Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield, Introduction to English Literature, 1st Year 1st Semester BA English Literature, University of Madras

 BA ENGLISH LITERATURE

FIRST YEAR - SEMESTER I

CORE I – INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH LITERATURE

5.3 “Garden Party” Katherine Mansfield

About Author:

     Mansfield was born Kathleen Mansfield Beauchamp to a wealthy family in Wellington, New Zealand, on October 14, 1888. She was educated in London, deciding early on that she wanted to be a writer. She studied music, wrote for the school newspaper, and read the works of Oscar Wilde and other English writers of the early twentieth century.  In 1911, Mansfield published her first volume of stories, In a German Pension.

About Story:

   “The Garden Party” first published in 1922 in the influential “Westminster Gazette” and later as a collection titled The Garden Party and Other Stories in the same year. It is the story of an upper-class British family who is throwing a party for friends. The story unfolds at the estate of a well-to-do upper-class family on Tinakori Road in Wellington, New Zaeland.

    It with an upper class teenage girl who faces the issue of class distinctions when she is unexpectedly broken the news of the death of an underprivileged neighbour who perishes while she is busy with the preparations of a huge party.

Characters:

• Laura Sheridan: Pretty teenager who undergoes a conflict on the day of a garden party.

• Laurie Sheridan: Laura's brother. Laurie could be a nickname for Laurence.

• Meg, Jose: Sisters of Laura and Laurie.

• Mrs. Sheridan: Class-conscious mother of the Sheridan children.

• Mr. Sheridan: Husband of Mrs. Sheridan and father of the Sheridan children.

• Mr. Scott: Cart driver killed in an accident. His family lives in a settlement of commoners down the road from the Sheridan home.

• Em: Grieving widow of the cart driver.

• Woman in Black: Sister of Em.

• Kitty Maintland: Friend of Laura.

• Florist: Person who delivers lilies to the Sheridan home before the garden party.

• Man From Godber's: Man from a bakery who delivers pastries to the Sheridan home. While making the delivery, he reports the death of Mr. Scott and describes how he was killed.

• Cook: The cook in the Sheridan home.

• Sadie, Hans: Servants.

• Four Workmen: Men who set up the marquee for the garden party.

• Gardener: Worker who arose at dawn to cut the grass on the Sheridan estate.

Summary:

     The Sheridan family is arranging a Garden Party in a beautiful sunny day. The protagonist of the story is Laura who cherishes lofty principles of compassion and care. Laura’s family includes her mother, Mrs Sheridan, her sister, Jose, her father, Mr Sheridan and her brother, Laurie.

     Laura is engaged in arranging the garden party which will be given in the afternoon. Laura welcomes the workmen who arrive to build up the marquee, her initial scepticism in view of their lower social class is expelled by fascination and attraction of their way of life. In the course of the preparations they are unexpectedly interrupted by the deliverer who delightfully presents the news of a riding accident which caused the death of a young man from the indigent neighbourhood. Deeply shocked by this incident Laura sets her mind on cancelling the party and tries to convince her sister Jose and her mother of her intention, but they refuse to agree with this idea.

    Mrs Sheridan even seems to be amused about the commiseration of her daughter. Trying to divert Laura’s attention from the uncomfortable thoughts Mrs Sheridan gives her a beautiful hat to avoid a discussion. Angrily Laura leaves to her own room where she looks at herself in the mirror wearing the new hat, whose beauty sparks off a softening and bending to her mother’s words and a driving away of her concern about the occurrence. When Laurie returns from the office Laura’s desire to find a confederate in him by telling him about the incident, is subdued by him complimenting her on her fabulous hat. Meanwhile the first guests arrive and the perfect afternoon takes its course,- the garden party is a marvelous success. Later in the evening after all the invitees have left, the family comes together in the marquee and reflects on the day. It is then that Mr Sheridan mentions the accident mistakenly thinking it will be news to the family. Mrs Sheridan does not feel fine talking about all this again and gets nervous and awkward as a result. Preventing reproach she suggests to arrange a basket filled with uneaten rests from the party for the widow.

     Laura is not in line with this idea but reluctantly accomplishes her mothers directions and sets off to the wretched place. Walking through the dark streets she notices the skeptical gazes of the poor that follow her till she arrives at the widow’s lodge. A small woman who later turns out to be the widow’s sister opens the door and invites Laura to take a look at the corpse. She is under the impression that he looks marvelous and far away from everything, in spite of this idea she cannot control herself, thus starts to cry and flees from the cabin to get out of the situation. Meeting Laurie who has been sent by their mom she attempts to voice her feelings about her unfamiliar experience and the awareness she gained about life but is not able to express her thoughts. Despite this her brother understands what she is trying to say.

 

Characters Analysis:

LAURA :

Laura Sheridan the young protagonist of the story is a teenage girl growing up in an affluent family in an upper class neighborhood, who appears to be a dynamic character in the course of the story. she is a very creative, agile person who loves organizing things and is self conscious and aware of her skills, at least in her habitual surroundings. Laura seems to be different from all the other members of her family except for her brother Laurie who she gets along with very well. She has contempt for conventions which shows in her fascination about the workmen and the working class lifestyle as such. Moreover her character is very emotional, - her mood varies from high excitement to indignant depression within seconds. Getting lost in thoughts and dreams once in a while she also has a naively romantic side. Throughout the plot of the story she experiences an inner conflict between her upbringing in the upper class world and the snobbish views of her mother on the one hand and her own originating attitude and experiences on the other hand. Although her attempts to escape from her mother’s perspective fail due to her habitual compliancy, Laura reinforces the development of her own opinion perceivably.

