Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Brian Lam
Mr. Gallagher
12 December 2010
Explication
that unity is a bond used to protect the innocent person. Duncan is saying that the obstacles in
life become a disturbance, which brings upon the association of togetherness that would help
Duncan introduces the isolation and attachment that an individual experiences when a
property is not own or own by the person. Duncan shows that he is “permitted to return to the
meadow as if it were a scene made-up by the mind, that is not mine, but is a made place, that is
mine, it is so near to the heart. . . (1-3).” The parallel clauses that Duncan creates show a
person’s belonging in relation between owning and not owning a property. Isolation comes when
a person does not feel that he or she is accepted the responsibility to care for something. While
attachment is the exact opposite because it is “so near to the heart” that “an eternal pasture folded
in all thought so that there is a hall therein. . . (3-4).” This is an attachment that a person uses to
Duncan explains how isolation feels like to a person. Duncan notes that isolation is
“created by light wherefrom the shadows that are forms fall (6-7),” which shows the reverse
effect of light, instead of liberating one’s wrong, plunges to the shadows that control and dampen
the innocent individual. Duncan continues to show that the shadow devours “the First Beloved
whose flowers are flames lit to the Lady (9-10),” which means the pain and damage are
Lam 2
continuing to destroy innocence of human being. Duncan’s word choice for the women “Queen
Under The Hill” is interesting because he chose the word “under” instead of “over,” to
emphasize that women are vulnerable to difficulty in life and that they are at a disadvantage to
Duncan emphasize that unity would break the barrier of an individual’s limitation.
Duncan notes that “only a dream of the grass blowing east against the source of the sun” would
help to fight off isolation and barriers that one faces (14-15).” The imagination, Duncan is
saying, is a powerful tool that can destroy anything that comes in its way. In addition, unity and
imagination is what makes up “a children’s game of ring a round of roses,” which serves to bring
joy and belonging to prevent sadness. At the last two lines of the poem, Duncan dreamt that he
had always returned to the meadow or his “everlasting omen,” despite having to deal with
problems caused by chaos. Moreover, Duncan persists to consider the omen as a symbol for his