Question

Analysis of the poem 'The School Boy'.

Answer 1

Rhyme Scheme: ababb ababb ababb ababb ababb ab

Stanza 1:

I love to rise in a summer morn,

When the birds sing on every tree;

The distant huntsman winds his horn,

And the skylark sings with me:

O what sweet company!

Poetic Devices

i. Alliteration - It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely placed words. The repetition of the letter:

1. ‘H’ in huntsman winds his horn.

2. ‘S’ in the skylark sings.

ii. Imagery - The poet has given a visual description of the scene in the second, third and fourth lines.

iii. Consonance - There is a prominent sound of the consonant:

1. ‘R’ in rise in a summer morn.

2. ‘S’ in distant huntsman winds his horn.

iv. Assonance - There is a prominent sound of the vowel ‘i’ in distant huntsman winds his .

v. Personification - The poet has personified the birds and skylark by giving them the ability to sing.

Explanation:

In the first stanza, the school boy says that he loves to wake up on a summer morning. It is the time when the birds wake up and sit on trees and sing, the huntsman prepares for hunting and the skylarks (a type of bird) sings along with him. The schoolboy thinks of them as good company. Humans and animals both get up to achieve their goals.

Stanza 2:

But to go to school in a summer morn, –

O it drives all joy away!

Under a cruel eye outworn,

The little ones spend the day

In sighing and dismay.

Poetic Devices

i. Alliteration - It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely placed words. The repetition of the letter ‘s’ in school in a summer morn.

ii. Consonance - There is a prominent sound of the consonant ‘t’ in the first line of the stanza.

iii. Assonance - There is a prominent sound of the vowel:

1. ‘O’ in to go to school in a summer morn.

2. ‘I’ in In sighing and dismay.

iv. Symbolism - Here, the poet has used the phrase ‘cruel eye’ to refer to the teacher.

v. Enjambment - The sentences are being continued to the next line without a break. It can be seen in the fourth line.

Explanation:

In the second stanza, the mood totally changes from joy to dismay. The schoolboy says that he does not like going to school on a summer morning. At school, an outdated teacher keeps an eye on the students all day long. The students are to follow the strict rules and regulations of the school. Due to this, all the young students have to spend their day in sadness.

Stanza 3:

Ah then at times I drooping sit,

And spend many an anxious hour;

Nor in my book can I take delight,

Nor sit in learning’s bower,

Worn through with the dreary shower.

Poetic Devices

i. Alliteration - It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely placed words. The repetition of the letter ‘a’ in And spend many an anxious.

ii. Anaphora - It is the repetition of a word at the start of two or more consecutive lines -

(Nor in my book can I take delight,

Nor sit in learning’s bower)

iii. Consonance - There is a prominent sound of the consonant ‘t’ in the first line and ‘r’ in the fourth line.

iv. Assonance - There is a prominent sound of the vowel ‘a’ in the second line and ‘i’ in the fourth line.

v. Repetition - The poet has repeated the word ‘sit’.

vi. Symbolism - Here, the poet has used the phrase ‘dreary shower’ to refer to the useless lectures.

Explanation:

The school boy says that he does not find any joy in books and that he spends a lot of time in boredom. The schoolboy says that he does not find any joy in sitting in the learner’s bower which is worn through with the dreary shower. Literally, bower means a shady place under a tree and dreary shower means heavy rain. In reference with the poem, learner’s bower is a learning place. The schoolboy does not like to study under the learner’s bower because it is defective. Students cannot learn under too many rules and strict eyes. These rules and eyes have destroyed the basic purpose of education.

Stanza 4:

How can the bird that is born for joy

Sit in a cage and sing?

How can a child, when fears annoy,

But droop his tender wing,

And forget his youthful spring!

Poetic Devices

i. Enjambment - The sentences are being continued to the next line without a break. It can be seen in the first line.

ii. Alliteration - It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely placed words. The repetition of the letter:

1. ‘B’ in bird that is born.

2. ‘C’ in can a child.

iii. Assonance - There is a prominent sound of the vowel ‘o’ in the first line and ‘i’ in the second line of the stanza.

iv. Metaphor - The poet has compared ‘youth’ with ‘spring’ in the last line of the stanza.

Explanation:

In this stanza, the schoolboy asks questions. He compares himself to a caged bird. A bird that is born for joy and singing cannot enjoy itself and fulfil its purpose if it is locked in the cage. Next, he says if a child is scared too much, he will not be able to enjoy his youth. A child who fears his parents and teachers too much cannot enjoy his freedom because his wings are locked.

Stanza 5:

O father and mother if buds are nipped,

And blossoms blown away;

And if the tender plants are stripped

Of their joy in the springing day,

By sorrow and care’s dismay, –

How shall the summer arise in joy,

Or the summer fruits appear?

Poetic Devices

i. Enjambment - The sentences are being continued to the next line without a break. It can be seen in the third line.

ii. Repetition - The poet has repeated the words ‘summer’ and ‘joy’.

iii. Alliteration - It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely placed words. The repetition of the letter ‘b’ in blossoms blown.

iv. Consonance - There is a prominent sound of the consonant ‘r’ in the last line, ‘t’ in the third line and ‘s’ in the sixth line.

v. Assonance - There is a prominent sound of the vowel ‘e’ in the first line and ‘i’ in the fourth line.

vi. Metaphor - The poet has compared the stripping of tender plants to depriving children of joy and freedom.

Explanation:

In this stanza, he talks with his parents. He says that if a flower’s buds are snatched and its flowers get blown away and its newly grown twigs are removed at spring, it won’t be happy. Similarly, if a child’s joy is snatched and his newly acquired joy is taken away from him, the child will be left in dismay. The schoolboy says that children are like spring plants who have been destroyed. Children too need freedom like flowers to grow. If the freedom and fun of students are snatched away from them, they will never get properly educated and hence, will not be able to serve the society efficiently. The current system has robbed the basic purpose of education.