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“Thanatopsis” by William Cullen BryantElements of Literature pp. 220-222
Context of the Work “Thanatopsis” is a term coined by Bryant himself by merging the Greek thanatos (“death”) and
opsis (“sight”). Offers perspective on deathLiterary Focus Inversion is the rearrangement of words in a sentence; a departure from normal syntax (word order). A work’s theme is the central insight into human experience that a writer reveals in a work. Blank verse is poetry written in unrhymed iambic pentameter.
Study Questions1. In lines 2-8, what does Nature do for those who communicate with her?2. In lines 8-17, what does the speaker encourage the listener to do when troubled by thoughts of death?3. According to lines 17-30, what will happen to the listener after death? What relationship with nature is expressed in these lines?4. In lines 31-37, what comfort does the speaker offer?5. According to lines 40-45, what decorates the “tomb of man”?6. In lines 50-57, what examples does the speaker use to explain that the dead are everywhere?
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7. What does the phrase “favorite phantom” in line 64 imply about earthly pursuits?8. What comfort is offered in lines 58-72?9. What advice does the speaker give in lines 73-81?10. Identify two examples of inversion. 11. What are the poem’s central themes?12. What does this poem imply about the afterlife?