Summary of ring of wild bells
Answers
Ring Out Wild Bells Analysis
First Stanza
Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light;
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.
The poem is themed loosely around New Year and its meaning and so it’s no surprise to see bells mentioned in the first stanza. However, they are described as being wild. This is a striking word to describe them and helps set the underlying tone for the rest of the poem. The allusions to the holiday season continue with the narrator describing the light as being “frosty”. The words used are quite evocative as the narrator uses the words dying and die in the last two lines, primarily about the year itself. I think this is describing the fact that the year is drawing to a conclusion, albeit in a particularly powerful way. The second time death is used is in the last line of this stanza and refers to a nebulous “him” who is this? Santa? Jesus?
Second Stanza
Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
The first line introduces are a familiar concept of ringing in the new year. Out with the old and in with the new etc. Here bells are described as being happy rather than wild, this creates a much softer image. It then proceeds to talk about the year going and instructs to let him go. Here is this “man” once again, who is he? Is the year being personified? Is the narrator telling us to let go of the previous year? Or is this referencing an actual person? The last line of this stanza is a paraphrase of the first line. Only it’s meaning has been changed significantly. Is the suggestion here that the “old” is synonymous with the false and the “new” with the true? It certainly could be interpreted that way.
Third Stanza
Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more,
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.
Here we see this idea of bell ringing continue. Here the text is telling us to “ring out” grief. This is an interesting way of saying we need to let go of things like grief. The emotion is described aptly as sapping the mind. The next line is quite clever, the word “here” is in particular very cunning. Its insertion suggests that we don’t see people here, I think the here refers to the mortal realm. The suggestion being inferred that we will see them again but somewhere else, IE on the other side, or in heaven. In the final two lines of the stanza, the narrator calls for an end to disputes between the classes. These are all concepts that seem appropriate at Christmas and New Year and tie in with the traditional meaning of the celebrations.
Fourth Stanza .
The negativity felt towards the old system is even more clear here as once again the word dying is used. The things that happened last year (and probably before that) clearly are felt to have not been working by Tennyson. When he refers to party Strife in the second stanza is he referring to bickering politicians? This could be the case. It is clear either way that he feels the system is broken and he calls for a nobler way of life and, better manners and purer laws.
Fifth Stanza
We see in this stanza the narrator once again describing the negatives that they see. The things they want to oust going into a new year. What is interesting is that you can see why they want to get rid of want and sin, but care? Perhaps they are suggesting they want to get rid of caring for frivolous things. In the second line the cold is one again mentioned but this time it is ascribed to the era that they live in. The narrator even states that they want their own moaning to be “rung out”! Perhaps a bit of self-deprecation just to add a pinch of humour? They request a “fuller minstrel” a minstrel is another word of a performer.
Sixth Stanza
The first line of this stanza seems to be an attack on nepotism and falsely placed patriotism. Although when you read on he continues to attack the ideas of civic slander so perhaps he is more unhappy about the local state of his home country. The things he wants these concepts to be replaced with are hard not to appreciate he wants to “ring in” love and truth and goodness. How can you disagree that those aren’t good things to be espoused heading into a new year?
Seventh Stanza
In this stanza, he argues that we should get rid of disease, which is perhaps a bit hopeful! In the second line, I think the suggestion is that the love of money is something that should disappear with the new year and finally he turns his attention to war. He wants to usher it out and replace it with peace. Whilst it would be amazing if that happened it is unlikely. I think this highlights the idealist nature of the poem.
Explanation: