Grade 11 TO SLEEP-POEM WITH POETIC DEVICES.pptx

A presentation on William Wordsworth's poem 'To Sleep'.

1. To sleep William Wordsworth 3/22/2024 PREPARED BY Ms. NASREEN ABDUL MAJEED, NIMS ALAIN 1

2. William Wordsworth A major English Romantic poet, Wordsworth possessed a deep love for nature, a theme reflected in many of his poems. He considered nature to be his friend, philosopher and guide. He became the Poet - Laureate in 1843, and remained so, until his death in 1850 . 3/22/2024 PREPARED BY Ms. NASREEN ABDUL MAJEED, NIMS ALAIN 2 This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

3. About the poem : Despite its title, ‘To Sleep’ is not about sleep but is actually about sleeplessness: it’s a sonnet which sees Wordsworth listing the various ways he’s tried to lull himself to sleep (such as counting sheep), all to no avail. The poet knows that soon he will hear the birds singing outside and knows that he will never get to sleep, and it’ll be time to get up and go about his daily life again. “To Sleep” is a direct address by the poet, Wordsworth, to the sleep that very often escapes him. It sounds as if it is coming from an insomniac who knows the true value of sleep. 3/22/2024 PREPARED BY Ms. NASREEN ABDUL MAJEED, NIMS ALAIN 3

4. The setting of the poem: This poem has two different settings, and they form a contrast to each other. In the first and second stanzas, the poem is set in the poet’s imagination . However, in the third and fourth stanzas, the setting shifts from the poet’s mind to reality . Here we see that the poet is quite anxious for he is not able to sleep peacefully. 3/22/2024 PREPARED BY Ms. NASREEN ABDUL MAJEED, NIMS ALAIN 4

5. Listen to the poem… https://youtu.be/KqMwY-xTrTY?si=chZDPUMzc9e8sZ9A 3/22/2024 PREPARED BY Ms. NASREEN ABDUL MAJEED, NIMS ALAIN 5

6. TO SLEEP -WILLIAM WORDSWORTH A flock of sheep that leisurely pass by One after one; the sound of rain, and bees Murmuring; the fall of rivers, winds and seas, Smooth fields, white sheets of water, and pure sky — I've thought of all by turns, and still I lie Sleepless; and soon the small birds' melodies Must hear, first utter'd from my orchard trees, And the first cuckoo's melancholy cry. Even thus last night, and two nights more I lay, And could not win thee, Sleep, by any stealth: So do not let me wear to-night away. Without thee what is all the morning's wealth? Come, blessed barrier between day and day, Dear mother of fresh thoughts and joyous health! 3/22/2024 PREPARED BY Ms. NASREEN ABDUL MAJEED, NIMS ALAIN 6

7. Poetic Devices : Sonnet Rhyme scheme Personification Hyperbole Oxymoron Apostrophe Alliteration Metaphor Imagery 3/22/2024 PREPARED BY Ms. NASREEN ABDUL MAJEED, NIMS ALAIN 7

8. SONNET A sonnet is a poem of 14 lines with a strict pattern of rhyme and rhythm. A sonnet is usually divided into an eight-line unit known as an octet, and a six-line unit known as a sestet. ‘To Sleep’ is divided into four stanzas, the first and the second stanzas consisting of 4 lines each, and the third and fourth stanzas consisting of 3 lines each. 3/22/2024 PREPARED BY Ms. NASREEN ABDUL MAJEED, NIMS ALAIN 8

9. Rhyme scheme: abba abba cdc cdc A flock of sheep that leisurely pass by a One after one; the sound of rain, and bees b Murmuring; the fall of rivers, winds and seas , b Smooth fields, white sheets of water, and pure sky ; a I've thought of all by turns, and still I lie a Sleepless; and soon the small birds' melodies b Must hear, first utter'd from my orchard trees , b And the first cuckoo's melancholy cry . a Even thus last night, and two nights more I lay , c And could not win thee, Sleep! by any stealth : d So do not let me wear to-night away : c Without Thee what is all the morning's wealth ? c Come, blesséd barrier between day and day , d Dear mother of fresh thoughts and joyous health ! c 3/22/2024 PREPARED BY Ms. NASREEN ABDUL MAJEED, NIMS ALAIN 9

