The Necklace - Study Guide

The Necklace is an ironic story about the distinction between appearance versus reality, written
by Guy de Maupassant in 1884. We hope this study guide is particularly useful for teachers and
students eager to appreciate the nuances of the story.

Read the story: The Necklace, Character Analysis & Summary, Genre & Themes, Literary
Devices, Quotes, Discussion Questions, Paired Readings, Useful Links, and Notes/Teacher Comments

Character Analysis & Summary

Mathilde Loisel - The greedy wife of a clerk who seeks wealth and believes it will bring her happiness.
She remains miserable in her middle class status and strives to appear wealthy and glamorous for a
fancy party. She borrows jewels from her rich friend and wears a beautiful gown, but her happiness is
fleeting when she loses the necklace and is forced to spend the rest of her life paying off the debt to
replace it.

Monsieur Loisel - Mathilde's husband is completely content as a clerk, enjoys his humble lifestyle and
is generous. Quite the opposite from his wife.

Madame Forestier - The wealthy friend from whom Mathilde borrows the diamond necklace,
Madame Forestier is the object of Mathilde's jealousy.

The Ramponneaus - The couple who throws the fancy party that the Loisels attend, George
Ramponneau is the Minister of Public Instruction, Monsier Loisel's boss.

Plot Summary: The story is set in 19th century France where the main characters are a middle class
couple. The wife, Madame Mathlide Loisel, strives to appear wealthy (which she equates with
happiness). She borrows an opulent necklace from her friend, Madame Forestier, to wear at a special
party, but then loses the necklace. The couple must come up with thirty-four thousand francs to
replace it, resulting in ten years of hard work to pay off the new necklace. When the women run into
each other, Madame Forestier does not recognize the much older looking Mathilde after her years of
toil. Forestier reveals in a dramatic twist-ending, that the old necklace was a fake (called a "paste"),
worth no more than five hundred francs.

Napoleon's diamond necklace

Genre & Themes

Genre

The Necklace is a fictional short story in the genre of Realism. Sub-genres include irony, for its
surprise ending, and morality tale, for important lessons it offers the reader.

Themes
Reality versus Appearance - This theme that things aren't as they seem plays out on many levels
throughout the story. The most obvious is the original, fake diamond necklace which appeares
genuine and valuable, but is actually a convincing imitation. The same is true for Mathilde,
masquerading in the appearance of wealth, while in reality, she is middle class, jealous, and ugly on
the inside.

Moral lesson - "Beauty is only skin-deep." This proverbial expression is the story's main lesson,
meaning that a pleasing appearance is no guide to character.

Greed versus Generosity - Mathilde is filled with discontent, greed and appearances, while her
husband is content and generous in his station in life.

Wealth versus Happiness - These two conditions do not necessarily correlate, though people who
envy weathly people tend to think they do. Mathilde is miserable striving to be wealthy, which she
believes would bring her true happiness. Ironically, she had to assume the life of a hardworking, poor
woman (losing all outward appearances of beauty or wealth) in order to purchase a replacement
necklace. Because of her greed, her condition was even worse than before.

Literary Devices & Vocabulary

Literary Devices

Maupassant is known for his dramatic twist endings or plot twists. This is a technique in which
authors make a radical change in direction of the expected outcome of a story, usually springing it on
the reader near the end of the story. The result is a "gotcha" moment for the characters and the
reader (though sometimes one will learn of it before the other)). When the reader learns the
surprise before the characters, it's called dramatic irony.

Foreshadowing is an important literary device in the story, particularly when Maupassant writes that
the new necklace "seemed" to be exactly like the old one (he does not say it is exactly the same). The
reader knows something is wrong before we discover the truth in the end. Another example is early
in the story, when Maupassant reveals: "she was unhappy as if she had really fallen from a higher
station" which foreshadows that they fall from middle class into poverty later in the story.

Interesting Vocabulary

Paste: Fake or imitation, as in the last sentence of the story: "Oh, my poor Mathilde! Why, my
necklace was paste! It was worth at most only five hundred francs!"

Usurers: Money lenders who charge interest for their service: "He gave notes, took up ruinous
obligations, dealt with usurers and all the race of lenders."

Gustave Caillebotte, Paris Street, 1870

Quotes

Explain what the following quotes mean and how they relate to the story:
"She dressed plainly because she could not dress well, but she was unhappy as if she had really fallen
from a higher station; since with women there is neither caste nor rank, for beauty, grace and charm
take the place of family and birth."

"'Nothing. Only I have no gown, and, therefore, I can't go to this ball. Give your card to some
colleague whose wife is better equipped than I am.' He was in despair. He resumed:
'Come, let us see, Mathilde. How much would it cost, a suitable gown, which you could use on other
occasions--something very simple?'"