MRS SHERIDAN: 

She lives with her husband and her six children in a homestead in a wealthy neighborhood. Her personality can be described as superficial which shows in her manner to care for clothes and exterior features only. Instead of being warm hearted and concerned about others, she is only worried about herself and her own property and prestige.Mrs Sheridan appreciates luxury greatly and enjoys abundance, thus she cannot imagine living in a state of need and even demonstrates this dull attitude in a snobby and superiority-showing manner. As a result of her preconceived opinion about the workers, she does not allow her children to have contact with them. Another characteristic is her way of refusing to admit her faults and of always placing blame on others. This is in line with her endeavor to evade discussions by changing the subject or simply taking advantage of her authority. Additionally, her capriciousness and hypocrisy shows in overacted affection for her children on the one hand and arbitrarily ordering them around on the other hand.

JOSE: 

The “butterfly” sister who delights in bossing around, she is an emotionally detached woman who follows the footsteps of her mother in maintaining class inequity. Her advice to Laura against the cancellation of the garden party adheres to the social strictures dictating the actions of the people. She is comparatively more invested in ensuring the standards of the lifestyle that suits her class and hence differs from Laura. Her claim regarding the lack of expectations of the cottage dwellers from them highlights the acceptance of fate and the internalization of the rich-poor binary in the disadvantaged lot to which Mr. Scott belonged.

LAURIE: 

The Sheridan heir and the young man in the house, he comes across as a practical and intellectual man who prefers to maintain his distance with emotions unlike his sister Laura. The similarity in their names is deliberate to allow him as a foil to Laura in their actions as well as thoughts. While much is not seen of him in the story, his affirmation of Laura’s inarticulateness about life and reality puts them on the same page.

MEG: 

She is the third Sheridan sister who is also a passive character and thus does not participate much in the house activities.

MR. SCOTT: 

He is a carter who dies tragically when his horse throws him off after shying away from a traction engine. He resides in one of the little cottages below the Sheridan house and is succeeded by five kids and a wife. His death allows Laura to contemplate on life’s uncertainty as well as unfairness in the prevalent social distinctions. As one of the representatives of the working section of society, his character exemplifies the economic crisis men of his class endure when alive and the lack of sympathy from rich masses when dead. They occupy an insignificant position in the lives of the wealthy, emphasizing the rigid disparity. 

SADIE & HANS: 

They are the domestic helps of the house who help out in the preparations of the garden party and are bossed around by Jose who relishes adopting an authoritative position in the house. 

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Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare, Introduction to English Literature, 1st Year 1st Semester BA English Literature, University of Madras

 BA ENGLISH LITERATURE

FIRST YEAR - SEMESTER I

CORE I – INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH LITERATURE

UNIT II - POETRY

2.3 Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare

 
Click this video for full explanation

About Author:

            William Shakespeare (1564-1616) born in Stratford-upon-Avon. He was an English poet, playwright and actor. He was prolific writer during the Elizabethan and Jacobean ages of British theatre. He was known as England’s national poet and the “Bard of Avon”. He started as a small actor and later became a playwright and a producer of plays. Some of his major works: Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, As you Like It, Romeo and Juliet.

Shakespeare’s Sonnets:

            He wrote 154 sonnets. In that 1 to 126 sonnets addressed to anonymous handsome young man. 127 to 152 sonnets addressed to Dark Lady Mary Fitton and the last two sonnets 153 and 154: Cupid (regular sonnets). This sonnets was dedicated to W.H (William Herbert), Earl of Pembroke. It was written around 1599 and published in 1609 by Thomas Thorpe.

Text:

Sonnet 18: Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?

Thou art more lovely and more temperate:

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,

And summer’s lease hath all too short a date;

Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,

And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;

And every fair from fair sometime declines,

By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm'd;

But thy eternal summer shall not fade,

Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st;

Nor shall death brag thou wander’st in his shade,

When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st:

So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,

So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

Summary:

    The poet William Shakespeare wants to compare the beauty of his friend to a summer's day when he realizes that his friend is very beautiful and charming. So the beauty of summer my friend cannot be properly described and compared. The poet tells his friend in the second line that, he is more beautiful than a summer day. His nature is more beautiful and sweeter than the summer climate.

The poet says in the third line that the fierce wind destroys the beautiful buds that bloom in May even before they reach puberty. That's why the poet thinks it fit not to compare the beauty of his friend with the fierce wind that blows in summer.

The poet says in the fourth line, the beauty of summer is only for a short time. Time destroys this beauty very soon, so the poet does not want to compare the beauty of his friend. From the beauty carpet of a short time.

The poet says in the fifth and sixth lines that, sometimes the sun's rays are very bright in summer, but sometimes it becomes dim, which is mainly due to the clouds. That means the poet is talking about his friend. Don't want to compare with hazy summers.

The poet says in the seventh and eighth lines that, every beautiful thing loses its beauty by time, but the beauty of his friend is permanent. It will never end. So his friend is more handsome and charming than Summer's beauty.

