POETRY, 2025, DR.

RANIA

William Blake. “A Poison Tree.” 1794

Critical Analysis/Appreciation.
“A Poison Tree” explores the dangers of anger.
The poem lays out the benefits of talking about anger, and the consequences of
keeping anger within.
In the first two lines of the poem, when the speaker talks to their friend about
their anger, it disappears. Honesty and communication causes anger to
disappear.
However, when the speaker does not talk to their enemy about their anger, it
festers. Dishonesty and hypocrisy can cause anger to build up.

The poem uses an extended metaphor to liken the speaker's anger to a plant.
The speaker’s plant/anger is watered by his fears and tears.
The plant/anger is sunned by hypocritical smiles and deceitful actions.
The speaker becomes a gardener devoted to anger.
He is cultivating negativity with further negativity.

Eventually, the plant grows into a tree that bears a shining apple that the
speaker's enemy covets. The enemy steals the apple and eats it. However,
because the apple is the fruit of a tree that is poisoned by the speaker’s
anger, it is lethal. In the morning, when the speaker sees his enemy dead
beneath the tree, he is happy!
Regardless of whether the enemy deserved his fate or not, it is unsettling that
the speaker feels happy at the death of another human being.
In conclusion, the poem suggests that the suppression of anger is dangerous.
It can lead to more anger which can lead to revenge.
Revenge can escalate into violence which may lead to a sin!

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Characteristics of Romanticism in the poem:

1. An emphasis on the importance of emotions.

2. A belief that poetry should use simple, uncomplicated, common
language.
 POETRY, 2025, DR. RANIA

Form & Rhyme Scheme:

“A Poison Tree” is a lyric of 4 quatrains (four-line stanzas).

Its rhyme scheme pattern is AABB.

Poetic Devices:

Extended Metaphor: a metaphor introduced and then further developed

throughout all or part of a literary work.

(Stanzas two to four): Extended Metaphor

"A Poison Tree" contains an extended metaphor, which begins in stanza two and
ends at stanza four. It extends across three stanzas.
The poem uses an extended metaphor to liken the speaker's anger to a plant.
The speaker’s plant/anger is watered by his fears and tears.
The plant/anger is sunned by hypocritical smiles and deceitful actions.
The plant grows into a tree that bears a shining apple that the speaker's enemy
covets. The enemy steals the poisoned apple, eats it and dies.
In the morning, when the speaker sees his enemy dead beneath the tree, he is
happy!
…………………………………………………………………………………….

How would you translate the extended metaphor into its literal meaning?
The fact the speaker is watering and sunning the plant could mean that he is
intentionally keeping his anger alive to fuel his revenge! The poisoned apple
could be seen as bait to lure his enemy into his personal space (garden) where
the speaker is the cause of the enemy’s death.
…………………………………………………………………………………….

Allusion: an allusion is an indirect reference to a text, person, or incident

outside of the text.
The poem includes a tree, an apple, and someone who is punished after picking
the apple. This reference is clearly intended to be a biblical allusion to the story
of Adam & Eve and the forbidden fruit.

…………………………………………………………………………………….
 POETRY, 2025, DR. RANIA

Alliteration: The repetition of a consonant sound at the beginning of

neighbouring words.

Stanza (1), line (1): I was angry with my friend

There is alliteration in line 1 from stanza 1. (Or) There is alliteration in this line.
The consonant sound /w/ is repeated in the words ‘was’ and ‘with.’

Stanza (1), line (2): I told my wrath, my wrath did end.

There is alliteration in this line.
The consonant sound /r/ is repeated in the words ‘wrath’ and ‘wrath.’
The consonant sound /m/ is repeated in the words ‘my’ and ‘my.’

Stanza (1), line (3): I was angry with my foe:

There is alliteration in this line.
The consonant sound /w/ is repeated in the words ‘was’ and ‘with.’

Stanza (2), line (3): And I sunned it with smiles,

There is alliteration in this line.
The consonant sound /s/ is repeated in the words ‘sunned’ and ‘smiles.’

Stanza (2), line (3): And with soft deceitful wiles.

There is alliteration in this line.
The consonant sound /w/ is repeated in the words ‘with’ and ‘wiles.’

Stanza (3), line (2): Till it bore an apple bright.