"'You might wear natural flowers,' said her husband. 'They're very stylish at this time of year. For ten
francs you can get two or three magnificent roses.'"

"She did not open the case, as her friend had so much feared. If she had detected the substitution,
what would she have thought, what would she have said? Would she not have taken Madame Loisel
for a thief?"

"She bore her part, however, with sudden heroism. That dreadful debt must be paid. She would pay
it. They dismissed their servant; they changed their lodgings; they rented a garret under the roof."

"But sometimes, when her husband was at the office, she sat down near the window and she
thought of that gay evening of long ago, of that ball where she had been so beautiful and so
admired."

"What would have happened if she had not lost that necklace? Who knows? who knows? How
strange and changeful is life! How small a thing is needed to make or ruin us!"

"'Oh, my poor Mathilde! How you are changed!'

'Yes, I have had a pretty hard life, since I last saw you, and great poverty--and that because of you!'"

Oh, my poor Mathilde! Why, my necklace was paste! It was worth at most only five hundred francs!"
An Astrologer’s Day by R. K. Narayan Summary, Analysis, Theme and Question Answers

27/03/202120/12/2020 by Mir Afzal

Table of Contents

 Summary of An Astrologer’s Day

o Theme of “An Astrologer’s Day”

o Analysis/ Summary of “An Astrologer’s Day”

o Questions and Answers

o E. Answer the following questions :

o Model Questions

Introduction

‘An Astrologer’s Day’ by R. K. Narayan is a story deals with a day’s events in the life of a good for
nothing fellow turned into an astrologer to earn his bread and butter. A single day brings in his drastic
past back before him but being a smart fellow, he finely deals with it.

Summary of An Astrologer’s Day

The short story ‘An Astrologer’s Day’ by R. K. Narayan is a thriller and suspense short story which
deals with a single day in the life of an ordinary astrologer who shrewdly tries to dupe people and
escape from his guilt. The story not only exposes the fake astrologer but also highlights the gullible
and superstitious people who approach him. His day begins like any other day but the day ends with
unexpected events. When he is about to wind up his business, he meets a rogue character, Guru
Nayak who is a part of the past life of the astrologer. Towards the end, as readers, we receive a shock
that Guru Nayak and the astrologer belong to the same native towns. They were once upon a time
good friends and had a quarrel one day. The result was that both were into bad company and had a
fight. The astrologer tried to kill Guru Nayak by attacking him with a knife and when Guru Nayak
fainted, he threw him into a nearby well.

Fortunately, a passerby saved Guru Nayak. The astrologer left his native village forever and became
an astrologer. Thus suddenly he confronts his past unexpectedly but smartly tackles the situation.

The surrounding darkness seems to offer a refuge to the astrologer. There is an unexpected twist in
the tale with the arrival of Guru Nayak on the scene. Gradually the mystery that is hidden in the
darkness is unveiled by his questions. Guru Nayak challenges the astrologer’s knowledge. He refuses
to go away without getting a satisfactory answer to his questions.

However, the astrologer who is at his wit’s end now decides to face the situation. He displays
accurate knowledge about Guru Nayak’s past and is successful in convincing him. In answering the
question of Guru Nayak, the astrologer has not only deceived him but also saved himself from his
own fate. The author superbly evokes the atmosphere of suspense and irony in the story. The story
reveals how appearances are often deceptive. It shows the witty astrologer’s encounter and escape
from his former enemy.

Theme of “An Astrologer’s Day”

The theme of the story focuses on a single day in the life of an ordinary astrologer who suddenly
faces past life in the present drastic situation. The story has a twist in the tale. The
otherwise adventure less life of the astrologer suddenly poses a grave problem from his past life and
demands alertness to tackle the situation. The story describes of a single day in the lives of the
sleepy town of Malgudi.

The story also deals with the darker side of human nature with its hypocrisies, shrewdness,
revengeful nature and selfishness. The characters in the story are no exception to these qualities of
human nature. Finally, all is well that ends well with the astrologer coming out with flying colours in
his examination of befooling his opponent, saving his life and also saw to it that he does not face the
man again in future.

Analysis/ Summary of “An Astrologer’s Day”

“The Astrologer’s Day” is a short story which deals with a day in the life of an ordinary but fake
astrologer. The setting of the story is a town, Malgudi which is located in South India, near to Madras.
It is not a story of contemporary times but pre-independence times.

