Major - 2 Assignment

 Major - 1 assignment 

- August 20, 2025

Name of college : maharani Shree Nandkunverba mahila arts and commerce college 

Name : Khyatiba Gohil 

Year : F.Y.B.A. (SEM -1 )

Subject : English 

Paper name : major 2

( proficiency in English Literature )

Date : 8th September 

Professor Name : Shivani ma’am 

 ▪️ Home Assignment 

◾️ Themes :

➡️  The companionship of  Nature : 

Like other Romantic poets of the  early nineteenth century,      Wordsworth sought to elevate his connection to-and perception of the natural world. He thus endeavored to translate his intimate experiences with nature to produce rich, authentic poetry. Because he embraced poetry as an emotional outlet, much of Wordsworth's poetic verse grew from his interior states, whether of melancholy or bliss. In "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud," Wordsworth's speaker conveys a state of solitude by likening himself to a cloud- detached and unmoored from his surroundings. From an initial condition of loneliness, he comes to regard the elements of nature as his companions.

→ Accordingly, at the core of "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" is the image of the dancing daffodils. Witnessing their exuberant beauty releases the speaker from his mental isolation. In personifying the daffodils as a "crowd" of faces, he refers to each golden flower as a "host" that welcomes him with cheer. Therefore, Wordsworth juxtaposes the daffodils'boundless, carefree dance with the speaker's lonely, idle stroll, stressing how the dancing daffodils- with their lighthearted, "sprightly" manner-invigorate the speaker.

→Moreover, when the speaker notes that "A poet could not but be gay/In such a jocund company," he expresses the spiritual effect of the daffodils as they dance along the water. The speaker thus begins to feel a sacred camaraderie with these joyful flowers. At the end of the poem, he gains a stronger connection with nature. Later, in solitude, he can seek the company of the dancing daffodils from the recesses of his mind.

◾️ The Endurance of memory : 

→As with many other works of Romantic poetry, Wordsworth investigates the relationship between imagery, and memory in "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud." While Wordsworth paints a detailed portrait of the daffodils dancing in the breeze, he also illustrates the ways that this memory aids in his spiritual development and his pursuit of transcendent experience. In the final stanza, he describes how this portrait persists indelibly in his memory:

"For oft when on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood, They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude.” By recounting this transformative experience, Wordsworth illuminates his belief that memories, however fleeting and seemingly insignificant their sources, are eternal and have the power to rejuvenate the spirit. The "inward eye" in this passage therefore represents memory and imagination. Wordsworth argues that these moments of meaningful engagement with nature's beauty can endure as sources of aesthetic pleasure and inspiration.

▪️ The Richness of Sensation : 

Throughout Wordsworth's works, he crafts sensory images that evoke emotion. In "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud, Wordsworth uses imagery to convey the speaker's deepened appreciation of nature's visual splendors. Wordsworth illustrates how sensory perception-namely, a heightened awareness of the natural world enhances the imagination's capabilities.

→Having spent much of his life in the Lake District in England, Wordsworth's natural surroundings significantly influenced his work. As with many of his other poems, the inspiration for "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" lies in his fascination with natural beauty. In this poem, Wordsworth recounts observing the dancing daffodils surprising grandeur in wonderment. In the second stanza, he aims to communicate how this expanse of daffodils fills the landscape with the same effervescence and brilliance as the stars of the night sky:

→"Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the Milky Way, They stretched in never-ending line Along the margin of a bay."

→In this passage, Wordsworth uses lucid and vivid imagery to accentuate the metaphor of the "ten thousand" dandelions lining the lake's shore as the stars of the Milky Way galaxy. Likewise, when he describes how "The waves beside them danced, but they / Out- did the sparkling waves in glee," he shows how natural elements work in tandem. The daffodils' delightful presence is balanced out by the tranquil waves. Observing this phenomenon, then, awakens the speaker's senses to the profound connections existing in nature, and Wordsworth's melodious rhythms and rhymes echo this concept of interconnectedness. Finally, Wordsworth expresses "what wealth the show to me had brought," suggesting how this sensory experience has expanded his imagination. 

◾️ Introduction : 

→"Sonnet 130" was written by the

    english poet and play wright 

    william shakespeare. Though

    most likely written in the 1590s,

    the poem wasn't published until

    1609. Like many other sonnets

    from the same period, 

    shakespeare's poem wrestels

    with beauty, love, and desire. He

    tries to find a more authentic,

    realistic way to talk about these

    things in the sonnet, and gleefully

    dismisses the highly artificial 

    poems of praise his peers were

    writing. Shakespeare's poem also

    departs from his contemporarise'

    in terms of formal structure - it is

    a new kind of sonnet. the

    "shakespearen" sonnet. william 

    shakespeare is a clever and 

    unconventional love poem that

    subverts the typical petrarchan

    style of the time, which oft used 

    elaborate metaphores and 

    comparisons to describe a lover's

    beauty.

