‘Written on
the Wall at
Chang’s
Hermitage’
P O E M BY T U F U
summary
The poem describes the speaker’s journey into the mountains, seeking someone
who lives in solitude and harmony with nature. The natural setting is harsh yet
beautiful, with icy streams, snow-covered trails, and the silence of mountain
peaks. The person they seek has learned to live peacefully, detached from worldly
desires, in the wilderness. By the end of the poem, the speaker themselves
undergoes a transformation, forgetting the way back and becoming “an empty
boat, floating, adrift,” signifying surrender to nature and the process of self-
discovery.
Figures of Speech:
1.Metaphor:
1. “An empty boat, floating, adrift”: The boat represents the speaker, who has let
go of attachments and is drifting in life, at peace with uncertainty. This metaphor
conveys a sense of surrender and detachment.
Simile:
•“You have learned to be gentle / As the mountain deer you have tamed”:
This simile compares the person the speaker seeks to a deer, suggesting they
have learned gentleness and harmony, just as the deer has adapted to being
tamed. The deer represents a connection with nature, reinforcing the peaceful
coexistence between humans and animals.
Personification:
•“The sound of chopping wood echoes / Between the silent peaks”: Here,
the mountains are personified as “silent,” giving them a sense of stillness and
timelessness, as if the peaks are quietly observing the speaker’s journey.
Symbolism:
•Gold and silver ore: These represent material wealth and the physical treasures
of the world, which the person being sought rejects in favor of spiritual wealth and
inner peace.
•Snow, icy streams, and the stony mountain pass: These images symbolize
the difficulties and obstacles in life, as well as the purity and beauty of nature.
Writing Techniques:
1.Enjambment:
1.The poem features enjambment to create a flowing,
continuous sense of movement, mirroring the speaker’s
journey through the mountains. For example:
1.“The sound of chopping wood echoes / Between the silent peaks.”
2.“At sunset I reach your grove / In the stony mountain pass.”
2.This lack of pause between lines enhances the feeling of the
speaker's steady progression through nature.
Imagery:
•The poem is rich in visual imagery, using descriptions of the natural world—icy
streams, snowy trails, sunset, gold, and silver ore—to evoke the setting and the
internal state of the speaker. The contrast between the harshness of nature and
the tranquility of the person being sought reflects the theme of transformation.
Visual Imagery:
1.“It is Spring in the mountains.”
1. This line sets the scene and evokes a vivid picture of a mountainous landscape
during springtime, suggesting renewal and beauty.
2.“The streams are still icy.”
1. This visual image conveys the coldness of the streams, highlighting the lingering
winter in the mountainous region.
3.“There is snow on the trail.”
1. This line paints a clear picture of the snow-covered path, enhancing the sense of the
harshness and challenges in the environment.
Visual Imagery:
•“At sunset I reach your grove / In the stony mountain pass.”
•The imagery here evokes a specific time of day, creating a serene and picturesque scene with a
grove surrounded by mountains.
•“You can see the aura of gold / And silver ore all around you.”
•This description suggests a shimmering, almost magical quality to the natural resources in the
area, emphasizing their beauty.
•“As the mountain deer you have tamed.”
•The imagery of the deer conveys a sense of grace and gentleness, contributing to the overall
theme of harmony with nature.
Auditory Imagery:
1.“The sound of chopping wood echoes / Between the silent peaks.”
1. This auditory imagery captures the contrast between the sound of wood being
chopped and the surrounding silence of the mountains, emphasizing the stillness of
nature.
Tactile Imagery:
1.“You have learned to be gentle”
1. While not a direct tactile image, this line evokes a feeling of softness and care,
suggesting a sensitivity to the natural world and the relationships within it.
Symbolism:
•The journey through the mountains serves as a symbol for the speaker’s spiritual journey.
As they ascend higher and face more obstacles, they reach a place of peace and
renunciation. The “empty boat” at the end of the poem symbolizes the speaker’s
transformation, as they let go of worldly attachments and become one with nature.
Free Verse:
1. The poem is written in free verse, with no strict rhyme scheme or meter. This gives
the poem a natural, organic feel, echoing the theme of the speaker becoming more
in tune with the rhythms of nature.
End-stopped Lines,
Enjambment, and Caesura:
1.End-stopped Lines (where a line ends with a full stop, giving a sense of
finality):
1. “It is Spring in the mountains.”
2. “The streams are still icy.”
3. “There is snow on the trail.”
4. “An empty boat, floating, adrift.”
Enjambment (when a sentence flows over
from one line to the next without a pause):
•“The sound of chopping wood echoes / Between the silent peaks.”
•“You want nothing, although at night / You can see the aura of gold”
•“At sunset I reach your grove / In the stony mountain pass.”
Caesura (pauses within a line
created by punctuation):
•“You want nothing, although at night” (pause after “nothing” creates a
caesura).
•“You have learned to be gentle / As the mountain deer you have tamed.”
(pause after "gentle").
The Relationship Between
Nature and Humans:
In "Visitors":
•In “Visitors,” nature is presented as healing and restorative. The speaker, who
suffers from asthma, finds peace and relief in a quiet, rural setting by the river.
The natural world offers the speaker a simple, contented life, where gathering
vegetables and living humbly provides a deep sense of fulfillment. Nature here is
gentle and nurturing, fostering both physical and emotional well-being.
In "Loneliness":
•In “Loneliness,” nature reflects the harsh realities of life. The hawk and spider
represent the predatory aspects of the natural world, where survival and sorrow
are inevitable. Nature is indifferent, mirroring the speaker’s existential sorrow. The
poem highlights the darker side of nature, emphasizing the speaker’s loneliness
and the inevitability of life’s struggles.
In the Current Poem:
•In this poem, nature serves as a backdrop for a spiritual journey. The harsh, wintry
landscape challenges the speaker, yet it also offers beauty and simplicity. The
person the speaker seeks lives in harmony with nature, rejecting material wealth
and embracing gentleness and peace. The mountains, icy streams, and snow
symbolize the obstacles and difficulties of life, while the speaker’s transformation
into “an empty boat” represents a state of surrender and unity with nature.
Comparison of the Relationship
Between Nature and Humans:
1.Effect of Nature on Humans:
1. “Visitors”: Nature heals and comforts, providing peace and health to the speaker.
2. “Loneliness”: Nature reflects life’s struggles, offering no solace but rather a
reminder of sorrow and survival.
3. This Poem: Nature challenges the speaker but ultimately leads them to a deeper
understanding and transformation, as they let go of worldly attachments and
become one with the natural world.
Viewpoints – The Narrators:
•“Visitors”: The narrator finds peace and contentment in nature, living simply
and happily.
•“Loneliness”: The narrator feels isolated and burdened by sorrow, viewing
nature as indifferent and harsh.
•This Poem: The narrator embarks on a journey through nature, seeking wisdom
and transformation. By the end, they have let go of attachments and find peace
in becoming part of the natural world.
Purpose:
•“Visitors”: To show the healing power of nature and the value of a simple,
peaceful life.
•“Loneliness”: To reflect on the harsh realities of life and the inevitability of
sorrow and struggle.
•This Poem: To explore a journey of spiritual transformation, where nature both
challenges and ultimately frees the speaker, leading them to a state of
detachment and peace.
Thank you
AHMED S. EMAM
TEACHER OF ENGLISH
