the speaker’s deceased friend. This euphemism softens the harsh reality of death, while still conveying the speaker’s sense of loss and longing.
Message
The message of the poem is the enduring nature of grief and the difficulty of expressing profound emotional pain. Despite the world moving on around him, the speaker remains trapped in his sorrow, unable to find solace or express his inner turmoil. The poem serves as a poignant reminder of the pain of loss and the unchanging nature of grief.
Conclusion
In conclusion, “Break, Break, Break” is a poignant exploration of grief, loss, and the human struggle to articulate profound emotional pain. Through its powerful imagery, rhythmic flow, and effective use of poetic devices, the poem creates a deeply moving portrayal of sorrow and longing that resonates with the reader. The sea, with its relentless breaking waves, serves as a powerful symbol of time’s ceaseless march and the unchanging nature of the speaker’s grief. The poem is a testament to Tennyson’s mastery of the lyric form and his ability to convey complex emotions with simplicity and depth.
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