The poet says in the ninth and tenth line/sonnet , Friend you can never be deprived of beauty. Your beauty is permanent which is free from the effects of summer. You cannot be separated from your honey.

Poet says, to his friend, he is sealed in immortal lines. His beauty will not diminish with the change of time and through the lines he will live forever.

The poet tells to his friend that as long as man lives on this earth, they will read this poem. He will always be in his mind. Man will take birth and end in death, but yhe will live forever and remain immortal through poetry.

The poet is fascinated by his mistress’s beauty, such that he cannot imagine that very beauty fading from his eyes. He argues that beauty is constant, and unlike a ‘summer day,’ is not affected by any changes or fate at all. He, however, seems to be praising his poem as characterized at the end of the poem, where he only compares the everlasting beauty to his text. The Sonnet eighteen’s conclusion indicates that beauty can only end only when the poem ceases to exist.

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The Parting by Michael Drayton, Introduction to English Literature, 1st Year 1st Semester B.A English Literature, University of Madras

 BA ENGLISH LITERATURE

FIRST YEAR - SEMESTER I

CORE I – INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH LITERATURE

UNIT II - POETRY

2.2 The Parting by Michael Drayton

Click this video for poem explanation

About Author:

            Michael Drayton (1563 – 1631), was an English poet, the first to write odes in English in the style of Horace. Drayton's sonnets were first published in 1594-fifty-three in number. After revision, elimination, and addition, the folio of 1619 contained sixty-three sonnets. Drayton's sonnets are entitled Idea. He employs the term often from 1593 to 1619. It is in his eclogues, sonnets, odes, the Barons' Wars, and Poly-Olbion.

            In 1591 he produced his first book, The Harmony of the Church, a volume of spiritual poems. In 1596 Drayton published his long and important poem, Mortimerades, which deals with the Wars of the Roses. The last of Drayton's voluminous publications was The Muses' Elizium in 1630. He died in London, was buried in Poet’s Corner at Westminster Abbey.

            Michael Drayton’s ‘The Parting’ (Sonnet 61) is published in his collections ‘Idea’s Mirror’ in 1594, contains 63 sonnets and again published in ‘Poems’ (1619).

            It is a poem about the breakup of the relationship between the poet and his companion. This sonnet has a very strict form and the poet has been cautious in composing his poetry, to assure that it fits the design constraints. In short, the first eight lines describe the ending of a love affair, that final kiss and exchange before an amicable parting, never to cross paths again. The final six lines use personification in an attempt to alter the situation at the last moment and revivify love.

Text:

SINCE there 's no help, come let us kiss and part—

Nay, I have done, you get no more of me;

And I am glad, yea, glad with all my heart,

That thus so cleanly I myself can free.

Shake hands for ever, cancel all our vows,

And when we meet at any time again,

Be it not seen in either of our brows

That we one jot of former love retain.

Now at the last gasp of Love's latest breath,

When, his pulse failing, Passion speechless lies,

When Faith is kneeling by his bed of death,

And Innocence is closing up his eyes,

—Now if thou wouldst, when all have given him over,

From death to life thou might'st him yet recover.

Summary:

            The poem touches on the themes of love, passion, faith, innocence. Drayton’s theme is the sad and tender love of a true lover for an unresponsive lady love. It shows a soft but deepest sense of farewell. The poem is in the Elizabethan sonnet form having rhyme scheme of abab, cdcd, efef, gg. The poem is in iambic pentameter. The poem is arranged into three quatrains and one couplet.

The poet expresses his strong emotions with regard to his farewell from his beloved. There is the atmosphere of sadness. The poet shows his willingness to get separated permanently for some unknown reason, but before parting he wants to have a last look of the love. Though the central theme of the poem is love, but the emotions of sorrow and departure in the poem play an important role to express the poet’s state of mind. It becomes difficult for the reader to ascertain whether the poet is willing to leave or is forced to leave his love as the poet’s seriousness increases with the course of the poem and again reader is taken aback when the poet declares that he has a distant hope to revive his love if his beloved wants.

In the first quatrain the poet addresses his beloved telling her that, he has no solution to continue his love with her, and when this love comes to an end once, she will not get him anymore. So he suggests her to kiss and finally part forever. It is clear that the separation has not been caused by his beloved or she is not the cause behind the farewell. Even if she is the cause, he does not want to blame her for separation. Though the farewell is full of sorrow, and as the farewell is final, he says,

                      “And I am glad, yea, glad with all my heart,

                        That thus so cleanly I myself can free. ”

This expression of pleasure at departing seems to be odd to the readers. The possible reason for this farewell is complete freedom with least possibility of revival in the future and the lover wants a fresh start. The poet thinks that the freedom will fill his heart with gladness. Here the gladness is emphasized by repeating the word ‘glad ’.

In the second quatrain the poet moves further in the direction of separation where he wants to break all the promises made between them in the past. The poet writes,

“Shake hands forever, cancel all our vows,

And when we meet at any time again,

Be it not seen in either of our brows

That we one jot of former love retain.”

The words, ‘Shake hands forever’ express two meanings. The one is the agreement or willingness at the decision of farewell, and second meaning is permanent farewell which is often sad for the true lovers. They express their agreement that if they meet at anytime in future, they will not retain any sign of former love in their eyes. The second quatrain shows the poet’s firmness in his decision and is now more serious about the matter.

