Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
B SHELLEYS
POEM TO A SKYLARK
By
PARVEEN AKHTAR
2012-2013
ABSTRACT
The aim of the thesis is to analyze Shelleys To a Skylark through the lens of
stylistics. The thesis consists of two parts. The first part defines stylistics. It
throws light on the historical background and origin of stylistics that how it got
developed from the ancient rhetorical field. It further defines style as a way of
expression and choice of vocabulary. It also shows the characteristics of style
that influences the definition of stylistics. Beside this it defines stylistics as study
of style in written and spoken language. It explores the characteristics in style of a
text that makes it different from the others. It also shows the effect of deviations
(grammatical etc.) and choice of vocabulary that why a writer has owned and what
effect it produces.
In the Second part of the research I have tried to analyze the poem To a Skylark
stylistically. The poem has been analysed grammatically , morphologically and
phonologically. And it further relates these effects to the theme of the poem and
discusses how far Shelley has succeeded in achieving his goal to express his
feelings and emotion.
CERTIFICATE OF APPROVAL
I certify that I have read Shelleys poem To A Skylark . Stylistic analysis of P.B
Shelleys poem To A Skylark by Parween Akhtar ; and that in my opinion this
work meets the criteria for approving a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of
the requirements for M.A English at Department of English of Islamia College
University Peshawar.
Supervisor
DECLARATION
Parveen Akhtar
Date: 10 June, 2013
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
With my whole heart I express my immense graduate and appreciation to almighty
God, who in his infinite mercy saw me through to this present time and this dream
a reality.
My profound and graduate also goes to my able supervisor Mr. Muhammad Waqar
Ali who guided and put me through in the course of writing. His cooperation and
effort towards the success of this long essay is immeasurable.
I give thanks to my parents Mr.Ahmad Aziz and Miss.Nusrat Aziz my brother
Sajjad Ahmad Khan for the parental love and advice given shown to me in the
course of study from the elementary level to this time. You are great, I pray to
Almighty Allah that you may live long.
My sister Shahida and brother Saeed Ahmad Khan you are wonderful.
My dear friend contribution cannot be left out. Nusrat Hussain, I am so grateful
to you for helping me a lot and encourage me to complete this work.
Again, I will be ingrate if I do not acknowledge my ever sparking uncle Dr.Sher
Latif who during my stay in Peshawar took me as his own daughter.
You all are wonderful.
Thank you all.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1..........................................................................1
INTRODUCTION.................................................................1
1.1
RESEARCH PROBLEM..........................................................................1
1.2
CHAPTER 2.......................................................................3
LITERATURE REVIEW.....................................................3
2.1
INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................3
2.2 STYLE...........................................................................................................3
2.3 STYLISTICS..................................................................................................4
2.4 APPROACHES TO STYLISTIC ANALYSIS...............................................6
2.5 LEVELS OF STYLISTIC ANALYSIS..........................................................8
2.6 ELEMENTS IN STYLISTIC ANALYSIS.....................................................9
2.6.1
2.6.2
Lexico-syntactic choices..................................................................10
2.6.3
Phonological devices........................................................................11
2.6.4
Graphological Devices.....................................................................11
CHAPTER 3.....................................................................15
DATA ANALYSIS................................................................15
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
PHONOLOGICAL ANALYSIS..............................................................18
3.5
3.6
REPETITION..........................................................................................18
3.7
3.8
IMAGERY/COMPOUND.......................................................................20
3.9
RHETORICAL DEVICES......................................................................21
CHAPTER 4.....................................................................23
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION....................................23
4.1 SUMMARY.................................................................................................23
4.2 CONCLUSION............................................................................................23
BIBLIOGRAPHY.....................................................................25
Appendix I...........................................................................26
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Stylistics is a word derived from style; it is a discipline which studies different
styles. It can refer to the study of proper use of words or language improper
places. Widdowson (1975) defines stylistics as the study of literary discourse
from a linguistic orientation (p. 3). He goes further by saying that what
distinguishes stylistics from literary criticism on the one hand, and linguistics on
the other, is that it is essentially a means of linking the two and has (as yet at least)
no autonomous domain of its own. He also added that stylistics, however involves
both literary criticism and linguistics, as its morphological make-up suggests: the
style component relating it to the former and the istics component to the latter.