There is alliteration in this line.
The consonant sound /b/ is repeated in the words ‘bore’ and ‘bright.’
Page 1 of 6 POETRY, 2025, SECOND TERM. DR. RANIA

John Keats. “La Belle Dame sans Merci.” 1819

Critical Analysis/Appreciation.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

This critical analysis will examine “La Belle Dame sans Merci” from two viewpoints:

First, from the viewpoint that the knight is the victim of the woman
who is a femme fatale.
Second, from the viewpoint that the woman is the victim of the knight!

The viewpoint that the knight is the victim of the woman who is a femme fatale.

When the knight answers the unnamed speaker and explains why he is wandering in a
sickly state, he presents the woman in a suspicious way that makes her sound
dangerous! For instance:

(1) He identifies her as a supernatural being, a fairy’s child with wild, wild eyes.
This suggests that she is a dangerous predator like a wild animal.

(2) He tells us that she speaks in a strange language.

At the end of the poem, this makes us wonder if the strange language she used could
be a magic spell to hold him in thrall!

(3) He tells us that she fed him with sweet roots.

This makes us wonder if he was drugged by these roots to put him to sleep.

(4) He says that when she takes him to her elfin grotto, she “lulled” him to sleep.
Since one of the meanings of the word “lull” is to calm someone’s fears or
suspicions by deception this is ominous.

(5) When the knight is asked why he looks so sick and why he loiters alone
he places the blame for his situation on the woman.

(6) The lady’s character is defined only from a male point of view. It is the knight and
all the men (kings, princes, and warriors) in his dream who define the woman as
being a merciless femme fatale.
Page 2 of 6 POETRY, 2025, SECOND TERM. DR. RANIA

The viewpoint that the woman is the victim of the knight.

If we look closely at what the knight says he does to the woman, the knight does not
appear to be a helpless victim as he claims according to the following observations:

(1) The knight is actively courting the lady.

He is the one giving her gifts like a garland, bracelets and a belt!
These gifts can be seen not only to decorate her but also to bind her.

(2) The knight claims possession of the lady.

He is the one who sets her on his horse. She did not ask for any of what he does.

(3) When they arrive at the lady’s grotto, he tells us that she wept and sighed.
This suggests that she is unhappy.

(4) The knight tells us that he is sure that she said, “I Love thee true,” yet he tells us
that she spoke in a strange language. If this is true, how can the knight be sure
that she said she loved him true!
It seems that he translates what she says into what he wants to hear.

(5) Again, when the knight says that the lady looked at him “as she did love,”
we question how he is sure that her look is one of love?
Once more, it seems that he is translating her body language into what he wants.

(6) Although the knight blames the woman for his situation and all the men in his
dream define the woman as being a merciless femme fatale, does she do
anything that can be said to be without mercy?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Characteristics of Romanticism in the poem:

1. An interest in supernatural subjects.

2. An interest in the past (especially medieval times) and the exotic.
Page 3 of 6 POETRY, 2025, SECOND TERM. DR. RANIA

Form & Rhyme Scheme:

“La Belle Dame sans Merci” is a ballad consisting of 12 four-line (quatrain) stanzas.
Its rhyme scheme pattern is ABCB.

Poetic Devices:

Stanza 1
O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms, a
So haggard and so woe-begone? b
The squirrel’s granary is full, c
And the harvest’s done. b

Line 1. O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms, Repetition.

Repetition: Repetition is a unifying device in poetry. It may function to reinforce,
supplement, or emphasize a point or create rhythm and harmony in a poem.
The question “O what can ail thee, knight-at-arms”? is repeated in the first line of both
stanzas one and two.
The function of the repetition is to emphasize the physical deterioration of the knight.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Line 2. So haggard and so woe-begone? Alliteration.

Alliteration: The repetition of a consonant sound at the beginning of
neighbouring words.

There is alliteration in this line.

The consonant sound /s/ is repeated in the words ‘So’ and ‘so.’

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Line 3. The squirrel’s granary is full, Metaphor.