In the third quatrain the poet expresses his intense seriousness in comparison with first two quatrains. To emphasize that now his is intensely willing to depart, he makes use of metaphors. The poet personifies his love, who is at the edge of death.

The poet, by personifying love and his friends, passion, faith, and innocence, wants to convey the lessening of intensity of love. The poet creates a picture that, his love is taking last breaths, the passion becomes speechless, faith becomes weak, and innocence is closing up his eyes. The poet writes the following lines to express the seriousness of his departing love,

              “Now at the last gasp of love’s latest breath,

                When his pulse failing, passion speechless lies,

                When faith is kneeling by his bed of death,

                And innocence is closing up his eyes. ”

The poet, in these lines, touches the extreme peak of emotional experience.

There comes a sudden change in the feeling. The poet was serious enough to depart from his love. He wants no sign of the former love. He has no hope of recovery, but he says that there is a possibility of recovering the former love and bring his love to life again from death, if his beloved wishes to recover the love. It is even at the last moment of parting that his beloved can again enliven the dying love. In the poem, the poet is struggling for solution. But solution is in the hands of his beloved who with her powerful emotion can make the dying love active and living.

Conclusion:-

            To sum up out discussion, it may be noted that with strong subjective note the poet expresses his intense feeling with proper intensity. The poem is fine example of subjective poetry whereby the poet finds no solution to continue his love. This feeling of separation gradually acquires strength and finally reaches at the edge of extreme. Though there is no alternative, the poet’s beloved can do for the poet. The poem secures a respected position in the Elizabethan poetry. 

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The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare short summary, Introduction to English Literature, 1st year 1st Semester B.A English Literature, University of Madras new syllabus 2023

BA ENGLISH LITERATURE

FIRST YEAR - SEMESTER I

CORE I – INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH LITERATURE

UNIT - IV : DRAMA

4.1 The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare

About Author:

    William Shakespeare (1564-1616) born in Stratford-upon-Avon. He was an English poet, playwright and actor. He was prolific writer during the Elizabethan and Jacobean ages of British theatre. He was known as England’s national poet and the “Bard of Avon”. He started as a small actor and later became a playwright and a producer of plays. Some of his major works: Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth, As you Like It, Romeo and Juliet.

About Work:

     The Merchant of Venice was first printed in a quarto edition in 1600. The Merchant of Venice may refer to the character Antonio, a wealthy Venetian merchant whose trade and relationships intersect in ways that place him in mortal danger when he makes a deal with a moneylender. However, an alternate title that appears in early records, The Jew of Venice, calls this reading into question. The original double title raises questions regarding the identities of the play's hero and villain and the play's stance on anti-Semitism. 

Summary:

The Merchant of Venice is set largely in the wealthy city-state of Venice, a hub of Renaissance trade. Some scenes take place at the nearby estate of Belmont, where Portia lives.

Antonio is a prosperous merchant in Venice, but he has overextended his fortunes in his most recent venture, sending ships to several different ports. Thus, he is unable to lend his close friend Bassanio money when Bassanio asks him for a loan. Bassanio needs money to help him appear impressive when he goes to Belmont to court the beautiful heiress Portia. Bassanio has no credit of his own, but Antonio does not want to refuse his friend, so Antonio sends Bassanio to borrow the money from Shylock on Antonio's credit.

Shylock is a Jewish moneylender whose relationship with Antonio has been overwhelmingly negative. Antonio has insulted him in the streets and interfered with his business. He also knows Antonio's own fortunes are stretched thin, so Shylock is reluctant to lend him money. He finally agrees when Antonio offers a pound of his own flesh to secure the loan. With the money secured, Bassanio begins preparations to travel to Belmont, Portia's estate near Venice.

In Belmont Portia has her own problems. She is coping with an abundance of suitors she finds completely unacceptable. Her wealth and beauty have attracted dignitaries from all over the world, but they all seem deeply flawed. She fears she will be forced to marry one of them because her father, before he died, created a challenge to choose a suitor for her. He set up three caskets, or boxes: one gold, one silver, one lead. The man who chooses the casket with Portia's portrait inside gets her hand; Portia is understandably nervous about leaving her choice of husband up to what she considers a game of chance. Two suitors, one from Morocco and one from Arragon (part of Spain), try and fail in the challenge before Bassanio arrives. Portia knows and loves Bassanio, so she is relieved when he chooses correctly. They exchange rings, and Bassanio's companion Gratiano reveals he plans to marry Portia's waiting woman, Nerissa.

Meanwhile, in Venice, Shylock's daughter, Jessica, makes plans to escape from her overprotective father and marry Lorenzo, a Christian friend of Bassanio, Gratiano, and Antonio. After her only friend in her father's house, Launcelot Gobbo, leaves to work for Bassanio, Jessica disguises herself as a boy, takes her father's jewels, and sneaks out in the night to run away and marry Lorenzo. Shylock is anguished by the loss of his daughter and his jewels, especially the ring he gave Jessica's mother when they married. He is cheered when he learns Antonio's ships have been lost at sea and he may be able to exact revenge for Antonio's wrongs—and the wrongs he has suffered from all Christians, including the one who took Jessica—by collecting the pound of flesh promised in their contract.