10. personification This rhetorical device is used to bestow human qualities on something that is not human. The poet uses the device of personification with respect to “Sleep”. He capitalizes the “s” in “Sleep”, and imagines it to be a human figure that he can converse with. (Stanza 3 , L10) He imagines it to be a mother, giving birth as it does to new thoughts and providing refreshment to one’s health as and when required. (Stanza 4, L14) 3/22/2024 PREPARED BY Ms. NASREEN ABDUL MAJEED, NIMS ALAIN 10

11. Transposed sentence Poets often change the sequence of words in their lines in order to maintain the rhyme scheme chosen by them. In Stanza 2, Lines 6-7: …and soon the small birds' melodies Must hear, first utter'd from my orchard trees , 3/22/2024 PREPARED BY Ms. NASREEN ABDUL MAJEED, NIMS ALAIN 11

12. Hyperbole: An exaggeration used for effect. Even thus last night, and two nights more I lay , 3/22/2024 PREPARED BY Ms. NASREEN ABDUL MAJEED, NIMS ALAIN 12

13. oxymoron A figure of speech containing words that contradict each other. Stanza 4, Line 13: Come, blesséd barrier between day and day , Usually barrier is a symbol of discrimination and separation. But sleep is a barrier that is necessary between each day and it is necessary. Thus sleep is considered as ‘blessed’. 3/22/2024 PREPARED BY Ms. NASREEN ABDUL MAJEED, NIMS ALAIN 13

14. Apostrophe When a poet directly addresses a personified idea/ an absent audience/ the dead. Stanza 3, Line 10: And could not win thee, Sleep! by any stealth: The poet is addressing sleep as ‘you’ (thee) whom he cannot win by secretly or cunningly. Stanza 4, Line 12: Without Thee what is all the morning's wealth? The poet is asking sleep what is the value of morning without ‘you’ (thee). 3/22/2024 PREPARED BY Ms. NASREEN ABDUL MAJEED, NIMS ALAIN 14

15. alliteration Come, b lesséd b arrier b etween day and day, 3/22/2024 PREPARED BY Ms. NASREEN ABDUL MAJEED, NIMS ALAIN 15

16. metaphor Come, blesséd barrier between day and day, Dear mother of fresh thoughts and joyous health ! Sleep is being compared to ‘blessed barrier’ and ‘mother of fresh thoughts and joyous health. 3/22/2024 PREPARED BY Ms. NASREEN ABDUL MAJEED, NIMS ALAIN 16

17. imagery a flock of sheep passing by one after one bees murmuring white sheets of water pure sky birds singing from the orchard trees cuckoo’s melancholy cry Sound of rain smooth fields Pure sky 3/22/2024 PREPARED BY Ms. NASREEN ABDUL MAJEED, NIMS ALAIN 17

18. REFERENCE: http://holyjoe.org/poetry/wordsworth5.htm https://beamingnotes.com/2017/08/23/analysis-central-theme-sleep-william-wordsworth/ https://deltathrissur.wordpress.com/plus-one/unit-5-harmony-of-life/to-sleep-poem-by-william-wordsworth/ 3/22/2024 PREPARED BY Ms. NASREEN ABDUL MAJEED, NIMS ALAIN 18

19. Further reference https://onlinefreenotes.com/to-sleep-by-william-wordsworth/ https://smartenglishnotes.com/2020/11/03/summary-and-analysis-of-to-sleep/ 3/22/2024 PREPARED BY Ms. NASREEN ABDUL MAJEED, NIMS ALAIN 19

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