Puritan Sonnet Hypertext

Puritan Sonnet

Elinor Wylie

Down to the Puritan Marrow of my bones

There's something in this richness that I hate.

I love the look, austere, immaculate,

Of landscapes drawn in pearly monotones.

There's something in my very blood that owns

Bare hills, cold silver on a sky of slate,

A thread of water, churned to milky spate¹

^{Streaming through slanted pastures fenced with stones.}

^{I love those skies, thin blue or snowy gray,}

^{Those fields sparse-planted, rendering meager sheaves;}

^{That spring, briefer than apple blossom's breath,}

^{Summer, so much too beautiful to stay,}

^{Swift autumn, like a bonfire of leaves,}

^{And sleepy winter, like the sleep of death.}

1. Identify the rhyme scheme of the poem.  ABBA, ABBA, CDE, CDE.

2. Complete a scansion on 3 lines of the poem. (Identify line length and meter--like the example from "Shall I Compare thee to a Summer's Day).
u           '        u     '       u  '      u       '        u    '          u
Down to/ the Pur/itan/ Marrow/ of my/ bones 5 1/2 feet
u                   '        u       '      u        '       u          '     u    '
There's some/thing in/ this rich/ness that/ I hate. 5 feet
u    '        u       '           u      '          u    '      u  '
I love/ the look/, austere/, immac/ulate, 5 feet

3. Identify at least 5 images in the poem (Try to find images that appeal to different senses)
Down to the Puritan Marrow of my bones - visual
I love the look, austere, immaculate,
Of landscapes drawn in pearly monotones. - visual
Bare hills, cold silver on a sky of slate, - visual
^{Streaming through slanted pastures fenced with stones. - visual
Those fields sparse-planted, rendering meager sheaves; - visual}

4. Identify the problem (situation) and solution in the sonnet Winter is too long, while all of the other seasons are too short.  She has learned to love the simplicity and plainness of the winter.

5. Define the words austere, immaculate, and sheaves
Austere - severe or stern in disposition or appearance; somber and grave. 
Immaculate - impeccably clean; spotless.
Sheaves - a bundle of cut stalks of grain or similar plants bound with straw or twine.

6. Identify four sound devices in the poem (assonance, alliteration, consonance)
^{Assonance - Those fields sparse-planted, rendering meager sheaves;
Alliteration - Streaming through slanted pastures fenced with stones.
Consonance -} I love the look, austere, immaculate,

7. What is the speaker's attitude toward the New England  winter landscape?  The speaker's attitude toward the New England winter landscape is that of a harsh and inhospitable climate that lasts too long, brings too much death, and is merciless.

8. What view of life does the poem present?  The poem presents a very somber view of life, and focuses more on the negative aspects and hardships that it brings.