Shylock and Antonio appear before the Duke of Venice for their case to be heard. Bassanio and Gratiano return to Venice, leaving their wives in Belmont, to support Antonio in his time of need. At the hearing Shylock first appears to have the upper hand because both men entered into the contract freely. Then a young lawyer named Balthazar comes to read the contract and save Antonio's life. Balthazar is actually Portia, disguised as a man, who has come to the court to help her new husband's friend. She makes an impassioned plea to Shylock to show mercy to Antonio, to be the better man. Shylock refuses, so Portia reads the contract carefully and declares Shylock is entitled to his pound of flesh, but the contract does not allow Shylock to spill any of Antonio's blood. Should Shylock take Antonio's blood, which is not part of the contract, his own life will be forfeit. Since it is impossible to take a pound of flesh without spilling blood, Shylock's claim is void. Because Shylock's intention to take a pound of his flesh would have killed Antonio, the duke finds Shylock guilty of plotting to murder the merchant. He spares Shylock's life but takes his fortune, giving half to the state and half to Antonio. Antonio places his share in trust for Jessica and further demands that Shylock convert to Christianity.

After the trial, Bassanio and Antonio express their gratitude to Portia, still thinking she is Balthazar. As a test of Bassanio's loyalty, Portia asks for the ring she gave him as a reward for her service. Bassanio refuses at first, but Antonio convinces him to change his mind, so Portia now knows her husband will part with his wedding ring when Antonio asks him. Nerissa plays a similar trick and gets her ring from Gratiano.

Bassanio, Gratiano, and Antonio return to Belmont, where Jessica and Lorenzo have come to visit. Portia and Nerissa return as well, now appearing as themselves again. Portia tells Bassanio she got his ring from Balthazar after sleeping with him, and Nerissa tells Gratiano a similar story. Bassanio and Gratiano are outraged until Portia gives them a letter that reveals the truth. The happy couples retire to bed as the sun rises.

Characters:

Shylock:

Shylock is confined by the laws limiting Jews' participation in Venetian society and subject to prejudice and scorn. He bears a special grudge against Antonio because Antonio has mistreated him and interfered with his business in the past. When Antonio comes to borrow money from Shylock, Antonio offers a pound of his own flesh as collateral. Shylock accepts the bond and lends the money. When Antonio's ships are lost, Shylock demands the letter of his bond be honored, and the case goes to court because taking a pound of Antonio's flesh is tantamount to murder. Shylock loses his case, and as punishment for seeking to kill Antonio he must forfeit his fortune and convert to Christianity.

Antonio:

Antonio is a Venetian merchant, the title character of the play, who borrows 3,000 ducats from his rival, the Jewish moneylender Shylock, on behalf of his friend Bassanio. Antonio's own money is tied up in his ships at sea, so he offers Shylock a pound of his own flesh as collateral for the loan, reflecting his confidence that he will be able to repay Shylock. When Antonio's ships are temporarily lost, he can't repay the 3,000 ducats, and Shylock demands the pound of flesh. When the dispute goes to court, Antonio ultimately prevails. His life is spared, and his fortune is restored when the lost ships return to port.

Bassanio:

Bassanio is Antonio's friend who needs money so he can court the wealthy heiress Portia, a woman famed for her wealth, wisdom, and beauty. Bassanio has squandered his own fortune and is in debt to Antonio and others, but Antonio cares deeply for Bassanio and does not refuse the request. Bassanio is successful in his courtship and marries Portia, but he returns to Venice shortly after they are wed to support Antonio in his time of need.

Portia:

Portia is a wealthy heiress who lives at Belmont, an estate near Venice. Her father has died, and he devises a riddle involving three boxes of gold, silver, and lead to help her choose a worthy husband. The suitors must choose between the three boxes to find a portrait of Portia. The man who chooses correctly wins her hand. Portia is lucky enough to have the man she loves, Bassanio, win this challenge, and they get married. When she learns of Antonio's troubles in Venice, she disguises herself as a young man named Balthazar and presents herself at court as a legal scholar. Her reading of the contract and her cleverness allow her to help Antonio go free.

Gratiano:

Gratiano is Bassanio's close friend who accompanies him to Portia's estate, Belmont, to offer moral support as Bassanio attempts to woo Portia. Gratiano shows great humor and fierce loyalty to Bassanio, a loyalty he also shows for Antonio during Antonio's trial. At Belmont Gratiano notices Portia's lady-inwaiting, Nerissa, and marries her.

Nerissa:

As Portia's "waiting-gentlewoman," Nerissa is part servant, part adviser, part best friend. She advises and encourages Portia when Portia is frustrated by the suitors who swarm her home seeking her hand in marriage. She also disguises herself as a man and accompanies Portia to Venice when Portia goes there to defend Antonio. Nerissa is distinguished by her strong common sense and good judgment.

Jessica:

Jessica's father, Shylock, has protected and sheltered his only child throughout her life. He limits her contact with the outside world, and Jessica feels stifled and suffocated by his overprotection. Despite Shylock's efforts, Jessica meets and falls in love with Lorenzo, a Christian. Her father would forbid the match and punish her for even talking with Lorenzo, so she disguises herself, takes as much of her father's wealth as she can carry, and elopes with Lorenzo in the middle of the night. At the end of the play, the couple end up at Belmont with Portia, Bassanio, Nerissa, and Gratiano.

