The Brook Seminar paper

Seminar Paper:

The Brook by Alfred Lord Tennyson

I have chosen the poem named “The Brook” for this seminar and I will explain why I love to recite this poem very much and how it touches my heart. Moreover I am prepared to ask some questions regarding this poem to my colleges.

This poem was written by Alfred Lord Tennyson around 1850. He talked about the small river of England’s countryside in Victorian time. He was born on 6^th August 1809 in Lincoln, England and was died on 6^th October 1892. He was fourth of twelve children of George and Elizabeth Tennyson. In 1850, he became the most popular poet of the Victorian era and still remains one of the most popular poets in the English literature.

The poet has personified the brook between the journeys of the brook with the life of a man. The brook narrates its history comprising from its origin, its meandering, uneven journey through forests, hills and open spaces until it joins the brimming river. The poet says that the child is very energetic and lively in his childhood. Likewise, the brook bears similarity to the child. In the early life of the brook, it is powerful and keeps flowing with a great rush and enthusiasm, embracing ups and downs through its journey, till reaching its destination, brimming river.

In the course of its journey, it falls from heights. It wanders around the wavy and stony path. It flows slowly on the plain. Like the brook, when a man approaches the end of his life, he becomes slow and his movement becomes dull. Ultimately he dies. But the brook flows forever. The brook takes itself in a form of human and talks about its journey. What is your opinion about this poem? How many of you have read this poem? How many of you think about the greatness of poet’s imagination and creativity?

What there are present in the poem?

The poet reveals that men have ups and downs throughout the life like “the Brook” flows from its origin to the river.

What do you make of the form and structure of the piece?

The form and structure of the poem is very rigid and very good to recite. Tennyson handled rhythm masterfully. He used the musical qualities of words to emphasis his rhythms and to prop his words dynamic.

What does this poem make you feel?

I found the philosophy of mortality and immortality between living things and nonliving things. I felt it as if I am watching a film portraying about a life story of a man from his birth to death.

What words particular stands out for you?

The most stands out verse in this poem for me are “For men may come and men may go, but I go on forever”. This verse reveals that men have a short life spam, but “the Brook” lives forever. During the course of life spam, I wonder why men are doing stupid things maliciously to each other rather than saving life by not creating wars. It gives me full of fascinating insights to do good deeds before the life is expired.

Now I would like to ask a question to some of you. Please share me your opinion regarding this question. The question is: How does Tennyson suggest sound in this verse?

“I chatter over stony ways

In little sharps and trebles.

I bubble into eddying bays,

I babble on the pebbles”

I would translate that verse like this. As the brook flows over a stony creek bed, it makes interesting and musical sound. When it flows into eddying bays, it splashed against pebbles and produced babbling sounds.

Please read the following verse.

Which verbs suggest the river is quiet at this point in its journey?

I steal by lawns and grassy plots,
I slide by hazel covers;
I move the sweet forget-me-nots
That grow for happy lovers.

The poet carefully selected the words for rhymes. His craftsmanship was wonderful.  He used the word “steal” to describe the river is quiet, slow, gentle, soft and calm during the course of its routes by the lawns, grassy plots and the plains covered with hazel and the foget-met-nots flowers.

One of my favourite verses in this poem is:

I slip, I slide, I gloom, I glance,
Among my skimming swallows;
I make the netted sunbeam dance
Against my sandy shallows.

Tennyson crafted this verse magnificently. He described how the brook has travelled through different terrain by using the words “slip, slide, gloom glance” harmoniously and rhythmically. The brook here slips through ridges, there it slides down the valley whilst the swallows fly over it, when the incident ray is reflected on the sandy bank.

In the following verses and you will see how “the Brook” set out its journey and how it travels through.

I come from haunts of coot and hern,
I make a sudden sally
And sparkle out among the fern,
To bicker down a valley.

The brook set out his journey suddenly from the mountains where the aquatic birds inhabit. It sparkles and shines because of the sun reflection from the fern, flowerless plants. The brook flows down a valley very quickly.

By thirty hills I hurry down,
Or slip between the ridges,
By twenty thorpes, a little town,
And half a hundred bridges.

The poet describes the pace of the brook. He flows through thirty hills, ridges, twenty villages, a little town and fifty bridges.

In conclusion, the poet has compared the mortality of man with the immortality of the brook. The poet has drawn a parallel between the two and has tried to depict the similarities between the two in the various stages of the journey of their lives. Tennyson reveals the richness of his grate imaginary and witchcraft in descriptive writing. “The Brook” shows Tennyson‘s exquisite craftsmanship.

References:

[Internet], Available from: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_brook_is_Alfred_Lord_Tennyson_talking_about_in_his_poem_song_of_the_brook#page2  [Assessed 5^th May 2013]

[Internet], Available from: http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/tennyson/tennybio.html[Assessed 5^th May 2013]