A SLUMBER DID MY SPIRIT SEAL
By William Wordsworth
📚 1–40: Short Question Answers
- Who is the poet of the poem “A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal”?
🔹 The poet is William Wordsworth, a Romantic poet known for his nature-inspired poetry. - What is the theme of the poem?
🔺 The poem expresses grief, death, and the eternal peace that follows loss. - What does the word “slumber” mean in the poem?
🔻 It refers to a deep sleep, symbolising the speaker’s ignorance of death. - Why was the poet’s spirit sealed?
🔴 Because he was overwhelmed by grief and unaware of the eventual death. - Who is “she” in the poem?
🔹 “She” is a girl or loved one who has died, possibly Lucy. - What emotion does the poem begin with?
🔺 It starts with calmness and acceptance of death. - What does “She seemed a thing” mean?
🔻 It means the girl is now lifeless and still, no longer a living person. - What contrast is shown in the two stanzas?
🔴 The first is peaceful, the second shows the harsh reality of death. - What does “motionless spirit” suggest?
🔹 It suggests numbness and lack of emotional response due to grief. - Is the poem about death or life?
🔺 It is about death and its stillness. - What is the central idea of the poem?
🔻 That death brings an end to all physical senses and actions. - What is the mood of the poem?
🔴 The mood is sorrowful and reflective. - What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?
🔹 The rhyme scheme is abab in both stanzas. - How many stanzas are there?
🔺 There are two stanzas. - What figure of speech is used in “A slumber did my spirit seal”?
🔻 It is a metaphor. - What does “No motion has she now” signify?
🔴 It shows she is lifeless and no longer part of the living world. - Does the poet express anger at death?
🔹 No, he expresses a silent, calm grief. - What happens to the girl after death according to the poem?
🔺 She becomes a part of nature, no longer alive. - Is the poem philosophical or emotional?
🔻 It is both philosophical and emotional. - Does the poem mention the name of the girl?
🔴 No, the girl’s name is not mentioned. - Why does the poet feel sealed?
🔹 Because he was unaware of life’s tragic end. - How is death presented in the poem?
🔺 As calm, natural, and inevitable. - What does “no force she now has” mean?
🔻 She has no life energy left after death. - What type of poem is this?
🔴 It is a lyric poem. - What literary device is used in the poem?
🔹 Metaphor, alliteration, and contrast. - What is meant by “earth’s diurnal course”?
🔺 It means the daily rotation and rhythm of the earth. - Why did the poet write this poem?
🔻 To express his sorrow over the death of someone dear. - What does “rolled round in earth’s diurnal course” suggest?
🔴 That she has become a part of nature’s daily movements. - What happens to the girl’s senses?
🔹 They no longer function; she’s beyond physical experience. - Is the poet angry at death?
🔺 No, he accepts death as natural. - What is the tone of the second stanza?
🔻 It is solemn and resigned. - Does the poet believe in life after death?
🔴 The poem does not mention it; it focuses on physical absence. - What is the irony in the poem?
🔹 The initial calmness hides the deep pain of loss. - Why is the poem powerful despite its short length?
🔺 Because it captures profound grief in few words. - Does the poet pity the girl?
🔻 No, he accepts her union with nature. - What does the poem say about the cycle of life?
🔴 It ends with the body returning to earth. - Is there any religious reference?
🔹 No, the poem is more philosophical and natural. - What is the poet’s message?
🔺 That death is eternal and peaceful. - Does the poet sound hopeless?
🔻 No, he sounds calm and reflective. - What lesson do we learn from the poem?
🔴 That life is temporary and we should accept death gracefully.
📚 41–45: Long Question-Answers (100–120 words each)
- Explain the meaning of the title “A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal”.
The title refers to a deep sleep that overtook the poet’s spirit, symbolising ignorance or denial of an approaching death. The word “slumber” represents a mental and emotional stillness, where the poet was unaware or unwilling to acknowledge that his loved one would eventually die. When she dies, the reality hits him, and the emotional numbness breaks. The poem contrasts his initial detachment with the painful acceptance of her death. The title is deeply metaphorical and sets the reflective tone of the poem. - How does the poet express his grief in the poem?
The poet expresses his grief in a very calm, subtle way. Instead of crying or showing dramatic sorrow, he reflects on the deep sense of loss he feels after the death of a loved one. Initially, he was emotionally numb, unaware that death could touch her. When she dies, he describes her as being without motion or force and becoming a part of the earth’s natural cycle. His grief is philosophical and internal. Through simple words and images, the poet conveys the heaviness of his heart and the finality of death. - What is the central idea of the poem?
The central idea of the poem is the acceptance of death as a natural and inevitable part of life. The poet reflects on the loss of someone dear and shows how her death makes her part of the eternal natural world. She no longer breathes, speaks, or moves, yet she becomes united with the earth. The poem teaches us to accept death not with fear or anger but with peace and understanding. It also shows how we often take life for granted until it is gone. - How is nature used in the poem to describe death?
Nature is used in a subtle and symbolic way to describe death. The poet says that the girl now “rolls round in earth’s diurnal course,” meaning she is now a part of the earth’s daily rotation. This reflects the idea that after death, we return to the earth and become one with the natural world. It also shows the cycle of life and death, where the body dissolves into nature. Instead of portraying death as frightening, the poet shows it as a return to peace through nature. - What kind of love does the poem reflect?
The poem reflects a deep, silent, and eternal love. The poet does not express his emotions through loud expressions but through quiet, reflective thoughts. His love is so deep that he cannot believe the girl could ever die. Her death brings a stillness to his spirit, showing how much he cherished her presence. Even after her death, he does not forget her; instead, he merges her memory with the eternal movements of the earth. The love shown here is beyond physical presence—it is spiritual and lasting.
📚 46–50: Value-Based Questions
- What lesson does the poem teach us?
🔹 It teaches us to accept death as a peaceful, natural end of life. - How does the poem reflect the idea of peaceful death?
🔺 By describing the girl as motionless and part of the earth’s course, the poem presents death without fear. - What values can we learn from the poet’s acceptance of death?
🔻 Calmness, understanding, and letting go. - Why should we not fear death according to the poem?
🔴 Because it is a return to nature and eternal rest. - How can this poem help us deal with loss?
🔹 By showing that grief can be expressed quietly and death can be accepted with grace.