The Slave ' s Dream
The slave' s Dream written in 1842 by the Whiteman H.W. Longfellow , tells of the final dream of black slave before his death.
The slave's dream about a slave who is sleeping and dreams about his life before he was slave . His old life , wife and children. The rights of the slave unreasonably taken away.
In the first stanza the physical image of slave . He is tired from all the work that he has to done and falls asleep. The phrases , " Ungathered rise " and ' sickle in his hand ' indicates his incomplete task due to his immense fatigue. His bare breast represents the barrenness of his life as a slave. As he sleeps , he sees his once again " Native land " in his dream.
In the second stanza , his dream is described vividly by the poet. In his sleep he once again meets the days of his freedom and hears the ' tinkling caravans descend the mountain road. '
In the third stanza , he misses his wife and children . He dreams of how they would clasp his neck, kiss his cheeks and hold him by his hand. That is intensity of his dream that he cries in his sleep and a futile tear drops on to the sand and is absorbed. Next stanza he sees himself riding a horse a ' furious speed ' , golden chains , bridal reins etc.
In the fifth stanza he sees himself following the flight of flamingos over the plains where tamarind was grown . He recalls the ' caffre huts ' and the ocean through his subconscious. Then he dreams sequentially of the lion's roar , the hyena ' s scream and picture himself crushing reeds , listening to the river horse making a sound. His dream is a triumphant as it successfully gives him a sense of freedom and happiness.
Then the portrayal how the forests of his mind , shout out his soul ' s desire - liberty. The poet returns to the physical condition of the slave , who now lies numb and senseless in his death. Not feeling the ' driver's whip ' or the ' burning heat of the day ' . through his death his soul has broken the fetters of his body and attained freedom.
Throughout the poem , the poet uses graphic images , visual , auditory and tactile and described the slave' s picturesque " native land ". The slave is liberated from the tyranny of slavedom symbolically in his dream and finally by death. At the end, the poem evokes mixed reactions. We feel both happy and sad for the slave as his soul transcends misery and attains freedom through his demise. The last lines suggest that only way to become free is death. That optimistic end that slave is not in pain. This poem suggest that you can enslave body but not soul.
The slave's dream about a slave who is sleeping and dreams about his life before he was slave . His old life , wife and children. The rights of the slave unreasonably taken away.
In the first stanza the physical image of slave . He is tired from all the work that he has to done and falls asleep. The phrases , " Ungathered rise " and ' sickle in his hand ' indicates his incomplete task due to his immense fatigue. His bare breast represents the barrenness of his life as a slave. As he sleeps , he sees his once again " Native land " in his dream.
In the second stanza , his dream is described vividly by the poet. In his sleep he once again meets the days of his freedom and hears the ' tinkling caravans descend the mountain road. '
In the third stanza , he misses his wife and children . He dreams of how they would clasp his neck, kiss his cheeks and hold him by his hand. That is intensity of his dream that he cries in his sleep and a futile tear drops on to the sand and is absorbed. Next stanza he sees himself riding a horse a ' furious speed ' , golden chains , bridal reins etc.
In the fifth stanza he sees himself following the flight of flamingos over the plains where tamarind was grown . He recalls the ' caffre huts ' and the ocean through his subconscious. Then he dreams sequentially of the lion's roar , the hyena ' s scream and picture himself crushing reeds , listening to the river horse making a sound. His dream is a triumphant as it successfully gives him a sense of freedom and happiness.
Then the portrayal how the forests of his mind , shout out his soul ' s desire - liberty. The poet returns to the physical condition of the slave , who now lies numb and senseless in his death. Not feeling the ' driver's whip ' or the ' burning heat of the day ' . through his death his soul has broken the fetters of his body and attained freedom.
Throughout the poem , the poet uses graphic images , visual , auditory and tactile and described the slave' s picturesque " native land ". The slave is liberated from the tyranny of slavedom symbolically in his dream and finally by death. At the end, the poem evokes mixed reactions. We feel both happy and sad for the slave as his soul transcends misery and attains freedom through his demise. The last lines suggest that only way to become free is death. That optimistic end that slave is not in pain. This poem suggest that you can enslave body but not soul.
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