CS Academy, Vallipurathanpalayam, Erode

Class : XII

English handout

A Walk by Moonlight - Henry Louis Vivian Derozio (Explanation and Analysis)

Stanza wise explanation of the poem.
Verse 1: The poet says the previous night was lovely and he felt blessed knowing that
the beauty of the night will be a pleasant spot for memory to find rest, calmness,
inspiration and peace. Metaphorically, the poet implies that pleasant memories of time
spent amongst the beauty of nature, become sources of calmness and inspiration when
the mind is troubled.
Happy spot (metaphor a shaded peaceful area is being compared to a happy memory)
Memory rest (personification)
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Verse 2: The poet admits that in his long past, he has had such pleasant moments
which have become part of his memory. When caught in the cycle of daily life or facing
lifes trials and tribulations, we turn to these hours to find peace and calm. These
pleasant memories seem like an inspirational lodestar, which shines mildly at a distance,
and never fade away. Those hours spent in nature are thus soft: gentle, calm, peaceful
and inspirational. Poetic device metaphor.
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Verse 3: Some such memories came the poets way the previous night. They made the
narrators heart feel warm and light, as if it could fly free. (metaphor)
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Verse 4: The poet had gone out the previous evening to meet a friend. When he reached
the friends home, he saw the friend with two other people. They all gelled immediately
since they shared common interests. It is a universally known fact that great minds
connect immediately like birds of a feather.
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Verse 5: When the poet got up to leave, he asked if any of them would like to go for a
walk with him. Immediately, all three stood up and joined him.
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Verse 6: The poet had become fond of all three of whom two had high thoughts and
were of his age group. One was a young man but the poet was fond of him too just like
anyone would find a young mans youthful antics charming.
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Verse 7: Using personification, the poet describes how the moon seemed to be majestic
as it stood silent in the sky and looked down upon the earth. The clouds seemed to part
out of respect for her stature (as if bowing before a queen and parting for her to make
her way).
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Verse 8: The wind seemed to make the leaves dance as if celebrating her power
(personification and metaphor). At the peak hour, the moon magically seemed to robe
everything in garments of silver with moonlight (metaphor).
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Verse 9: The winds seemed to sing hymns in the moons (her) honour. They sounded
like a gentle choir which makes a soul feel intense and deeply moved.
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Verse 10: There was something about the beauty of the night which captured the three
friends with its magic. For they not only saw but felt the moonlight around them, like a
physical presence.
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Verse 11: How strange, wonders the poet, are the many mysteries in nature! These
magical mysteries connect us to the earth. With their charm, they send the joy inherent
in them, into our hearts. Natures beauty then enters our souls like divine bliss which
brings us true happiness.
It reminds us of John Keats poem A Thing of Beauty where he says that human beings
constantly try to weave a connection to the earth. Even William Wordsworth says in
Daffodils, that pleasant visions of nature become a soothing influence for the mind to
seek when lonely or disturbed.
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Verse 12: How lovely, says the poet, are such memories (phantoms) which though dim,
bless us and give us an insight into ourselves such that we see everything anew and
truly understand ourselves with a startling clarity and self-pride.
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Verse 13: When we shed our earthly cares (which anyway do not belong to us nor will
go with us to the other world), we are able to understand the immortal spirituality
inherent in all elements of nature we see around us.
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Verse 14: It is then that we recognize and comprehend the voice of the wind and the
magical melody which seems to play through the forest like a musical instrument whose
strings have been stirred. Metaphors personification throughout.
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Verse 15: It is in such moments of spiritual enlightenment that we seem to adopt the
silk-like gentle language of the stars. Each element of nature then comes alive. They
seem to reflect our thoughts and feelings. Even the moon becomes a person whose
cheek is pale with sympathy.
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Verse 16: In such moments we gain a magical insight which makes us look differently at
ourselves and the world around us. As our soul awakens and we gain a new vision, all
glories which seem possible. We then feel capable of achieving all the rainbow-coloured
goals which usually reside only in our dreams.
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Verse 17: The poet feels blessed in such moments because he finds himself a part of
nature and all its bliss. People say one can achieve such pure joy only in other worlds
(heaven) but in moments like these, the poet can find such bliss right here on earth.
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Verse 18: The poet says that his heart feels better when he realizes that the human
heart is gently bound and is part of natures beauty.
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Verse 19: Sometimes, we perceive the elements of nature as cold and lifeless. But the
poet says that these flowers, stars and sky, are more than what they seem to be and
have the power to move us.
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Verse 20: In such moments of bliss and poignant realization, the poet knows that all
nature is alive. He finds it difficult to even crush the grass under his feet because he can
hear its voice and hear its heart beat.
Some important questions
1. Attempt a critical appreciation of the poem.
Derozios A walk by Moonlight is a essentially a romantic poem, that sings praise of an
evening and thereby brings out the ethereal qualities of the evening. The poet had been
to one of his friends house where he found three other friends. They at once joined him
for a walk in the evening when urged upon by the poet.
Coming out in the vast open space the poet was at once bewitched by the moonlit
evening and presents a catalogue of natural events that seemed to the poet as if they
were paying homage to the ethereal beauty of the moonlight. Amid such a splendid
scenario, the poet turned to be a philosopher and became too sensitive to the objects of
nature. The soft language of the stars sounds like the tongue we speak. And we then
discover a glorious shine join them that appear to a sleeper in his colourful dream
woven of the rainbow beams. The poet feels glad to have the power to respond to the
paramount joy.
2. How does Derozio intertwinelovely old memories and philosophy to depeict
mysterious relationship between man and nature.
Derozio talks of the lovely old memories which help us in getting a better insight of
ourselves. Due to this awareness we are able to connect with our spiritual selves. And
when this happens, man stands proud. This is the uniqueness of man- to be touched
and be enriched by nature. To understand the universe, we must first understand
ourselves. There are moments in our life, when our senses become numb. We have lost
the opportunity to be stirred by beauty, but Derozio feels immense joy and pleasure as
his senses are awakened at once. It is only when man is able to release his soul will he
survive and as the post glimpses the celestial hand of nature, he too becomes divine.
Value based questions:

1. According to Derozio if we have to understand the universe, we must first understand

ourselves. Explain.
It is truly stated that to understand the universe, we must first understand ourselves.
There are many moments in our lives when our senses become numb. We have lost the
opportunity to be stirred by beauty, but Derozio feels immense joy and pleasure as his
senses are awakened at once. All his memories clear up and he is enthused by the
beauty of Nature. All Nature is Gods creation and he saw sadness in man. It is only
when man is able to release his soul, will he survive and as Derozio glimpses the celestial
hand of Nature, he too becomes divine.
2. Nature helps us to be better human beings. How does A Walk by Moonlight prove
this ?
The earth and all its beauty is given to us as a gift. This realization is sudden and rare. It
is then that we recognize the voices that we feel. The rustling of trees, the winds and
leaves.everything. Nature carries a message. These voices make the forest look like a
musical instrument. We too begin speaking Natures language. Only then do we realize
that it is sympathy that intertwines us with nature. Our eyes open and we can see the
real possibilities that are within us. These glorious things may appear to others on the
sleeps couch but we no more see them as dream. Derozio thanks God and Nature for
receiving this illumination in this life itself.