Linguistic

Semantic

Structural

Cultural

Specific textual  examples of what you’ve observed when reading at this level—cited in MLA format.

(You may use numbers or bullets here to take notes)

-”Tread lightly, she is near / Under the snow, / Speak gently, she can hear / The daisies grow.”(1-4)

-”Tarnished with rust”(6)

-”LIly-like, white as snow,”(9)

-”All her bright golden hair / Tarnished with rust”(5-6)

-”She hardly knew / She was a woman, so / Sweetly she grew.”(10-12)

-”Coffin-board, heavy stone, / Lie on her breast,”(13-14)

-”Peace, peace, she cannot hear / Lyre or sonnet”(17-18)

-”She that was young and fair / Fallen to dust.”(7-8)

-”Tread lightly, she is near / Under the snow, / Speak gently, she can hear / The daisies grow.”(1-4)

 -”She hardly knew / She was a woman, so / Sweetly she grew.”(10-12)

-”I vex my heart alone, / She is at rest.”(15-16)

-”All my life’s buried here, / Heap earth upon it.”(19-20)

Demonstrate the development of complexity of thought at each level by writing a descriptive response to what you’ve written in the row above.  (Analyze your thought patterns when observing the examples you’ve listed above—these may also be in note-taking form)

 The poem follows an abab rhyme scheme. There are five stanzas that all follow this format and allow the poem to sound appealing. There is juxtaposition within the diction used by Wilde as he describes the girl in question before and after her death. In life he uses words such as “lily-like”, and snow, however in death he describes things like her hair as “tarnished with rust”.

 As the poem discussed the changes in her hair, the use of the word “tarnished” is indicative of deterioration, not just of her hair, but her as a whole. Lines 10-12 show how she had lived, not caring about her expectations as a woman. The wording shows how she was not yet aware of society’s restraints as she was so young. Lines 13 and 14 show how significant her death was. The words “heavy stone” are not meant to be taken literally, but to show the heaviness her death carried.

The lines beginning the last stanza show how there is a sense of peace in the girls passing, it gives the reader a sense that the death has not lead to a completely overtaking sense of sorrow. Lines 7 and 8 help to give an overall message of the poem, the youthful vitality that was once held has now fallen to dust. It is showing the cruel nature of death in taking someone young away. The first stanza helps to set up the feel of the entire poem. The juxtaposition of the daisies growing while the ground is covered in snow, is parallel to the young and beautiful girl having died.

Lines 10 through 12 again show the youth the girl who has lost her life, as she has not yet had to face the standards of women in society, so she was able to grow “sweetly”. In lines 15 and 16 the lonely aspects that come with death are brought up. As there is some good to be found in the fact that the girl is at peace, the write is still experiencing it alone, which adds to the sadness. The poem is overall in reference to Wilde’s younger sister who died in childhood. This poem is expressive of his feelings after the fact. Line 19 shows how deep the impact was on him.