Introducing 

Prezi AI.

Your new presentation assistant.

Refine, enhance, and tailor your content, source relevant images, and edit visuals quicker than ever before.

Loading…
Transcript

Summary

This poem is a voice of a grieving individual who, perhaps,

wishes for their loved one to come back to them, either in life

or love. Referencing Ecclesiastes 1,9: “The thing that hath

been, it is that which shall be; in that which is done is that

which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the

sun.”, the speaker waxes poetic as they yearn for a lost love,

either in death or termination of a relationship.

Summary

pre-AICE Literature Poetry Explication

by Bryn Anderson

I DREAM OF YOU...

A poem by Christina Rossetti

Background

The setting in which the poem takes place is

unknown, however, it was written in the

mid-1800’s and likely took place during and shortly

after the summer months. The poet reminisces

about the summer, mentioning birds. The

mention of “As, summer ended, summer

birds taking flight” leaves one to imagine

the birds leaving after the summer to find

warmer homes for the winter. This was

likely written in a Northern climate.

Personal Commentary

Tone

I Dream of You...

The poem was beautiful, the imagery showed how the woman yearned for her lost one, and craved their presence. Although there was a sense of longing and bereft, the nostalgia the woman felt brought memories of happier times, and times of comfort and warmth, yet also longing.

The tones used in this poem are varied and include:

Wistful (full of yearning of desire tinged with

melancholy): “Thus only in a dream we are at one”

Bereft (deprived or robbed of the possession or use of something, lacking something needed, wanted, or expected): “Nor find with dreams the dear companion gone.”

Longing “Thus only in a dream we give and take”

Reflective “Brighten than sunniest day that ever

shone”

Nostalgic “In happy dreams your smile makes

day of night”

Speaker

The speaker is presumably a woman,

given the following, “I blush

again”. The word “blush” is a

feminine term, used rarely when

describing a male. The speaker

also uses religious terms and

references both faith and a

portion of a biblical verse from

the book of Ecclesiastes.

I Dream of You...

I dream of you, to wake: would that I might

Dream of you and not wake but slumber on;

Nor find with dreams the dear companion gone,

As, Summer ended, Summer birds take flight.

In happy dreams I hold you full in night.

I blush again who waking look so wan;

Brighter than sunniest day that ever shone,

In happy dreams your smile makes day of night.

Thus only in a dream we are at one,

Thus only in a dream we give and take

The faith that maketh rich who take or give;

If thus to sleep is sweeter than to wake,

To die were surely sweeter than to live,

Though there be nothing new beneath the sun.

Learn more about creating dynamic, engaging presentations with Prezi