Metaphor: A comparison of two things without using like or as.
The squirrel’s storage of food that he has collected during spring and summer to prepare
for winter is likened to a granary (a storehouse for grain).
The function of the metaphor is to signal that winter is coming.
Page 4 of 6 POETRY, 2025, SECOND TERM. DR. RANIA

Stanza 2
I see a lily on thy brow, a
With anguish moist and fever-dew, b
And on thy cheeks a fading rose c
Fast withereth too. b

Line 9. I see a lily on thy brow, Metaphor.

Metaphor: A comparison of two things without using like or as.
The brow of the Knight is likened to a lily in its pale, white colour.
The function of the metaphor is to emphasize that the Knight is in a sick, pale
condition. Also, because lilies are associated with death in Western culture, they
suggest something ominous such as the knight is close to death.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Line 11. And on thy cheeks a fading rose Metaphor.

Metaphor: A comparison of two things without using like or as.
The cheeks of the Knight are likened to a fading rose.
The function of the metaphor is to emphasize that the Knight is becoming more pale
which suggests he is sick and probably close to death.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Stanza 3
I met a lady in the meads, a
Full beautiful—a faery’s child, b
Her hair was long, her foot was light, c
And her eyes were wild. b

Line 14. Full beautiful—a faery’s child, Metaphor.

Metaphor: A comparison of two things without using like or as.
The beautiful lady the knight meets is likened to a fairy.
The function of the metaphor is to emphasize the woman’s beauty.
However, since fairies are a type of supernatural being in Western folklore known for
their magical powers and mischievous nature, this metaphor holds ominous
connotations.
Page 5 of 6 POETRY, 2025, SECOND TERM. DR. RANIA

Alliteration: The repetition of a consonant sound at the beginning of

neighbouring words.

Line 13. I met a lady in the meads, Alliteration.

There is alliteration in this line.
The consonant sound /m/ is repeated in the words ‘met’ and ‘meads.’

Line 14. Full beautiful—a faery’s child, Alliteration.

There is alliteration in this line.
The consonant sound /f/ is repeated in the words ‘full’ and ‘faery’s.’

Line 15. Her hair was long, her foot was light, Alliteration.
There is alliteration in this line.
The consonant sound /h/ is repeated in the words ‘Her,’ ‘hair,’ and ‘her.’

Line 16. And her eyes were wild. Alliteration.

There is alliteration in this line.
The consonant sound /w/ is repeated in the words ‘were’ and ‘wild.’

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Stanza 3
She found me roots of relish sweet,
And honey wild, and manna-dew,
And sure in language strange she said—
‘I love thee true’.

Line 26. And honey wild, and manna-dew, Allusion.

Allusion: an allusion is an indirect reference to a text, person, or incident

outside of the text.
This is an allusion to the story of manna in the Bible.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Alliteration: The repetition of a consonant sound at the beginning of

neighbouring words.

Line 25. She found me roots of relish sweet, Alliteration.

There is alliteration in this line.
The consonant sound /r/ is repeated in the words ‘roots’ and ‘relish.’
Page 6 of 6 POETRY, 2025, SECOND TERM. DR. RANIA

Line 27. And sure in language strange she said, Alliteration.

There is alliteration in this line.
The consonant sound /s/ is repeated in the words ‘sure’ and ‘she.’
The consonant sound /s/ is repeated in the words ‘strange’ and ‘said.’
Page 1 of 3 POETRY, 2025, SECOND TERM. DR. RANIA

Lord Byron. “She Walks in Beauty.” 1814

Critical Analysis/Appreciation.
The theme of the poem is a woman's beauty. The speaker praises a woman’s
physical beauty by likening it to a clear night with a starry sky. It is a common
practice for poets to describe beauty by using nature. However, beauty is usually
likened to the day, the sun, and its light. Shakespeare is famous for doing so in his
“Sonnet 18” where he asks: “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” Byron’s simile
here is unique & uncommon because he uses the night and stars instead of the day
and sun to convey the woman’s beauty. Most likely she was wearing a black
“mourning” dress with sequins that flashed like stars when it caught the light.

All throughout the poem, the speaker uses antithesis to show how the woman is a
perfect balance of opposites. Her beauty is the is the ideal mix of dark and bright
elements (her hair, her eyes, her dress, her skin). The speaker describes the woman’s
black hair in a unique and uncommon way by calling it raven instead of black. It is
uncommon to do so because the raven is traditionally thought of as a bird of bad omen.