◾️ Summary : Sonnet 130 : 

This sonnet compares the speaker's lover to a number of other beauties-and never in the lover's favor. Her eyes are "nothing like the sun," her lips are less red than coral; compared to white snow, her breasts are dun-colored, and her hairs are like black wires on her head. In the second quatrain, the speaker says he has seen roses separated by color ("damasked") into red and white, but he sees no such roses in his mistress's cheeks; and he says the breath that "reeks" from his mistress is less delightful than perfume. In the third quatrain, he admits that, though he loves her voice, music "hath a far more pleasing sound," and that, though he has never seen a goddess, his mistress-unlike goddesses-walks on the ground. In the couplet, however, the speaker declares that,"by heav'n," he thinks his love as rare and valuable "As any she belied with false compare"-that is, any love in which false comparisons were invoked to describe the loved one's beauty.

◾️ Conclusion :

→The conclusion of Shakespeare's 

    sonnet 130 emphasis the shaker's

    genuine and rare love for his

    mistress, despite her not fitting 

    the conventional beauty standard

    of the time. He declares his love

    is as real and valuable as any

    love expressed through false

    comparisons and exaggerated 

    descriptions, highlighting the

    authenticity of his affection over

    superficial ideals. The couplet is 

    the final two lines and is oft 

    significant. It serves as a 

    punctuation mark, emphasizing

    the conclusion or final thought

    of the poem. The couplet can 

    offer a surprising twist, provide

    a resolution, or leave the reader

    with a lingering thought. Shakes-

    peare asserts his love as genuine

    and priceless despite his

    misstress's imperfections. And

    yet by heaven I think my love as

    rare / As any she belied with false

    compare. 'shakespeare presents 

    a kind of love that is rooted in

    honestly. which is more rare and 

    valuable.

  Class assignment :

Analysis :

In "Sonnet 130," Shakespeare      satirizes the cliched, exaggerated praise of traditional love poetry by contrasting it with an honest, realistic—and ultimately more authentic—celebration of his mistress. The speaker spends the first twelve lines playfully dismantling common poetic comparisons before concluding that his genuine love is more valuable than any "false compare".  Shakespeare's "Sonnet 130" analyzes love by using a sarcastic, realistic tone to critique the idealized and exaggerated descriptions of beauty common in Elizabethan poetry, instead praising his mistress for her genuine, non-idealized traits. The sonnet, an English rhyme scheme, uses vivid imagery to describe his mistress's ordinary features. The final couplet then reveals the poem's true message: his love for her is "rare" and real, as it is not based on false comparisons but on his honest appreciation of her true self. 

Themes : -

The primary theme of Shakespeare's Sonnet 130 is the celebration of realistic and authentic love over the idealized and exaggerated portrayals common in love poetry. The sonnet uses a sarcastic tone to critique the conventional practice of using hyperbolic comparisons to describe a beloved's beauty, ultimately asserting that true affection lies in acknowledging and cherishing a person for who they are, flaws and all, rather than through unflattering poetic clichés.

 

Rejection of Unrealistic Beauty Standards 

The sonnet directly challenges the poetic convention of the "blazon," where poets compared their mistress to impossibly perfect elements of nature. 

Shakespeare humorously states that his mistress's eyes are not like the sun, her lips are not as red as coral, and her breath is not like a pleasant perfume. 

He rejects the flattery of these "false compare[s]" by describing his mistress in human terms, highlighting her ordinary, rather than superhuman, characteristics. 

Emphasis on Authentic Love 

Despite the seemingly negative descriptions, the poem argues that true love does not require idealization. 

The speaker concludes that his love for her is "rare and genuine" because it is based on reality and authentic observation, not false flattery. 

The final couplet declares that his love is as valuable as any other, despite being "belied with false compare," meaning it doesn't rely on those exaggerated comparisons. 

Critique of Poetic Conventions

Sonnet 130 offers a clever parody of the typical love sonnet of the Elizabethan era. 

By presenting a realistic portrayal of his beloved, Shakespeare suggests that honesty is more profound than conventional poetic tricks and that genuine connection transcends superficial beauty. 

◾️ Essay : What is literature 

What is Literature? Literature is the voice of the times. Literature is something to look back and stay as the voice of the generation.

What is literature? That is a question you can ask a thousand times and get back a thousand different answers and opinions in which all could be seen as correct. Literature can only be defined by the people with above average intellect, who grasp the writing concept, and understand literature work.

What is literature? Literature is defined, has a history, be written with high intellect, and will forever impact the human race and the people that live through it.

Literature is defined as, "written works, especially those considered of superior or lasting artistic merit" (Oxford Dictionary).

The Bible may very well be the most influential piece of literature that has ever been produced. Its impact has changed the lives of billions of people over the course of history. Some say the Bible is not literature, for it's the voice of God. The Bible is an influential writing piece that stands as the voice of the people with extreme intellectual properties that shares the views and opinions of the people that is passed down from generation to generation.

