How does the poet behave while addressing the girl, and what reason does he put this behaviour
down to?
Answers
Answer:
Explanation:
n this direct and uncluttered narrative poem, the speaker conveys an experience that he had while traveling in a horse-drawn coach. Charles Lamb uses simple diction that makes the narrative direct and easy to understand.
The first stanza describes the setting. The speaker tells us that he was on a journey by stagecoach when he noticed that one of his fellow passengers, a girl, was not much interested in the sights that they were passing. He assumed that she was deeply thinking about something a child might imagine.
Stanza two tells us that the speaker felt compelled to inquire about the child's lack of interest in the passing scenery and, showing her the greatest courtesy, he first complimented her and then requested that she turn her "pretty eyes" to see what she was missing. The stanza ends with the beginning of the girl's reply.
Stanza three begins with the girl's very direct and sincere response that she could not enjoy the view because she was blind. The next two lines describe the speaker's surprised response. He declares that her reply was the saddest thing that he had ever heard. What probably shocked the listener was that her answer was so matter-of-fact. The poem does not convey a hint of sadness or regret in what she says. The last line in the stanza introduces the girl's mother's response to his query and her daughter's reply.