However, as the poem progresses, it focuses less on the woman’s outer beauty
and more on her inner beauty (both intellectual and moral). Her intellectual beauty is
emphasized in stanza two when the speaker praises the beautiful woman’s mind as
being equally beautiful and dear as the rest of her. Her moral beauty is highlighted in
the final stanza when the speaker concludes that her beauty is proof that she is a
woman who spends her time in goodness.

Although the poem is usually classified as a love poem, the speaker never
actually declares his love. However, he is clearly infatuated by the woman’s beauty
and purity. It is also interesting to know that the poem “She Walks in Beauty" was
written in response to the striking beauty of a young lady that caught the attention of
Lord Byron at a social gathering.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Characteristics of Romanticism in the Poem:

1. A focus on the personal reactions and reflections of the writer.

Form & Rhyme Scheme:

“She Walks in Beauty” is a lyric consisting of 3 six-line (sestet) stanzas.

Its rhyme scheme pattern is ABABAB.
Page 2 of 3 POETRY, 2025, SECOND TERM. DR. RANIA

Poetic Devices:
Stanza 1
She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellow'd to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Line 1&2. She walks in beauty, like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies; Simile
There is simile in this line. The woman is likened to a cloudless night sky full of
stars. Its function is to convey how her black mourning dress, full of sequins, flashed
like stars when it caught the light.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Line 3. And all that's best of dark and bright, Antithesis.

Antithesis: Antithesis is a figure of speech that juxtaposes two contrasting or opposing ideas.
There is antithesis in this line, 'dark' is contrasted with 'bright.'
The function of this antithesis is to emphasize how the woman is a perfect balance of
opposites.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Line 2. Of cloudless climes and starry skies; Alliteration.

There is alliteration in this line.
The consonant sounds /cl/ are repeated in the words ‘cloudless’ and ‘climes.’
The consonant sound /s/ is repeated in the words ‘starry’ and ‘skies.’

Line 3. And all that's best of dark and bright, Alliteration.

There is alliteration in this line.
The consonant sound /b/ is repeated in the words ‘best’ and ‘bright.’

Line 4. Meet in her aspect and her eyes: Alliteration.

There is alliteration in this line.
The consonant sound /h/ is repeated in the words ‘her’ and ‘her.’

Line 5. Thus mellow'd to that tender light Alliteration.

There is alliteration in this line.
The consonant sounds /th/ is repeated in the words ‘Thus’ and ‘that.’
The consonant sound /t/ is repeated in the words ‘to’ and ‘tender.’

Line 6. Which heaven to gaudy day denies. Alliteration.

There is alliteration in this line.
The consonant sound /d/ is repeated in the words ‘day’ and ‘denies.’
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Page 3 of 3 POETRY, 2025, SECOND TERM. DR. RANIA

Stanza 2
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impair'd the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

Alliteration: The repetition of a consonant sound at the beginning of

neighbouring words.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Line 1. One shade the more, one ray the less, Antithesis.

Antithesis: Antithesis is a figure of speech that juxtaposes two contrasting or opposing ideas.
There is antithesis in this line, 'shade' is contrasted with 'ray' and 'more' is contrasted
with 'less'
The function of this antithesis is to emphasize how the woman is a perfect balance of
opposites.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Line 5-6. Where thoughts serenely sweet express

How pure, how dear their dwelling-place. Personification.

There is personification in this line.

Thoughts are likened to human beings who have homes “dwelling place.”
The home of the woman’s thoughts is the mind!
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Stanza 3
And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!

Alliteration: The repetition of a consonant sound at the beginning of

neighbouring words.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
 POETRY, 2025, SECOND TERM. DR. RANIA

William Wordsworth. “My Heart Leaps Up.”

Critical Analysis/Appreciation.
"My Heart Leaps Up" describes the pure joy the speaker feels upon
seeing a rainbow. It is a joy that he has experienced as a child and continues to
do so as an adult. He hopes that he will feel the same way when he is an old
man, or it would be better to die! This signifies that to lose enthusiasm for the
natural world would be to lose what makes life worth living.
In the poem, the speaker is reflecting on the difference between a child’s
reaction to nature and an adult’s reaction. It is in childhood that people first
feel a sense of wonder at the natural world around them. However, in adulthood
people often become jaded, for one reason or another, and lose this sense of
wonder. The poem seems to argue that adults should strive to maintain the
enthusiastic reaction to the natural world that they felt as children.
Therefore, the speaker suggests, in a paradox, that children can teach
adults to notice the natural world and let it move you.

