“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"
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