Poem: Success is counted sweetest Success is counted sweetest By those who ne’er succeed. To comprehend a nectar Requires sorest need.
Not one of all the purple Host Who took the Flag today Can tell the definition So clear of Victory As he defeated–dying– On whose forbidden ear The distant strains of triumph Burst agonized and clear! Emily Dickinson 1. Paraphrase: Lines 1&2: people with success often don’t appreciate as much as losers do. Stanza 1 : A loser knows how to appreciate a moment of success because they don’t have it.
Stanza 2 : Winners don’t understand success as much as the losers do they also don’t know what they can accomplish as winners. Stanza 3: The Dying solider hears the winning team celebrate over a piece of land, while for the dying solider winning would be the chance to live. 2. Structure The structure of this poem is three quatrains. 3. Meter and sound devices: A. Meter: Trimeter b. Alliteration: Success is counted sweetest As he defeated – dying He took the flag today C.
Rhyme: By those who ne’er succeed; requires sorest need.
On chose forbidden ear; burst agonized and clear. D. Consonance: – Not one of all the purple Host – Not one of all the purple Host – Can tell the definition – On whose forbidden ear E. Assonance: Success is counted sweetest. 4. Figures of speech: A. Metaphor: The defeated solider is compared to the ability to appreciate something you don’t have B. Paradox: – Success is counted sweetest: By those who ne’er succeed – To comprehend nectar: Requires sorest need. . Symbolism: “Success is counted sweetest by those who ne’er succeed” Success means everything to a loser, only he can appreciate and taste true victory. “To comprehend nectar requires sorest needs” You truly appreciate something when you don’t have it. “Not one of all the purple host, who took the flag today, can tell the definition so clear of victory” When the winning team puts their flag high they become very proud even though they didn’t really win anything. As he defeated—dying on whose forbidden ear the distant strains of triumph burst agonized and clear” No one in the winning team know the true meaning of victory as much as a dying solider hearing the team celebrate when all he wants is to live. 6. Theme: The theme is being able to appreciate something we don’t have and taking something we have for granted. 7. Mood/Tone: The tone is unemotional: the speaker is reporting what she sees but refrains from expressing sympathy or compassion. 8. Authors Intent: The Authors intent was to show human tendency of taking things for granted instead of be thankful for what we have.
Success and Need in Poetry. (2019, Dec 05). Retrieved from https://paperap.com/paper-on-poetry-and-forbidden-ear-e/