Style has grown to mean so many things to so many people today. Carter (1989) is
of the view that it is generally recognized that the style of work can depend on
linguistic levels-often simultaneously and that one fairly crucial factor is our
expectation concerning the literary form or genre employed. Haynes (1989)
believes that the study of style is the study of distinctions: looking at what was
said against what might have been said. Style is almost synonymous with variety.
Style refers in a simple way to the manner of expression which differs according
to the various contexts. Style, being a versatile field, is defined depending on
ones field of study. Adejare (1992) makes this clear when he said that style is an
ambiguous term .Lawal (1997) however, describes style as an aspect of language
that deals with choices of diction, phrases, sentences and linguistic materials that
are consistent and harmonious with the subject matter. He added that it involves
the narrative technique of a writer in terms of choice and distribution of words and
character. Lawal (1997) also added that it may be reckoned in terms of the
sociolinguistic contexts and it may also be reckoned or analyzed on linguistic,
semantic and even semiotic terms.
pertains to this poem. It is also addressing itself to examining how words are put
together in transferring of message to the readers.
CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 INTRODUCTION
There are divergent scholarly views on what stylistics means and what it entails as
opinions differ from scholar to scholar. Several ideas are discovered although they
are considered not to be too far from one another, varying submissions on
stylistics have been proved by critical studies to be of a similar message but
different voices. This chapter is aims at reviewing related literatures it pertains to
stylistics.
2.2 STYLE
The concept of style has a troubled history in the modern period both within and
outside literary study. It has commonly been argued that we use the term style
without knowing its meaning. According to Leech (1969) style is the way in
which something is spoken, written or performed. Narrowly interpreted, it refers
toward use, sentence structures and figures of speech. More broadly, style is
considered to be a manifestation of the person speaking or writing. He further
refers to style as elocution- a Latin term which means style and also means lexis
in Greek. Elocution means the style and diction of a language. Leech and Short
(1981, p. 10) believe that the word style has a fairly uncontroversial meaning: it
refers to the way in which language is used in a given7context, by a given person,
for a given purpose, and so on. Birch (1989) says that language and style never
moves beyond a concentration on the supremacy of words; he believes firmly that
these words somehow contain meanings and is effectively language manipulated
in ways that signal it as different from ordinary language. Carter (1989) cites that
it is generally recognized that the style of work can depend on linguistic effects
produced at a number of different linguistic levels often simultaneously, and that
one fairly crucial factor is our expectations concerning the literary form or genre
employed. Leech and Short (1981) also believe that it is a selection from a total
linguistic repertoire that constitutes style. Style can be applied to both spoken
and written, both literary and nonliterary varieties of language but by tradition, it
is particularly associated with written literary texts. Leech and Short (1981) argue
further that the distinction between what a writer has to say, and how it is
presented to the reader, underlies one of the earliest and most persistent concept of
style: that of style as the dress of thought(p. 15). They add that although this
metaphor of style as some kind of adornment or covering of thought or
meaning is no longer widely current, it frequently appears in Renaissance and
rationalist pronouncements on style, and is implicit. In this view, which prevailed
throughout the Renaissance period, devices of style can be catalogued. The
essayist or orator is expected to frame his ideas with the help of models, sentences
and prescribed kinds of figures suitable to his mode of discourse. OloruntobaOju (1999, p.127) believes that style is almost synonymous with variety; it refers
in a simple way to the manner of expression, which differs according to the
various contexts. He further added that stylistic variation maybe reckoned in
terms of the sociolinguistic contexts producing the variation. For instance, styles
may differ according to place (e.g. Western or African), time (e.g. Old English,
new English, Classical Poetry, and Modern Poetry etc), individuality (e.g. the style
of Shakespeare, style of Soyinka) and mode (written, spoken, complex, poetic,
informal etc).Style or stylistic variation may also be reckoned or analyzed in
linguistic terms e.g. sentence types, phonological elements, morphological variety,
lexical variety: rhetorical terms (e.g. figures of speech) semantic terms, and even
semiotic terms.
