What do the grasshopper and the cricket metaphorically stand for in this poem? How they contribute to the earth's poetry?

What do the grasshopper and the cricket metaphorically stand for in this poem? How they contribute to the earth's poetry?

In Keats' 'The Poetry of Earth', the grasshopper and the cricket metaphorically stand for life's pleasures and pain in youth and old age respectively. The grasshopper takes delight in 'summer luxury' and chirps merrily hopping about from hedge to hedge among the "new-mown mead". When he gets tired he "rests at ease beneath some pleasant weed". Almost like the bees in 'Ode to Autumn' who are under the delusion that "warm days will never cease", life seems perfect to the grasshopper which is intoxicated with absolute enjoyment. The cricket's chirping is generally considered ominous by the country folk because there is something eerie about the sound produced by the insect which cannot be seen. This sound interrupts the snow-covered desolate winter scene. The cricket resembles the grasshopper in its way of chirping. So to a person almost lost in sleep, the two sounds appear to be the same. This symbolically refers to the possible attainment of renewed vigour at old age. This is metaphoric also because a person in his old age approaching death realises like the person almost lost in sleep that joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain, life and death are the two sides of the same coin. They are the components that make up our lives.

Keats has used sensuous imagery to describe the natural world with care and precision. -How far do you agree with this statement?

Sensuousness is that quality in poetry that affects the sense of sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. By the term 'sensuous imagery', we mean the images which are devoted not only to an idea or philosophical thought but also to the task of giving delight to the senses. Sensuous poetry appeals to our eyes by presenting beautiful and colourful word pictures, to our ear by musical sounds and to our nose by arousing our sense of smell. In this poem too we find what we see and hear which excites our imagination by creating beautiful sense impressions. The word-pictures like "new-mown mead," "summer luxury", "lone winter evening" elevate our imagination and a precise picture of the beauty is generated in our minds. Similarly the images like "cooling trees", "shrill the cricket's song", "warmth increasing ever" all provide us with sensuous images that strike our aural and tactile stimuli. Thus, nature is revealed to us with great care and precision by Keats in this poem.

Discuss Chekhov's The Proposal' as a supreme example of a one-act play.

Describe the character of Chubukov as a sensible father.

Give a brief sketch of the character of Lomov in the play The Proposal'.

Sketch the character of Natalya.

"Now, you know, you shouldn't forget all about your neighbours, my darling."—Who said this and to whom? Why was the speaker surprised? Comment on the approach of the speaker.

"Then why are you in evening dress, my precious ?"-Who said this? Why was the person spoken to, in his evening dress? What did the speaker assume about the person?

"He's come to borrow money! Shan't give him any..."-Who is the speaker? What makes him say this? What features of this character are revealed here?

"Oh, don't go round and round it, darling! - Who is addressed as 'darling'? What is it? Who is the speaker? Why does he make this comment?

"I've come to ask the hand of your daughter, Natalya Stepanovna, in marriage."-Who is the speaker? To whom does the speaker say this? What was the reaction of the person spoken to?

"...do you think I may count on her consent ?"-Why is the speaker so uncertain? How does the speaker ultimately get consent?

"She's like a love-sick cat,"-Who said this and about whom? Analyse the character of the person, referred to here, under the light of the comment above.

"If I give myself time to think, to hesitate, to talk a lot for an ideal, or for real love, then I'll never get married."-Who thinks so? When does he think so? Why does the speaker think about it?

"Go; there's a merchant come for his goods."—Who said this and to whom? Who is the merchant'? What is referred to as 'goods'? In what way does it bring out the attitude of the person and the society at that time?

"I'm trembling all over,' -Who is 'I' here? How does the speaker express his nervousness?

"You must excuse my apron and négligé...". - above-mentioned line has been extracted. Who is the speaker of the quoted line? What is négligee? What was the speaker engaged in before arrival? What did the speaker offer the person addressed as you?

"We've had the land for nearly three hundred years..."—Who is the speaker? Who is spoken to? What is referred to as 'the land'? What do you know of the land from their conversation?

"If you like, i'll make you a present of them."-Who is the speaker? Who is the person spoken to? What would the speaker make a present of? Why did the speaker say so?

"How have you the right to give away somebody else's property?" - Who is the speaker? What property is referred to here? Why does the speaker ask this question?