“LONELINESS”

By

Tu FU

Geschke/English IV "Loneliness"

Nature Imagery

• “A hawk hovers in air” (1)

• Predator

Geschke/English IV "Loneliness"

Nature Imagery

• “Two white gulls float on the stream” (2)

• Prey

• Easy target because of floating

• Reminiscent of “Substance, Shadow & Spirit”– “Drift on the stream of infinite flux”

• This poem demonstrates it is dangerous to drift

Geschke/English IV "Loneliness"

Nature Imagery

• “Soaring with the wind, it is easy/ To drop and seize/ Birds who foolishly drift with the current.” (3-5)

• “opposite message of “Substance, Shadow & Spirit”

• To drift=death

Geschke/English IV "Loneliness"

Nature Imagery

• “Where the dew sparkles in the grass/ The spider’s web waits for its prey” (6-7)

• Irony

• Sparkling dew– Pleasant, pleasing, peaceful image

• Spider’s web awaiting prey– Disturbing, dangerous image

• Death is found everywhere in natureGeschke/English IV

"Loneliness"

THEME

• “The processes of nature resemble the business of men./ I stand alone with ten thousand sorrows” (8-9)

• Processes of nature=business of men

Geschke/English IV "Loneliness"

THEME

• Based on this poem, what is the poet saying about the processes of nature?

• Destructive

• Dangerous

• Brutal

Geschke/English IV "Loneliness"

THEME

• Therefore, these negative views of nature symbolize the poet’s perception of humanity

• Result:– Loneliness (remember the title)– Ten thousand sorrows

Geschke/English IV "Loneliness"