 

• Bond Story:

Act 1 Scene 3:

Bassanio negotiates with Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, to borrow 3,000 ducats for three months in Antonio's name. Shylock acknowledges Antonio has sufficient fortune but worries because he has heard much of Antonio's fortune is currently at sea in ships bound for Tripoli and Libya as well as for the Indies, Mexico, and England. He speculates on the hazards of weather and pirates and wonders if Antonio will be able to repay him. Bassanio invites Shylock to join him and Antonio for dinner so Shylock can speak with Antonio directly, but Shylock refuses the invitation because he follows different customs. Just then Antonio arrives, and Shylock speaks in an aside of his hatred for Antonio and how he would like to get revenge on him. However, Shylock treats Antonio with businesslike politeness until he enumerates the wrongs Antonio has done to him in the past: spitting on his clothing, calling him a dog, and criticizing his business practices in public. Antonio becomes defensive and says he is likely to do so again, but Shylock claims he wants to forgive and forget the past. He agrees to lend Antonio the money free of interest, asking Antonio to promise a pound of his own flesh to secure the bond as "a merry sport." Antonio agrees to these terms even though Bassanio protests.

•   Casket Story:

Act 2, Scene 7

The Prince of Morocco undertakes the challenge left by Portia's father. He is to choose between three "caskets" or chests. One made of gold, one of silver, one of lead. One of the chests contains a portrait of Portia, and if the suitor chooses that chest, he can marry Portia. If he chooses the wrong chest, he goes home in shame. Each chest is inscribed with a hint. The gold one reads "Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire." The silver one reads "Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserves." The lead one reads "Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he has." The Prince of Morocco deliberates over the chests and their inscriptions. He finds the lead casket threatening and eliminates it right away. Then he thinks of what he may deserve, but he questions whether that extends to Portia, even though he believes he deserves much. He settles on the golden casket because he believes Portia is the thing many men desire. He also thinks the golden casket is the only one worthy to contain her image, so he chooses gold. When he unlocks the casket he finds a skull and a message cautioning against being seduced by outward appearances—"All that glisters is not gold." He leaves quickly, and Portia expresses relief at his failure.

Act 2, Scene 9

The Prince of Arragon attempts the challenge of choosing between the three caskets to find Portia's portrait and win her hand. He reiterates the conditions of accepting the challenge: If he loses he can never reveal which casket he chose, and he may never seek to marry another woman. He considers the inscription on the lead casket, "Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath," and dismisses the lead casket right away because it is not beautiful. He looks at the gold casket, "what many men desire" and decides it is foolish to follow the "multitude that choose by show." He does not want to be associated with the common man. He looks at the silver casket that promises "as much as he deserves" and decides he deserves the wealth and privilege he has, so he chooses the casket he deserves as well. Inside is a portrait of a fool and a message telling him his judgment is foolish. The Prince of Arragon departs unhappily as a messenger arrives to announce the approach of "a young Venetian." Portia is excited, hoping it is Bassanio, and Nerissa prays for the same thing.

Act 3 Scene 2

Portia wants Bassanio to wait a few days before he undertakes her father's challenge, fearing he might choose wrong and be forced to leave her. She believes if she has more time with Bassanio, she can "teach [him] to choose right." Bassanio cannot take the suspense of not knowing his future and insists on accepting the challenge right away. He professes his love for Portia, and Portia hopes his love will guide him to the correct choice among the caskets. Bassanio reasons his way through the challenge, rejecting the gold and silver caskets because "the world is deceived with ornament." He chooses the lead casket and finds Portia's image inside. Both Portia and Bassanio rejoice at this outcome and agree to marry. Portia gives Bassanio a ring. Gratiano reveals his plan to marry Nerissa. Lorenzo and Jessica arrive with Salerio, who brings Bassanio a message from Venice: Antonio has lost his ships and is now unable to pay Shylock. Bassanio is forced to tell Portia the true state of his finances, but she is not bothered by his confession. She is more concerned with Antonio's welfare. Portia offers any sum necessary to save Antonio's life, even though Salerio tells her Shylock claims he will refuse repayment if offered. Jessica confirms her father's stubbornness, saying he has told her he would "rather have Antonio's flesh/Than twenty times the value of the sum." Portia sends Bassanio back to Venice to help his friend.

• Portia's speech on 'Mercy':