The Bible is the most important historical piece of literature ever written. In order to consider a written piece literature, the work must show that it has a specific view, interest or opinion that expresses a voice or story that can impact the minds of those who read it and receive an immediate reaction. The pieces stand the test of time and show a historical influence to those who read it.

Examples such as Hamlet, Thomas Paine's Common Sense, Hymn to Beauty, and the

all have stood the test of time and d intellectual views while impacting the

people who come in contact with it.

The most important test to see wither a piece of literature work is truly one of great importance is the test of historical influence.

Did the piece influence people of its time? Is the piece still receiving reactions from those who read it? English literature will always have a place in our generations and looked back on how we lived our lives. The question to how this generation will be perceived in the future is unknown. Will social media take place of great novels and beautiful poetry?

Will today's slang be the new edition of the English language tomorrow? This is already seen by the judgment of the Oxford Dictionary adding the words, sexting to describe sexual text messages, LOL and OMG, and the symbol <3 to its next edition dictionary (Gibson). The biggest concern is the direction that this world is going to. It's how we look upon and value the public images of the people we look up to. Emily Dickinson is replaced by Kim Kardashian and Mark Twain is replaced by Justin Beiber

The works created by Kim and Justin will not influence the people of the next generations and the value of a good literary piece may be compromised. It is a great shame where in order to read good literature pieces for our English classes, we look to works written hundreds of years ago and not the work created in the world we live in. No historical influence, no great literature pieces. Finally, for a piece of written work to be thought of as literature, the work must be written with high intellect. This is the challenge facing the written works written today.

Today, it is challenged to write your thoughts and opinions in short burst of words and characters that usually need to be in 140 characters or less. Why write out the entire

"without" when you can just type "w/o" and mean the same thing (Brotman). The great works of literature have always been written with the highest levels of vocabulary and writing styles. It's the hidden messages and underlined themes that make a piece of literature so great! It's like a puzzle waiting to be solved! What is he trying to say?

The best part, is the way an author says one sentence can be interpreted in so many different and unique ways, for it takes great skill and studying a piece of literature that captivates the reader into deep analysis with emotional attachments. The difference between a good writer of literature and a great writer of literature is the lasting impact they leave on the reader.

The ability to make the reader think about the piece way after they put it down, for it's the lasting impact the writer gives the reader that can change the way the reader views a subject for the rest of the reader's life.

In conclusion, literature is defined, has a history, is written with high intellect, and will forever impact the human race and the people that lived through it. The opinion of one writer on the exact definition of literature will never be the same as the text. 

Different characteristics and attributes given into every piece will decide its fate on wither or not it's good enough to be unanimously chosen as good literature. The piece needs to share a story or view an opinion of the writer, show great influence, make its mark on history of the generation, and be written with high enough intellect to show it's true value and importance on the reader.

How can something so well-known and something that is constantly written about have so many debates and opinions on what it really means? It is the great minds who constantly analyze and study literacy pieces so much; they connect with it in a different way. For it's the way you connect to literature that makes it so special. It's the way you attach to your favorite pieces that will forever create your own personal reaction to such a simple question.

What is literature? Works Cited Brotman, Barbara. "Word to Your Mother: Slang from the Mouths of Babes. " Chicago Tribune.

Chicago Tribune, 23 Nov. 2009. Web. 14 July 2013. Carnevale, Alex, and Will Hubbard. "In Which The 100 Greatest Writers In History Take The Stage Once More - Home - This Recording. " In Which The 100 Greatest Writers In History Take The Stage Once More

- Home - This Recording. This Recording, 30 June 2009. Web. 14 July 2013. Gibson, Megan. "Woot! Concise Oxford English Dictionary Adds 'Mankini,' 'Sexting'.

" NewsFeed Woot Concise Oxford English Dictionary Adds Mankini Sexting Comments.

Time Magazine, 18 Aug. 2011. Web. 14 July 2013. "Historical Poems. " Historical Poems.

N. p., 2002. Web. 14 July 2013. "Literature." About. com Classic. N. p., n. d. Web. 14 July 2013. Oxford Dictionary. "Definition of Literature in English. " Literature: Definition of Literature in Oxford Dictionary. Oxford

"onary, n. d. Web. 14 July 2013. "What Is ture? " What Is Literature? N. p., n. 

NewsFeed Woot Concise Oxford English Dictionary Adds Mankini Sexting Comments.

Time Magazine, 18 Aug. 2011. Web. 14 July 2013. "Historical Poems. " Historical Poems.

N. p., 2002. Web. 14 July 2013. "Literature." About. com Classic. N. p., n. d. Web. 14 July 2013. Oxford Dictionary. "Definition of Literature in English. " Literature: Definition of Literature in Oxford Dictionary. Oxford Dictionary, n. d. Web. 14 July 2013. "What Is Literature? " What Is Literature? N. p., n. d.

Web. 14 July 2013.