2.3 STYLISTICS
Many attempts have been made by different scholars to define stylistics. To
Freeman (1971, p.1) stylistics, is a sub-discipline which started in the second half
of the 20th century. It can be seen as a logical extension of moves within literary
criticism early in the 20th century to concentrate on studying texts, rather than
authors. To Leech and Short (1981, p.13) stylistics is simply defined as the
linguistic study of style, is rarely undertaken for its own sake, simply as an
exercise in describing what use is made of language. They are also of the view
that we normally study style because we want to explain something; and in
general, literary stylistics explains the relationship between language and artistic
function. Short and Candlin (1989, p.183) are of the Short and Candlin (1989,
p.183) are of the view that stylistics is a linguistic approach to the study of the
literary texts. It thus embodies one essential part of the general course philosophy; that of combining language and literary study.Widdowson (1975,
p.3) defines stylistics as the study of literary discourse from a linguistic
orientation. He takes the view that what distinguishes stylistics from literary
criticism on the one hand and linguistics on the other is that it is a means of
linking the two. He also proposes that stylistics occupies the middle ground
between linguistics and literary criticism and its function is to mediate between
the two. In this role, its concerns necessarily overlap with those of the two
disciplines. Carter (1988) also agrees with Widdowson. He also believes that
stylistics is essentially a bridge between linguistics and literature, and there are
always arguments about the design of the bridge, its purpose, the nature of the
materials and about the side it should be built from. Stylistics studies devices in
languages such as rhetorical figures and syntactical patterns that are considered to
produce expressive or literary style. Stylistics is therefore a field or study that
combines both literary criticism and linguistics as its morphological make-up
suggests: the style component relating it to literary criticism and the
isticscomponent to linguistics. Widdowson (1975, p.3) claims that stylistics can
serve as a means whereby literature and language as subjects can, by a process of
gradual approximation, move towards both linguistics and literary criticism; and it
is also a means whereby these disciplines can be pedagogically treated to yield
different subjects. He further suggests that stylistics can provide for the
progression of pupil from either language or literature towards either linguistics or
literary criticism respectively. Carter (1988, p. 4) proposes that practical stylistics
is a process of literary text analysis which starts from a basic assumption that the
primary interpretative procedures used in the reading of a literary text are
linguistic procedures. He added that stylistic analysis can provide the means
whereby studying of literature one can relate a piece of literary writing to ones
own experience of language and so can extend that experience. Carter (1988,
p.10) sub-categorized it into 5 sections.
1. Linguistic Stylistics In several respects, linguistic stylistics is the purest form
of stylistics in that its practitioners attempt to derive from the study of style
and language variation some refinement of models for the analysis of language
and thus contribute to the development of linguistic theory.
intimate connection has been seen between style and an authors personality.
Deriving largely from idiolect this largely prove that every individual or person
is unique in one way or the other. Style as Choice from Variants. This approach
is backed with the fact that every phenomenon has many possible alternatives that
form the variants. It constitutes selection from a total linguistic repertoire. Each
individual has the right to choose from the available possibilities that which is
appropriate and fits into his work. This approach is usually prominent in
paradigmatic and syntagmatic relations among linguistic elements.
Style as deviation from the norm as Language is a behavior governed by rules and
norms. When something is done in a quite different way from how it is usually
done, then that is said to be a deviation from the norm. This is achieved by
reconstruction from the structural resource of language to extend the frontiers of
current usages. This concept is most common at both the lexical and the syntactic
level and used mostly for effective communication.
Style as situation or relationship between message and medium Language use
does not occur in a vacuum, the message and medium are always of importance.
The medium can be formal or informal, spoken or written and so on. Different
language use is determined by the different context of operation. In other words,
there are variations in language use. For example, the kind of language used in the
courtroom will be different from the one used in the classroom and so on. By and
large it is obvious that the concept of medium and message is indispensable in
stylistics.
