God's Grandeur

NOTES:

When looking for the theme - and you should always look for a theme in a piece of literature - think about the connection between nature and God.

Other things to note - vocabulary: reck = recognize; trod = to set down the foot or feet in walking.

-- Form: this is an Italian Sonnet (and therefore is broken into an 8 / 6 stanza structure with a turn in idea happening at line 9). The rhyme scheme is ABBAABBA CDCDCD. The first eight lines set up an idea and the last six comment on that idea. Further you could look at the eight lines as a set of two quatrains (the rhyme scheme is called envelop as the outer rhyming words enclosed the inner rhyming words as seen here: God (1), foil (2), oil (3), rod (4).

In the first quatrain (or 4 lines) you should think about the following: charge (think electricity or lightning) - charge is connected to flame and to foil (foil is golden foil - like golden tinfoil). "ooze of oil" is olive oil. Olive oil was used to anoint kings. Rod is a metonymy for ruler (or laws).

In the first four lines note the on place of enjambment. This is important. Also note the alliteration (and how the alliteration connects two or more words together in both sound and idea): Line one: grandeur God; Line 2: flame foil shining shook; Line 3: gathers greatness; Line 4: reck rod now not. How does the connection of these words reinforce meaning?

In the 2nd quatrain (lines 5-8) there's a sift in tone. Note the repetition of "have trod, have trod, have trod" - what effect does this have? Does it make you weary? Note, in line 2 the alliteration trade toil seared smeared and the rhyme with bleared. Trade is commerce; toil is work or labor. The tone here is negative. Line 3: Alliteration smudge, shares, smell, soil. Line 4: foot feel now nor. Note, shod means shoed (wearing shoes). Note the one enjambment and how it twists the meaning (or creates duality of meaning in the lines). "soil" meaning "dirty or to make dirty" and soil meaning earth.

The last six lines move away from mankind and back to nature. Again note enjambment and the connotation of words like "spent" "bent" "springs" "wings".

Good luck with the four questions.