unpacking a poem

UNPACKING A POEM

“The Cross of Snow”By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

FOCUS QUESTIONS Where does the poem shift and why?

What Christian images are present in the poem? How do these images relate to the speaker? How do these images relate to the subject?

What is the tone of the poem? How do you know? Identify the devices (diction, images, figurative language, etc) that help create the tone.

“THE CROSS OF SNOW” In the long, sleepless watches of the night,

A gentle face--the face of one long dead--Looks at me from the wall, where round its head The night-lamp casts a halo of pale light.Here in this room she died, and soul more whiteNever through martyrdom of fire was ledTo its repose; nor can in books be readThe legend of a life more benedight.There is a mountain in the distant WestThat, sun-defying, in its deep ravinesDisplays a cross of snow upon its side.Such is the cross I wear upon my breastThese eighteen years, through all the changing scenesAnd seasons, changeless since the day she died.

TITLE The Cross of Snow

What is the significance of the title?The cross is a shape , but it also holds

symbolic meaning for Christians because Jesus died on a cross.

In society, we often refer to burdens or sorrows as “crosses to bear.”

Snow is white and often symbolizes purity.

“THE CROSS OF SNOW” In the long, sleepless watches of the night,

A gentle face--the face of one long dead--Looks at me from the wall, where round its head The night-lamp casts a halo of pale light.Here in this room she died, and soul more whiteNever through martyrdom of fire was ledTo its repose; nor can in books be readThe legend of a life more benedight.There is a mountain in the distant WestThat, sun-defying, in its deep ravinesDisplays a cross of snow upon its side.Such is the cross I wear upon my breastThese eighteen years, through all the changing scenesAnd seasons, changeless since the day she died.

SUBJECT/PARAPHRASE The speaker, sitting up sleepless at

night, looks at the picture of his dead wife on the wall, where it is surrounded by a halo of lamplight.

His wife died in this room, and the speaker suggests she was saint-like, religious, pure.

There is a mountain that has snow in the shape of a cross which is like the cross the speaker wears on his chest since the day his wife died.

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE Imagery Simile Metaphor Personification Symbolism

METAPHOR

IMPLIED METAPHORA halo…martyrdom – wife is a saint

IMPLIED METAPHORSuch is the cross I wear upon my breast –

cross is his grief of losing his wife

PERSONIFICATION Looks at me from the wall (the picture)

IMAGERYIn the long, sleepless watches of the night

Creates the image of a night watchman.

IMAGERY - CHRISTIANA gentle face – Looks at me from the wall, where round

its headThe night lamp casts a halo of pale light.

Christian image of a saint

http://www.flickr.com/photos/george_eastman_house/2677481877/http://fletchingarrows.tumblr.com/post/14369277464/missfolly-study-for-saint-bride-by-john

IMAGERY - CHRISTIANThere is a mountain in the distant WestThat, sun-defying, in its deep ravinesDisplays a cross of snow upon its side.

Image of a mountain that bears a cross shape filled with snow

Such is the cross I wear upon my breast

Creates the image of a deep wound in the speaker’s chest

http://english.emory.edu/classes/paintings&poems/cross.jpghttp://www.youareyourpath.com/monthly0403.html

SYMBOLISM White – purity Snow - purity Cross - grief and sorrow

His wife was pure and good, even saint-like, and even after 18 years, he is still grieving or carrying the burden of the loss

LITERARY/POETIC DEVICES Mood  Tone Theme

MOOD The overall feeling of the poem is

solemnly reflective or serious, even sad

TONE Sadness

Longfellow’s attitude toward loss

THEME One may never get over the tragic loss

of a loved one – no matter how much time has passed.

SOUND DEVICES Rhyme Rhyme scheme or Free verse Rhythm Meter Assonance Alliteration Onomatopoeia

RHYME SCHEMEIn the long, sleepless watches of the night, A gentle face – the face of one long dead – Looks at me from the wall, where round its

head The night lamp casts a halo of pale light.Here in this room she died; and soul more white Never through martyrdom of fire was led To its repose; nor can in books be read The legend of a life more benedight.

ABBAABBA

RHYME SCHEMEThere is a mountain in the distant West That, sun-defying, in its deep ravines Displays a cross of snow upon its side.Such is the cross I wear upon my breast These eighteen years, through all the

changing scenesAnd seasons, changeless since the day she

died.

Exact end rhyme

CDEC

DE

RHYTHM - METER Iambic pentameter – a line of poetry

that contains 5 iambs Iamb – an unstressed syllable followed

by a stressed syllable

In the long, sleepless watches of the night

ALLITERATIONThat, sun-defying, in its deep ravinesDisplays a cross of snow upon its side.

Note: There are others; this is one example. You must be thorough.

ASSONANCEThe night lamp casts a halo of pale light

Note: There are others; this is one example. You must be thorough.