Style as a temporal phenomenon According to Babajide (2000) style changes as
nothing in life is static abreast of time. Therefore, style can be referred to as being
old or new, in or out of vogue, modern or ancient. There are features for certain
periods; thus language style changes according to time, and style is recognized by
the predominant features of the period. In the world of language, there are
Chaucerian and classical epochs, differentiated by features. Old English, Middle
English and Modern English periods, Elizabethan, Victorian and Renaissance age
with peculiar features: both literary and linguistic. Using any of the aforesaid
approaches, stylistic analysis could be conducted by means of the levels of
analysis. We therefore explain briefly the levels of stylistic analysis and the
elements under them.
body of words known and used by a particular person. Syntax, according to Taller
man (1998, p.1) means sentence construction: how words group together to
make phrases and sentences. It is also used to mean the study of the syntactic
properties of languages; in this sense it is used in the same way as we use
stylistics to mean the study of literary style.Lexico-Syntactic patterns may be
obtained through various means which include unusual or inverted word order,
omission of words and repetition.Lexico-Syntactic choices are obtained through
devices such as piling of usual collocates, unusual collocates, archaic words,
particular parts of speech, metaphor, simile, oxymoron etc.
Anastrophe: Alabi (2007, p.163) says anastrophe is the inversion of the natural or
usual word order. The use of anastrophe secures emphasis and focuses the
readers/hearers attention. According to Alabi (2007, p.163) parenthesis entails
the insertion of some verbal unit (extra information, and after a thought or a
comment) in a position that interrupts the normal syntactical glow of the
sentence.Alabi (2007, p. 163) cites that Ellipsis entails the deliberate omission of
a word or words, which are readily implied by the content: it is used to create
brevity reemphasis or ambiguity. Asyndeton is the deliberate omission of
conjunctions between a series of related clauses. Asyndeton produces a hurried
rhythm in the sentence. Corbett (1971, p.470) cites Aristotles observation that
asyndeton was especially appropriate for the conclusion of a discourse, because
there, perhaps more than in other places in the discourse, we may want to produce
the emotional reaction that can be stirred by, among other means, rhythm.Alabi
(2007, p.164) cites that anaphora entails the repetition of the same word or phrase
at the beginnings of successive stages of the chosen pattern. The repetition of the
words helps to establish a marked rhythm in the sequence of clauses, this scheme
is usually reserved for those passages where the author wants to produce a strong
10
Lexico-syntactic choices
Pun- Alabi (2007, p.167) states that punis the genetic name for the figure of
speech in which the writer playson words. It is a figurative expression in which a
speaker plays on a word or phrase to suggest double meanings. A speaker may
also play on two or more semantically different but orthographically or
phonologically similar words to construct a thought provoking statement. It is
often employed to display linguistic process or verbal dexterity and ultimately
entertains the audience. Anthimeria In the words of Alabi (2007, p.168) this is
the substitution of one part of speech for another. Employing a part of speech in a
sentence or a group of words instead of another. Periphrasis (antonomasia) Alabi
(2007, p.168) says this is the substitution of a descriptive word or a phrase for a
proper name or of a proper name for a quality associated with the name. It can
also be described as an expression in which a celebrated person, event or place is
used to represent another person, place or event as a result of a similar quality
present in them.
Hyperbole Alabi (2007, p.168) cites that this is the use of exaggerated words, a
figurative expression in which a fact or a situation is blown out of proportion. It
is an overstatement of a fact in the course of emphasizing it or as a result of over
enthusiasm for it. Hyperbole gives emphasis or produces humor. Personification
invests abstractions or inanimate object with human qualities. In other words a
quality associated with man is given to a nonliving phenomenon thereby making it
look like a person. It is also called prosopoeia and personification stirs emotions.
Paradox Alabi (2007, p.168) says this is a seemingly contradictory statement,
which happens to be true. Paradox is a kind of expanded oxymoron. It is also an
expression which is obviously absurd or unreasonable, but will become logical or
reasonable on a closer look or a deeper thought. Synecdoche Alabi (2007, p.167)
believes that this is the employment of part of the referent to stand for the whole
or vice versa.
11
Phonological devices
According to Abrams (1981, p.163), the Standard English rhyme consists in the
identifying, in rhyming words, of the last stressed vowel and of all the speech
sounds following that vowel. End rhymes occur at the end of a verse-line while
internal rhymes occur within a verse-line. Alliteration is generally taken to be the
repetition of the initial consonant in two or more adjacent words.