Characteristics of Romanticism in the poem:

1. A belief that poetry should use simple, uncomplicated, common

language.
2. A reverence for children and childhood. The Romantics believed
children could teach adults forgotten insights.
3. A glorification of nature.

Form & Rhyme Scheme:

“My Heart Leaps Up” is a lyric poem. Its rhyme scheme is ABCCABCDD.
 POETRY, 2025, SECOND TERM. DR. RANIA

Poetic Devices:

Line 1: “My heart leaps up” PERSONIFICATION

In "My Heart Leaps Up" the speaker personifies his own heart by giving it the
human ability to leap.
The function of this personification is to convey the child-like happiness the
speaker feels when he sees a rainbow.
…………………………………………………………………………………….

• Line 7: “The Child is father of the Man” PARADOX

At first, this line seems to make no sense!
How can a child be the parent of an adult?
Because fathers usually teach their children the wisdom that they have gained
from years of experience, this verse is paradox! However, the speaker is trying
to convey his belief that children have wisdom to teach adults.
…………………………………………………………………………………….

• Line 2: “rainbow” SYMBOL

A rainbow is a beautiful natural phenomenon that is a symbol of hope.
Because rainbows appear after storms, they are symbols of hope, happiness,
and better times after difficult ones.
In the poem, the rainbow fills the speaker with a sense of happiness and hope
for the future.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
 POETRY, 2024, FIRST TERM. DR. RANIA

William Wordsworth. “We are Seven.”

Critical Analysis/Appreciation.
Wordsworth’s “We Are Seven” offers two different perspectives on
death. An adult’s perspective which we expect to be wise and a child’s
perspective which we expect to be naive.
Two of the little girl’s siblings are dead but she insists that they are seven
when asked by the man. In her mind, death has not taken her siblings away
from her. On the contrary, she continues to play, sit, and eat next to their
graves. She still considers them a part of her daily life.
The man, however, insists that the dead do not count. In his mind, she
should say that they are five and not seven.
We quickly notice that the girl and the man think about death
differently. And we begin to wonder if children have a better understanding
of and reaction to death than adults! By the end of the poem, the little girl
does not appear naive but wise.
The fact that Wordsworth titles the poem with the little girl's words “We
are Seven” instead of the man's words "ye are five" seems to signify that
Wordsworth prefers the little girl’s perspective. It is possible that we as
adults could learn something from a child!
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Characteristics of Romanticism in the poem:

1. A belief that poetry should use simple, uncomplicated, common

language.
2. A reverence for children and childhood. The Romantics believed
children could teach adults forgotten spiritual insights.

Form & Rhyme Scheme:

“We are Seven” is a Ballad of 16 quatrains (four-line stanzas) in ABAB rhyme

scheme and a final cinquain (five-line stanza) in ABCCB pattern.

 POETRY, 2024, FIRST TERM. DR. RANIA

Poetic Devices:

Alliteration: The repetition of a consonant sound at the beginning of

neighbouring words.

Stanza (1), line (3): And feels its life in every limb,
There is alliteration in line 3 from stanza 1. (Or) There is alliteration in this line.
The consonant sound /l/ is repeated in the words ‘life’ and ‘limb.’

Stanza (2), line (2): She was eight years old, she said;
There is alliteration in this line.
The consonant sound /sh/ is repeated in the words ‘she’ and ‘she.’

Stanza (2), line (3): Her hair was thick with many a curl
There is alliteration in this line.
The consonant sound /h/ is repeated in the words ‘her’ and ‘hair.’
The consonant sound /w/ is repeated in the words ‘was’ and ‘with.’

Stanza (2), line (4): That clustered round her head.

There is alliteration in this line.
The consonant sound /h/ is repeated in the words ‘her’ and ‘head.’

Stanza (3), line (2): How many may you be?”

There is alliteration in this line.
The consonant sound /m/ is repeated in the words ‘many’ and ‘may.’