[ \ 1.

Background of the work

 The Owl and the Pussycat’ was published in Lear’s 1871 collection Nonsense Songs,
Stories, Botany, and Alphabets. The poem comprises the love of owl and pussy cat, who
ge t married in a strange place where Bon tress grows. The popularity of the poem lies
in the fact that it deals with nonsensical idea in an extraordinary way.

2. Authors background:
 Edward Lear (12 May 1812 – 29 January 1888) was an English artist, illustrator,
musician, author and poet, who is known mostly for his literary nonsense in poetry and
prose and especially his limericks, a form he popularised.[3]

3. Reading of the Poem

The Owl and the Pussy-Cat
BY EDWARD LEAR
I
The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea
In a beautiful pea-green boat,
They took some honey, and plenty of money,
Wrapped up in a five-pound note.
The Owl looked up to the stars above,
And sang to a small guitar,
"O lovely Pussy! O Pussy, my love,
What a beautiful Pussy you are,
You are,
You are!
What a beautiful Pussy you are!"
 II
Pussy said to the Owl, "You elegant fowl!
How charmingly sweet you sing!
O let us be married! too long we have tarried:
But what shall we do for a ring?"
They sailed away, for a year and a day,
To the land where the Bong-Tree grows
And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood
With a ring at the end of his nose,
His nose,
His nose,
With a ring at the end of his nose.

III
"Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling
Your ring?" Said the Piggy, "I will."
So they took it away, and were married next day
By the Turkey who lives on the hill.
They dined on mince, and slices of quince,
Which they ate with a runcible spoon;
And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
They danced by the light of the moon,
The moon,
The moon,
They danced by the light of the moon.
4. Dramatic Situation
a. who is the speaker of the poem?
------+- Third person speaker
b. to whom does the speaker speaking?

 To shows a beautiful conversation of love between the owl and the pussy cat. the poet
shows deep affection between the Owl and Pussy Cat, who tie a knot in a strange land
where there is happiness all around.
c. what is the situation?

 Is a simple, joy-filled poem that tells the marriage story of an owl and a cat. This
nonsense poem starts with the boat journey of the two main characters named in the
title. They profess their love to one another and decide to get married.

5. what is the mood of the poem?

-love
-happy
- cheerful
6. what does every stanza or line convey?

 In the first stanza of ‘The Owl and the Pussy-Cat’ the speaker describes the actions and
adventures of an owl and a pussy-cat. Both went to the sea in a pea-green boat to
enjoy honey and money. Both enjoyed it very much. They had money wrapped in a five-
pound note. The owl became so happy that he started singing to the tune of the guitar
while looking at the stars.
And also, this stanza presents the main idea of appreciation between two different
people. The two travel out to sea in a “beautiful pea-green boat,” a symbol for their
happiness together. They took everything they needed with them, “honey, and plenty
of money”.
 In the second stanza of The Owl and the Pussy-Cat, the cat responds just a s
complimentarily to the owl. The cat calls the owl an “elegant fowl” and declares that
they should stop wasting time and be married. The poet presents the conversation
between both the Pussy cat and the Owl. The Pussy cat responded to the Owl’s vows of
love by saying that he is a beautiful bird. His voice is charming; she adds saying they
should be married instead of just enjoying for long. However, one question seems to
her unresolvable, she says. Although they continue sailing, they have their marriage
 ring in mind when they come to the Bong Tree and ask the Piggy-wig for a ring he is
wearing at the end of his nose.

 In the last stanza of ‘The Owl and the Pussy-Cat’ the owl asks the pig to sell the couple
the ring in its nose for “one shilling”. The pig immediately agrees and the couple got
married. They celebrated afterward with a big meal, each getting something they
wanted. They used a “runcible spoon”

7. Denotation and Connotation

WORDS DENOTATIVE MEANING CONNOTATIVE MEANING

Runcible spoon A sharp-edged fork with Spork or a spoon with three
three broad curved prongs. lines.
Pussy cat As easy going, mild It is also regarded as a hot
mannered. chick who is sexy and
naughty.

8. Symbolism

 pea-green boat (romantic setting for a love affair)

 ring (symbolized as marriage vow)
 runcible spoon- (spork)

9. Figur of speech
Metaphor: “Owl and Pussy cat” both are metaphors of humans, but they are not humans.
Alliteration:” O lovely Pussy! O Pussy, my love, / what a beautiful Pussy you are.

10. Theme
- Love and marriage
11. Implication of the title
- the poem “The Owl and the Pussy Cat” by Edward Lear, is seemingly nonsensical story.
However, it shows a beautiful conversation of love between the owl and the pussy cat. This
poem is contains ingenious creativity and unique content. the Owl and the pussy cat has
made it a classic enjoyed by generations of young listeners we can also use this poem as a
media to teach listening, reading and vocabulary.