Question

explain the peom 'oft in the stilly night'

Answer 1

heya!

OFT, IN THE STILLY NIGHT

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Stanza 1 -

Oft, in the stilly night, 

Ere slumber’s chain has bound me, 

Fond memory brings the light 

Of other days around me; 

The smiles, the tears, j

Of boyhood’s years, 

The words of love then spoken; 

The eyes that shone, 

Now dimm’d and gone, 

The cheerful hearts now broken! 

Thus, in the stilly night, 

Ere slumber’s chain hath bound me, 

Sad memory brings the light 

Of other days around me. 

EXPLANATION -

Here, the poet, Thomas Moore says that most of the time in quite nights, before he sleeps and go through unconsciousness, the fond memories of his childhood brings the smile on his face again. He experiences those moments around him. In his boyhood days, he has gone through different situations, some led him to tears which some made him smile with a shine in his eyes. It was the time when his friends were around him and he was being loved and cared by everyone. That was a precious time for him. But now when no one is there with him, he feels like the shine which used to be there in his face due to a smile has turned to dimmed and pale. The cheerful hearts which once used to be in his boyhood days have broken now. Now he's feeling abandoned and lonely. Now in the stilly nights, before the he sleeps, he gets bounded with those days and memories which makes him feel gloomy and depressed.

Stanza 2 -

When I remember all 

The friends, so link’d together, 

I’ve seen around me fall, 

Like leaves in wintry weather; 

I feel like one 

Who treads alone 

Some banquet-hall deserted, 

Whose lights are fled, 

Whose garlands dead, 

And all but he departed! 

Thus, in the stilly night, 

Ere slumber’s chain has bound me, 

Sad memory brings the light 

Of other days around me.

EXPLANATION -

Whenever he remembers his friends who were so linked with him once, now he's seeing them fall around him like it happens in winters, the tree shades it leaves. He feels very deserted and lonely like the one who trades alone without any companions. He imagines a scene of a banquet hall after everyone left except him. when the lights were fled, abd those garlands have lost their glory.. this is how the poet his comparing his life to this scene.

#hope it helps!