Consonance is a half rhyme in which final consonants are repeated but with
different preceding vowels. Assonance is also a half rhyme realized by repeating
the same (stressed) vowel but with different final consonant in a sequence of
nearby words. Phonaesthesia (secondary onomatopoeia) are those sounds, which
are felt to be appropriate to the meaning of their words. The repetition of sounds
of words helps in linking related words to reinforce meaning. It provides tone and
musical color and it aids memorability.
2.6.4
Graphological Devices
Punctuation marks are used in writing to divide sentences and phrases. It also
refers to the system of using the punctuation marks. Paragraph involves a section
of a piece of writing, usually consisting of several sentences dealing with a single
idea. The first sentence of a paragraph starts on a new line.
12
13
and from her high tower in the sky pours forth down upon the earth a flood of
sweetest harmony in which there is no lack of perfection.
To a Skylark is an intensively lyrical poem. Shelley, like Wordsworth, regards
nature as being infused with a spiritual ability which animates all things, and he
finds the spirit of love which exists solely for his own happiness. The poem begins
on a note Hail to the blithe spirit. Romantic poetry is not only imaginative but it
is also lyrical. The skylark for Shelley is not only a money a bird but also an
embodied joy, a transcendent being, which pours forth melodic strains as it flies
higher and higher in the sky. The skylark unlike most other birds, flies straight
into the sky like an arrow and it sings all the more as it goes higher.
Shelley tells us that the skylarks upward flight begins as the sun rises (In the
golden light of sun of the sunken sun thou dost and run), dissolving the darkness
of the night. But the great interest is that the skylark becomes invisible like star of
heave in the broad day light, and its sweet music that is audible. Its invisibility
adds to the mystical nature of the bird.
The poet reveals his bewilderment regarding the bird when he says what thou art
we know not, what is most like thee. In stanza 8 to 12, Shelley compares the bird
to a poet who flies high into the regions of elevated thoughts, a high born maiden
who pours forth her heart from a place tower to a deflowered which makes the air
redolent ninth its sweet fragrance. Furthermore, the bird is compared to the
delightful sound of the spring rains on twinkling grass, because the sound of
skylark song is more beautiful than all the joyous, and clear and fresh.
In line no 56-60 the speaker asks it to teach the world its thoughts. Before he
never heard such a sweet and beautiful voice beautiful song, wedding songs, are
nothing empty sounds compared to the skylarks song. What the speaker asks
causes the bird to make so wonderful a sound. According to speakers the skylark
apparently has never experienced, it must have some special knowledge of death
of what is to come that enables it to sing such a joyous and sweet song as we
human do not know. In line 26 and pine for what is not, we want something that is
most beautiful and charming but even our own laughter there is always some pain.
The most beautiful line and what of our songs? Our sweetest one is about sadness
14
but even if we renounced hatred. Pride and fear even if we never shed a tear, we
could never be as joyful as the skylark. Its sound is better, sweeter and more
beautiful than all those of others.
The speaker concludes by asking the skylark, teach me half the gladnesss knows
with such knowledge, the speaker could present to the world a harmonious
madness that all would listen to.
15
CHAPTER 3
DATA ANALYSIS
3
The basic aim of stylistic analysis is to find out the linguistics elements in a text
and to show its function to help in doing literary criticism of the particular text.
The method is approved by Stankiewicz (as cited in Anjanikamer Sinha). It says
the poetic text is the most dynamic and open ended type of message and not a
hermetically closed and self- reflection structure. Sinha further explains the point
that a theory of stylistics should not only tell us what the structure of a text but
also what it is. Only then it indicates what makes a text dynamic and open ended.
(Language style and discourse) It is not only acceptable but an essential apparatus
for literary critics. So the aim and the purpose of stylistics is not only to analyze
text from linguistic point of view but also to tell us how these linguistic elements
help to infer the meaning and understand the theme that has blended with the
linguistic features.
16
mortal from the spiritual. Asking questions creates room for the poet to
provide answers. The
answer he comes up with is that we, unlike the song of the skylark, are mortals
capable of
dreaming sweet melodies. It is not good enough to have unreflective joy, and
thus even our
sincerest laughter is often accompanied with our saddest thought, yet this is
the reality we must
Acknowledge.