Act 4, Scene 1

Shylock and Antonio appear before the Duke of Venice. Shylock demands fulfillment of the letter of their contract, and Antonio believes it is pointless to argue or try to reason with Shylock. The duke hopes Shylock will relent and show Antonio mercy at the last minute, but Shylock makes it clear he has no such plan. He says he wants the pound of flesh because it is "[his] humor," and he refuses when Bassanio offers him twice the sum of the original loan. Shylock compares his entitlement to Antonio's body to the way other Venetians feel entitled to do as they will with the bodies of their slaves and animals. The duke calls Doctor Bellario from Padua and Balthazar, Doctor Bellario's colleague from Rome, who is actually Portia in disguise. She first appeals to Shylock to show Antonio mercy because mercy is its own reward. She goes on to respond to Shylock's calls for justice by saying, "That in the course of justice none of us/Should see salvation. We do pray for mercy." Shylock remains unmoved, just as he remains unmoved by Bassanio's repeated offers to pay twice or 10 times the sum of the loan. Portia looks at the bond and urges Shylock to accept three times the amount of the loan. When he refuses again, Portia bids Antonio to prepare for Shylock's knife. She waits until Shylock approaches Antonio with the knife before stopping him and informing him that the bond allows him a pound of Antonio's flesh, but it does not allow him any drop of Antonio's blood. It is impossible for Shylock to take his pound of flesh without spilling blood, so Shylock is found guilty of conspiring to commit murder against a citizen of Venice. He could receive the death penalty for this crime, but the duke spares his life. The duke takes half Shylock's fortune for the state and gives the other half to Antonio. Antonio asks the court to drop the fine of half his goods to the state and says he will give his own half of Shylock's fortune to Lorenzo and Jessica upon Shylock's death. He requires Shylock to leave any of his own possessions to Lorenzo and Jessica upon his death as well and that Shylock convert to Christianity. Shylock agrees to these terms and leaves the court. After Shylock departs and Antonio is freed, he and Bassanio thank Portia—still believing her to be Balthazar—for her assistance. They insist on giving her some payment for her trouble, and she takes Bassanio's gloves. She then asks for his ring, the one she gave him when they were wed. Bassanio refuses to part with the ring, and she scolds him for not giving her the ring and takes her leave. Antonio then convinces Bassanio to send the ring to the legal scholar saying, "Let his deservings and my love withal/Be valued 'gainst your wife's commandment." Bassanio sends Gratiano to catch up with Portia and give her the ring.

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Ode to a Nightingale by John Keats poem summary, Introduction to English Literature, 1st year 1st Semester B.A English Literature, University of Madras new syllabus 2023

BA ENGLISH LITERATURE

FIRST YEAR - SEMESTER I

CORE I – INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH LITERATURE

UNIT II - POETRY

Ode to a Nightingale by John Keats

About Author:

            John Keats (October 31, 1795– February 23, 1821) was an English Romantic poet of the second generation, alongside Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley. Keats wrote his first poem, “An Imitation of Spenser,” in 1814, aged 19. He published three books of poetry in his lifetime. His first published work, ‘O Solitude!‘ appeared in 1816. He is best known for his odes, including "Ode to a Grecian Urn," "Ode to a Nightingale," and his long form poem Endymion. His usage of sensual imagery and statements such as “beauty is truth and truth is beauty” made him a precursor of aestheticism. Keats tragically died of tuberculosis at age 25.

About Poem:

            "Ode to a Nightingale" was written by the Romantic poet John Keats in the spring of 1819 and published in the Annals of the Fine Arts. At 80 lines, it is the longest of Keats's odes contains 8 stanzas of 10 lines each (which include poems like "Ode on a Grecian Urn" and "Ode on Melancholy").

            The poem focuses on a speaker standing in a dark forest, listening to the beguiling and beautiful song of the nightingale bird. This provokes a deep and meandering meditation by the speaker on time, death, beauty, nature, and human suffering (something the speaker would very much like to escape!). At times, the speaker finds comfort in the nightingale's song and at one point even believes that poetry will bring the speaker metaphorically closer to the nightingale. By the end of the poem, however, the speaker seems to be an isolated figure—the nightingale flies away, and the speaker unsure of whether the whole experience has been "a vision" or a "waking dream."

Poem:

My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains

         My sense, as though of hemlock I had drunk,

Or emptied some dull opiate to the drains

         One minute past, and Lethe-wards had sunk:

'Tis not through envy of thy happy lot,

         But being too happy in thine happiness,—

                That thou, light-winged Dryad of the trees

                        In some melodious plot

         Of beechen green, and shadows numberless,

                Singest of summer in full-throated ease.

 

O, for a draught of vintage! that hath been

         Cool'd a long age in the deep-delved earth,

Tasting of Flora and the country green,

         Dance, and Provençal song, and sunburnt mirth!

O for a beaker full of the warm South,

         Full of the true, the blushful Hippocrene,

                With beaded bubbles winking at the brim,

                        And purple-stained mouth;

         That I might drink, and leave the world unseen,

                And with thee fade away into the forest dim:

 

Fade far away, dissolve, and quite forget

         What thou among the leaves hast never known,

The weariness, the fever, and the fret

         Here, where men sit and hear each other groan;

Where palsy shakes a few, sad, last gray hairs,

         Where youth grows pale, and spectre-thin, and dies;

                Where but to think is to be full of sorrow

                        And leaden-eyed despairs,

         Where Beauty cannot keep her lustrous eyes,

                Or new Love pine at them beyond to-morrow.

 

Away! away! for I will fly to thee,

         Not charioted by Bacchus and his pards,

But on the viewless wings of Poesy,

         Though the dull brain perplexes and retards:

Already with thee! tender is the night,

         And haply the Queen-Moon is on her throne,

                Cluster'd around by all her starry Fays;

                        But here there is no light,

         Save what from heaven is with the breezes blown

                Through verdurous glooms and winding mossy ways.

