Thepoet;

WilliamBrightyRandswasborninLondonforapoorfamily.He
showedanamazingabilitytoreadandwriteathisearlychildhood.His
familycouldnotaffordsendingtoschoolregularlybuthecouldlearnLatin
andGreekbeforehestartedschool.Hedependedonhimselftohaveagood
education.

HewasawardedthepoetLaureateofthenurseryforhisgreatworks
forthechildren.Hisgreatloveforchildrenandnaturemadehispoetry
populartillnow.

1stStanza;
Great,wide,beautiful,wonderfulworld,

Withthewonderfulwateraroundyoucurled,

Andthewonderfulgrassonyourbreast,

World,youarebeautifullydressed.

Paraphrase
Thepoetdescribestheworldshowingitsgreatnessasitissobig,
wide,beautifulandamazing.Ithaswaterrunningbeautifullyaroundit
andbeautifulgrassonitwhichlookslikeabeautifulgreendress.
Rhymescheme(aabb)
Figuresofspeech
1Personification;onyourbreast,"

Middle 1 Poetry Great, Wide, Beautiful, Wonderful World 1

Thepoetgivestheworldtheimageofapersonwhohasabreast.
2Personification;"youarebeautifullydressed"
Thepoetgivestheworldtheimageofapersonwhoiswearingadress.
3Metaphor;"youarebeautifullydressed"
Thepoetgivesthegrasstheimageofadress.
2ndStanza

Ah,youaresogreat,andIamsosmall,

Itrembletothinkofyouworld,atall;

Andyet,whenIsaidmyprayerstoday,

Awhisperinsidemeseemedtosay,

Youaremorethanearththoughyouaresuchadot;

Youcanloveandthinkbuttheearthcannot!

Paraphrase
Thepoetscompareshimselftotheworldtofindthattheworldisso
bigandheissosmallthathefeelsfrightenedonlookingathissmallsize
butwhileprayinghehearsafaintvoiceinsideofhimtellinghimthatheis
greaterthantheearthalthoughheisassmallasapointbecausehecan
loveandthinkbuttheearthcannot.
Rhymescheme(ccddee)
Devices
Alliteration;(widewonderfulworld)
(withwonderfulwater)
(trembletothink)
(seemedsay)

Middle 1 Poetry Great, Wide, Beautiful, Wonderful World 2

Togivemusictoappealoursenseofhearing.
Contrast;(greatxsmall)
Questions&Answers

1HowdoesW.B.Randsemphasisethegreatnessoftheworld?
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2WhydoesW.B.Randsusemanyadjectivestodescribetheworld?
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3HowdoesW.B.Randsdrawabeautifulpicturefortheworld?
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4Whatisthemainthemeofthepoem?
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5Whatisthemaincomparisoninthepoem?
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6Whydoesthepoetfeelfrightened?
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Middle 1 Poetry Great, Wide, Beautiful, Wonderful World 3

7Whatdoesthepoethearwhilepraying?
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8Whyismangreaterthantheearth?
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Middle 1 Poetry Great, Wide, Beautiful, Wonderful World 4