19
became a source of inspiration for the poem. The first part of the word Skylark
can also be associated to the noun gale which means an extremely strong wind.
It gives us the idea that the speaker is moved by a gale of emotions and
imagination.
Hail
Poorest
Singing
Soar
Float, run
Melts
Hear
Narrows
See
Feel
Rains
Know
Is
To see
Showers
Singing
To sympathy
Heeded
Soothing
Scattering
Screen
Embowered
Deflowered
Gives
Makes
Was
Surpon
Teach
Land
Abstract
Scent
Sounds
Music
Sprint
Thought
Love
Ruptured
Praise
Higher
Near
Golden
Pale people
Unseen
Shrill
Keen
Silver
Hardly
Clear
All
Loud
Lonely
Out
Over flowed
Bight
Faint
Too much
Winged
Twinkling
Joyous
Clear
Sweet
Divine
Hidden
Unbidden
Wroght
High born
Secret
Sweet
Overflow
Golden
Unbeholden
Aerial
Green
Warm
Heavy
Sweet
If we deem over the chart of lexics gathered from the poem
we see in table one abstract noun in plenty as compare to the
others. Abstract nouns are names of those things which do
not have any concrete or material existence. These nouns
prove the idea that imagination or fancy is one of the major
themes of the poem. Shelley himself upholds the theme by
saying that blith spirit - Bird thou never went.
On the other hand there are nouns that one way or the other
covers the semantic area of the world of men. These nouns
are very few in number and there is no such word or noun
that suggests the idea of immense pleasure. The third group
20
each stanza but the fifth stanza. Suddenly rises from tetra to pentameter. The
sound meter goes straight throughout the poems such as
Hail
To
Thee
Blithe
Bird
Thou
Never
Wert
That
From
Heaven
Or
Spirit
Near
It
3.6 REPETITION
Repetition is the most important and abundant feature in this poem, which helps a
poem, emphasizes and puts stress on the main problem of a poem; and its
significant features in line 6 we see the first lexical repetition in the poem. In this
case we are dealing with a lexical repetition.
22
Here we see the two clauses manifest, a structure conjunction + present participial
+ copula. The same structure is repeated in one sentence. There is another
structure that has been frequently repeated in the poem.
Preposition + indefinite article + (modifier) + noun as in line 36, 41, 46, 51, 8, ,8 ,
18, 15
In line 36, 51, the modifier has been used attributively whereas in 41 and 46 it is
used as predicatively. The slight variation signals to the temporal or slight pause in
the flight of the bird; however, the bird goes on upwards keep on singing.
The structural repetition also exhibits the fact that the bird never feels bored by
repeating the same song and journey. As a reader does not get bore with this
repeated structure. Rather a reader enjoys its slight rhythmic variation. In these
repeated structures different nouns have been used.
Line 8 A cloud of fire
Line 15 Unbodied joy
Line 18 A star of heaven
Line 36 Poet hidden
Line 41 High born maiden
Line 46 Glow warm golden
Line 51 Rose embowered
We divided these nouns into two groups. Poet, maiden is the first group that gives
us the idea of the world of men. Group two includes nouns namely joy, cloud,
glow, rose, star. These nouns suggest the world of nature or the world of skylark.
This proves that the author reinforces through the use of these two kinds of nouns
the idea of two different worlds.
Such as the world of men that is nothing but pain and worries and the world of
skylark or nature that means only happiness. In the above line Shelly talks of
23
pleasure but in a very sad melancholic tone. Similarly the assonance |li| sound also
suggests the effect of the bird song and the state of the speaker being deeply
inspired. Shelley talks of the human passion, sorrows and joys in the line our
sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought in this particular line stop |t|
and plosive |s| are two dominant sounds. Though both are two different and
contrasting sounds but their combination creates musicality that is difficult to
pronounce but is pleasing. Thus from the brief study of the sound of the poem we
have derived that the musicality, and sound of the poem very closely resemble the
sweet sound of a skylark and the main theme of the poem that is inspiration.
