Write the explanation of the Poem entitled "Memorial Verses".

Write the explanation of the Poem entitled “Memorial Verses”.

Ans.

Explanation

4. When Goethe’s death was told, we said;

Sunk, then, is Europe’s sagest head,

Physician of the iron age,

Goethe has done his pilgrimage,

He took the suffering human race,

He read each wound, each weakness clear;

And struck his finger on the place,

And said: thou ailest here, and here.

Explanation with the Reference to the Context- These lines are extracted from the poem ‘Memorial Verses’ written by the great English poet Arnold. Here Arnold tells us about the death of Goethe and calls him ‘the physician of the iron age’.

After devoting almost a stanza to Byron, Arnold talks about Goethe. Arnold says that Goethe was the wisest man of Europe. He takes a metaphor from the field of medicine and says that Goethe was the doctor of a materialistic age. The people of his time were suffering from spiritual doubts and from the sickness of materialism. He wanted to cure people from their spiritual illness. Elaborating his idea Arnold says that he treated the diseased human society like a competent doctor. As a doctor diagnoses every wound of his patient, similarly Goethe studied (examined or saw) even the slightest moral difficulty of the European people of his age. He put his finger on the diseased part and made correct diagnosis of the difficulties and doubts of the people of his time. But that wisest mind of Europe who tried to solve the spiritual doubts of people has ended the journey of his life.

5. He took’d on Europe’s dying hour

of fitful dream and feverish power;

His eye plunged down the weltering strife,

The turmoil of expiring life….

He said: The end is everywhere,

Art still has truth, take refuge there! (Imp.)

Explanation with Reference to the Context – These lines have been extracted from Arnold is famous elegy ‘Memorial Verses’. Goethe the sagest head of Europe is addressed as the doctor of materialistic age. He advised the suffering people of Europe to take shelter in art. He gives reasons for doing so.

Goethe’s age was an era of materialism; it also showed a change from religious faiths to doubt. It seemed to be dying out as it was an age of doubt and despair. The dream of liberty and equality proved lobe transient because of the rise of Napoleon. The rise of Napoleon further increased the despair and conflict. Goethe looked deeply into that malaise, conflict and turmoil. The life of European civilization seemed to be ending. He told people that everywhere the marks of spiritual and moral decay are visible. Amid this decay and confusion he advised people to take shelter in art, especially in poetry because poetry still had spiritual truth which would be a source of consolation to the people of his age.

6. And he was happy, if to know

Causes of things, and far below

His feet to see the lurid flow

Of terror, and Insane distress

And headlong fate be happiness.

Explanation with Reference to the Context- These, lines are taken from the poem ‘Memorial Verses’ written by Matthew Arnold. Here, Arnold describes the unhappiness of Goethe.

Goethe, who advised people to take refuge in art, worked to understand the causes of things. He noticed that the French Revolution followed by the Napoleonic wars caused destruction and death of so many people. He also saw the blind and uncontrollable working of ate. Arnold says if to know the causes of all these horrible things can make a person happy. Goethe, too, would have been happy. But as such, it is not possible to know the reason behind such things. That is the reason why most of us are sad and unhappy. Arnold here is referring to the inevitability of events which are not controlled by man but by fate.

7. And Wordsworth….Ah, pale ghosts rejoice

For never has such soothing voice

Been to your shadowy world convey’d,

Since rest, at morn, some wandering shade

Heard the clear song to Orpheus come

Through Hades, and the mournful gloom.

Wordsworth has gone from us and ye,

Ah, may ye feel his voice as we! (Imp)

Explanation with Reference to the Context- These lines are taken from the poem “Memorial Verses’ written by Matthew Arnold. Till now, the poet commented upon Byron’s titanic force and Goethe’s sagest head; where he speaks about the last poetic voice of England.

According to Greek mythology, the souls of the dead people go to the underworld called Hades. As the soul of Wordsworth reached Hades, the souls living there should feel happy because the soul of a great poet and singer is joined with them. After Orpheus, a great musician of Greek mythology. Wordsworth was the greatest singer. Some wandering ghost heard Orpheus’s music in Hades. Since that time, the dead souls have not heard such a sweet soothing voice as that of Wordsworth. So the souls of the dead living there should be very glad to see Wordsworth among them. Arnold says that Wordsworth has left this world and they might feel his voice like the people on earth. Arnold attributes a respectful places to the great Romantic poet Wordsworth.

8. He too upon a wintry clime

Had fallen on this iron time

Of doubts, disputes, distractions, fears

He found when the age had bound

Our souls in its benumbing round,

He spoke and loosened our heart in tears.

Explanation with Reference to the Context- These lines are extracted from the poem ‘Memorial Verses’ written by Arnold. Wordsworth, like Goethe, lived in an age of doubt and despair.

Arnold says that Wordsworth, too, like Goethe lived in a difficult time i.e. in an age torn by doubt and despair. Arnold talks about the Victorian age that was marked with spiritual doubts, perplexities, fears and with religious controversies. So people indulged in materialistic things which harm their sensibility. Arnold says that materialistic activity surrounded the souls of the Victorian people and deadened their sensibility, and noble impulses. In such conditions, Wordsworth comforted them from their doubts and troubles. He influenced their hearts so deeply that tears flowed from their eyes and they felt soothed and healed.

9. He laid us as we Jay at birth

On the cool-flowery lap of earth.

Smiles broke from us and we had ease;

The hills were round us, and the breeze

Wept over the sun-lit fields again; (Imp.)

Explanation with Reference to the Context- These lines are taken from the poem “Memorial Verses’ written by Arnold. Here, the poet describes the soothing influence of Wordsworth’s poetry.

Arnold says that people were troubled by the spiritual doubts and religious controversies of the Victorian Age. Wordsworth brought them into contact with Nature by his poetry. Reading his natural descriptions people felt that they were amidst the hills and the soft wind covered the fields shining with sunlight. He brought them into contact with nature and the troubled people felt as if they lay on, the cool earth overgrown with flowers. They were filled with joy and felt comforted on reading his poetry.

10. Our foreheads felt the wind and rain,

Our youth returu’d; for there was shed

On spirits that had long been dead,

Spirits dried up and closely furl’d

The freshness of the early world.

Explanation with Reference to the Context- These- lines are taken from the poem ‘Memorial Verses’ written by Matthew Arnold. These lines show the influence of Wordsworth’s poetry on the people of the Victorian age.

Arnold says that the nature descriptions of Wordsworth’s poetry healed and comforted the soul of man torn between all kinds of doubts and conflicts. People were distracted by spiritual doubts and religious controversies but as they read his poetry they felt as if their youth had returned to them. They felt as if they were living in the early ages when the world was new and fresh. The spirits of the people were dried up and withered. But Wordsworth’s poetry brought man into close contact with nature and thus people felt to be young again. These lines mark the tribute which Arnold pays to Wordsworth.

11. Ah! since dark days still bring to light

Man’s prudence an man’s fiery might,

Time may restore us In his course

Goethe’s sage mind and Byron’s force;

But where will Europe’s latter hour

Again find Wordsworth’s healing power?

Explanation with Reference to the Context- These lines are taken from the poem ‘Memorial Verses’ written by Arnold. Here the poet compares Wordsworth to Goethe and Byron.

Arnold in the last stanza, puts together all the three poets. He says that even in the times of spiritual doubts may be born the men of passionate energy and of wisdom. In the long span of time Europe may have another wise man like Goethe and another man of passionate energy like Byron. He asks if Europe may have a person with healing power like Wordsworth. In other words, there is no possibility of another man like Wordsworth being born.