 

I cannot see what flowers are at my feet,

         Nor what soft incense hangs upon the boughs,

But, in embalmed darkness, guess each sweet

         Wherewith the seasonable month endows

The grass, the thicket, and the fruit-tree wild;

         White hawthorn, and the pastoral eglantine;

                Fast fading violets cover'd up in leaves;

                        And mid-May's eldest child,

         The coming musk-rose, full of dewy wine,

                The murmurous haunt of flies on summer eves.

 

Darkling I listen; and, for many a time

         I have been half in love with easeful Death,

Call'd him soft names in many a mused rhyme,

         To take into the air my quiet breath;

                Now more than ever seems it rich to die,

         To cease upon the midnight with no pain,

                While thou art pouring forth thy soul abroad

                        In such an ecstasy!

         Still wouldst thou sing, and I have ears in vain—

                   To thy high requiem become a sod.

 

Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird!

         No hungry generations tread thee down;

The voice I hear this passing night was heard

         In ancient days by emperor and clown:

Perhaps the self-same song that found a path

         Through the sad heart of Ruth, when, sick for home,

                She stood in tears amid the alien corn;

                        The same that oft-times hath

         Charm'd magic casements, opening on the foam

                Of perilous seas, in faery lands forlorn.

 

Forlorn! the very word is like a bell

         To toll me back from thee to my sole self!

Adieu! the fancy cannot cheat so well

         As she is fam'd to do, deceiving elf.

Adieu! adieu! thy plaintive anthem fades

         Past the near meadows, over the still stream,

                Up the hill-side; and now 'tis buried deep

                        In the next valley-glades:

         Was it a vision, or a waking dream?

                Fled is that music:—Do I wake or sleep?

Summary:

      1st Stanza - In the very beginning of the Ode, the poet describes how he finds himself in a state of oppression and painful lassitude after listening to the bird’s song as if had taken poison or drugs and was drowning into oblivion. He is oppressed by its beauty and joy. But he is not at all jealous of the bird’s cheerfulness, rather he is extremely delighted because of the bird’s cheerfulness, rather he is extremely delighted because of the bird’s joy.

     So, his “Heartaches”. Human happiness is limited. The poem begins with extreme straightforwardness and lucidity. His “drowsy numbness” does not result from any wine or drug but rather it is the result of the extreme delight that he feels after listening to the bird’s song.

     2nd Stanza - No more he wants to say in the human world. He expresses his intense yearning to run away from the world of human suffering. He thinks of the romantic association of the origin country of the wine. He also visualizes a cup full of wine, which has its association with taste, touch, colour, smell, and sound. All these help him to disappear with the nightingale into the deep dark of the forest.

     3rd Stanza - The bird is not all worried about the sorrows and sufferings of the humans, it does not know anything about these and the poet depicts his earnest yearning to run away from this human world,

“where men sit and hear each other groan;

where youth grows pale, and spectre thin and dies;

where beauty cannot keep her lustrous eyes,”

     Where is only sorrow and suffering, death and decay? So, this stanza is the reflection of the personal realization and experience of the poet personal. Actually, Keats witness his younger brother’s death at a very early age in 1818 and he was well acquainted with his own ill health. He feels that he can no more be part of all these burdens of line, he can no more tolerate the misery, premature death, and brevity of love and beauty. So, he wants the lap of nature to find solace.

     4th  Stanza - The poet longs to go to the nightingale’s world “not Charioted by Bacchus, god of wine and his pards”, but “on the viewless wings of Poesy, goddess of poetry”. He gives up the idea of getting inspiration from wine, he needs invisible assistance from poetic imagination. He feels his existence with the nightingale with the natural world in the presence of the moon and stars. Actually, after listening to the bird’s song the poet, with the help of his romantic imagination, tries to enter the nightingale’s world.

     5th Stanza - In his romantic imagination the poet is in the beauty of the forest by the side of the nightingale. He cannot see the various types of flowers because of the darkness, but he can feel the fragrance of those flowers. He can feel the beauty of nature which is in stark contrast with the human world.

    6th Stanza -  He can easily accept “easeful death” in this beautiful and ecstatic world with the accompaniment of the nightingale’s song. It’s an extra achievement for him to die in the midst of “such an ecstasy!”. So, he invoked the “easeful death” but even after his death, the bird will continue to sing in such a joyful way Keats’s sentimental and reflective sensuousness achieves the highest from here.

      7th Stanza - Now the poet calls the bird an “immortal bird”. The bird is not born for death because of its immortal voice. He brings in the allusion to Ruth the principal character of the “Book of Ruth”. Ruth was Moabitess and she was the windowed daughter-in-law of Naomi. After the death of her husband, she moved to her mother-in-law and both of them traveled to Bethlehem where she wins the love of Boaz, a kinsman of her mother-in-law through her kindness. Finally, she marries. This stanza is highly romantic.

      8th  Stanza -  The poet is suddenly reminded of his mortal world by the word “forlorn”, which is bringing him back to his ‘Saut self’, his miseries his sorrows, and sufferings his desolate condition. Suddenly he comes back to reality. He cannot escape as easily as he has pretended. The song of the nightingale fades away in the distance, and the poet returns half dazed, to real life. At the end, the world of imagination is replaced by a painful real world which is always in stark contrast to the world of imagination. The poem ends with an acceptance that pleasure cannot last and, that death is an inevitable part of life.

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