3.8 IMAGERY/COMPOUND
To produce a pictorial effect in the poem the speaker has made a deliberate use of
compound nouns and modifiers frequently and has succeeded to achieve his goal
to a great extent. The phrase cloud of fire is a kind of oxymoron and collocation
deviation for both the words represent two different and contrasting ideas. Cloud
is something that is cold and fire is fire that is hot. So a fire cannot be cold, nor
can cloud be hot; but it seems as if it is a cloud of fire. It means that its reality is
different than what it seems in line 16, modifying male purple even is a
successful effort to draw a visual image of evening; the alliteration of |p| sound
further beautifies its charm, and the words bring a visual image in front of our
mental eyes which makes us fully enjoy the line. The same technique has been
practiced again in line 29 and 30.Stanza 12 is the best example of phonaesthesia.
For instance, we feel auditory image in these lines as:sound of vernal showers on
the twinkling grass
We feel and hear the very sound of rain that falls on the lush green waving,
dancing and fluttering grass. The rainfall and fluttering of grass produce a mutual
sweet musical noise. They very noise has been in the form of words in the referred
line. Stanza 11 reveals a very colorful image of sight. As the speaker says
that:Like a rose embowered
Line 51 and 52 describe the sight of flowers that wins our admiration. The words
rose embowered in its own green leaves capture the very state and scenery of the
24
spring flower. Phrases such as by warm winds, till the scent it gives are a slight
touch of thermal and olfactory images respectively.
We can sum up that the poem is replete with various kinds of images which
enhance its beauty and charm. The various similes and metaphors have been
described in such words and compounds that help a reader to enjoy the very
essence. Theme of the poem as the poet enjoys the song of the skylark.
25
CHAPTER 4
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
4.1 SUMMARY
This work has partially been able to use the elements of stylistics under lexiconsyntactic patterns and choices, phonological, morphological and graph logical
devices to analyze the poem - To a Skylark. The display of stylistics in the
poem, the function and the effects in the poem their functions and their effects in
the poem have been the major focus of this research work.
The
first
chapter
is
introduction/background
the
to
introductory
the
study,
aspect
research
where
problem,
the
general
aims
and
4.2 CONCLUSION
Since we have analyzed the poem To a skylark stylistically, now we are in a
position to give some conclusion to what we have discussed. After the
introductory chapter, we briefly discussed what stylistics is. We have proved it in
the light of writings of prominent stylisticians that it is a field of study which
functions as a bridge between linguistics and literary criticism. A slight touch is
26
given to the history and origin of the field. The term style and its effects on the
definition of stylistic are discussed in detail. The second part of the research
consists of the analysis of the poem. First the aim of the poem is mentioned.
Shelleys age and its stylistic trends are talked about. The literary theme and idea
of the poem is discussed, and then in the following chapters it is shown that how
stylistic analysis of a poem explains the theme and ideas of the poem. It even
highlights the elements that we might otherwise miss. Analyzing the poem
stylistically also highlights how the minute features of the poem contribute to the
poem which we usually ignore and consider as common. Stylistics, then, is helpful
to explain those parts of the poem, which, we are otherwise unable to understand.
27
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Abrams, M.H.. (1981), A Glossary of literary Terms Newyork: Holt, Rinehartand
Winston.
Alabi,
V.A.
(2007),
Lexico-syntactic,
phonological
and
graphological
H.G.
(1975),
Stylistics
and
the
teaching
of
literature,
28
Appendix 1
POEM SHELLELY TO A SKYLARK
1. Hail to thee blithe spirit
Bird thou never wert
That from Heaven, or near it,
pourest the full heart
in profuse strains of unpremeditated art .
2. higher still and higher
from the earth thou springest
the blue deep thou wingest,
and singing still dost soar, and soaring ever singest,
3. in the golden lightning
of the sunken sun
oer which clouds are brightening,
thou dost float and run;
like an unbodied joy whose race is just begun
4. the pale purple even
melts around the flight;
like a star of heaven
in the broad daylight
29
8.
30
9.
12.
14.
Chorus hymeneal,
Or triumphal chant,
Matched with thine would be all
But are empty vaunt
A thing wherein we feel there is some hidden want
15.
16.
32
Waking or asleep,
Thou of death must deem
Things more true and deep
Than we mortals dream
Or how could thy notes flow in such a crystal stream?
18.
19.
20.
33
34