The Hottentot by Thomas Pringle
Mild, melancholy, and sedate, he stands,
Tending another's flock upon the fields,
His father's once, where now the White Man builds
His home, and issues forth his proud commands.
His dark eye flashes not; his listless hands
Lean on the shepherd's staff; no more he wields
The Libyan bow-but to th' oppressor yields
Submissively his freedom and his lands.
Has he no courage? Once he had-but lo!
Harsh Servitude hath worn him to the bone.
No enterprise? Alas! the brand, the blow,
Have humbled him to dust-even hope is gone!
'He's a base-hearted hound-not worth his food'-
His Master cries-'he has no gratitude!'
Questions
- Give the rhyme scheme of the poem.
- What kind of sonnet is this poem?
- What figure of speech is used in:
- line 1?
- line 2?
- Find synonyms in the poem for the following words:
- sad
- looking after
- without desire
- uses
- surrenders
- low
- Quote a phrase which tells us that the Hottentot used to be master of the land he now tends as a servant.
- Describe the tone of the Hottentot's body language.
- Describe the tone of the Master's attitude.
- What is ironic about the final word of the poem?