The story opens at the midday. This is the time when the astrologer opens his business. The writer
describes how he begins his business. He removes all his professional equipment like cowries shells,
charts, Palmyra writing etc. He is also dressed typically like an astrologer to attract customers. His
forehead is bright with sacred ash and vermilion. His eyes are assumed to have a prophetic light by
his customers. He wears a saffron turban. Thus the astrologer presented himself so perfectly that he
was consequently a point of attraction for all the people.

The writer describes the path along the Town Hall Park where the astrologer sits to lure his
prospective customers. He carried on his business under a tamarind tree on the Town Hall road. The
path was the right place to carry on his business as it was amply crowded with different trades and
traders like medicine sellers, hardware and junk, magicians, cloth – sellers etc. Next to him sat a fried
groundnut vendor whose gas light enabled him to carry on his business even after sunset.

The astrologer was a shrewd person who hardly had any knowledge of astrology. He just made
guesswork when people approached him. He had to work hard to earn his wages. He had absconded
from his native village since he didn’t want to continue the traditional occupation of his forefathers
i.e. farming. He never had any plans to return to his native village. He was a mastermind at analyzing
human mind and psychology. His strong perception made him diagnose the exact problem of his
customers. His customers would finally leave satisfied.

He closed his shop for the day when his neighbour, groundnut vendor blew out his light. On the day
under description in the story, the groundnut vendor left and the astrologer was packing up his
wares when he located a man standing before him. He perceived him to be his prospective customer.
When the astrologer invited him, he posed a challenge before him and his astrological science. They
have a deal between them. The man gave him an anna and asked the astrologer to answer his
questions and if he doesn’t answer satisfactorily he will have to return the anna with interest. At the
same time if the astrologer can answer the questions satisfactorily he would give him eight annas.
But if the astrologer fails, he would pay double amount i.e., sixteen annas to the man. Thus the deal
was finalized between them.

The astrologer prayed to heaven. Then suddenly the astrologer denied the challenge and requested
the man to let him go. The man said that he will not let him give in. He holds him in his grip thereby
making the astrologer shiver. Finally, the astrologer realized that he is trapped and has no chance of
moving out. The man turned out to be a criminal by profession.

The astrologer shivered and unwillingly accepted the challenge. He started telling about some
woman but the man was not satisfied and stopped him. He had a single question that whether he
would get what he was searching for. The man promised the astrologer that if he is satisfied with his
answers, he would pay him a rupee. The astrologer prayed a few incantations before replying. The
astrologer began with his prophecies by saying to the man that you were left for dead in the past and
a knife has passed once on your chest. The man was excited at this information since he had really
faced it. After he got wounded, he was thrown into a well nearby to die. A passerby saw him and
rescued him and that is how he was saved from dying. The man was waiting to revenge the culprit
who had attacked him and was in search of the culprit who had tried to kill him. The only thing which
the man wanted to know from the astrologer was if he can find his killer. The astrologer instantly
replied that the culprit had died four months ago in a far – off town. The man was disappointed to
hear this.

READ ALSO: Ranga's Marriage Summary and Questions and Answers

The astrologer identified the name of the man before him as Guru Nayak. He told the man that his
village was a two days’ journey to the north and warned him to go back home and never to travel
south again. He asked him to return to his hometown immediately as his life was in danger if he left
his hometown again. The man replied that he left home just to search the culprit who had tried to kill
him and was interested in knowing if he had died in the worst way. The astrologer satisfied him by
informing that the culprit was crushed under a lorry. The man left after giving the astrologer a
handful of coins. The astrologer too winded up his belongings and went home.

The astrologer’s wife was waiting for him worriedly since he was unusually late that day. The
astrologer flung the coins at his wife to count. They were twelve and a half annas in all. She was
extremely happy to encounter that big amount. She planned to buy jaggery and coconut for their
child, who was demanding for sweets from a long time. However, the astrologer looked worried and
was not happy like his wife. He was angry at Guru Nayak as he had cheated him. He promised to give
a rupee and actually gave only twelve and a half annas. After dinner, he shared the secret of his life
with his wife. He said that a great burden of his life was gone that day. He always felt that he had
killed Guru Nayak. So the astrologer had run away from his native village due to the fear of being
accused as a murderer. He settled in Malgudi and married and decided that he would never return
back to his native village. Actually, the man who tried to kill Guru Nayak was the astrologer himself.
So he was able to make accurate predictions about him though he hardly knew astrology. The
astrologer confessed to his wife that in his youth he was into bad company with Guru Nayak. He
drank, gambled and quarrelled badly one day and had a fight and had almost killed Guru Nayak. This
is how life with its unpredictable twists and turns had created an astrologer out of a vagabond.

Questions and Answers

E. Answer the following questions :

Q. 1. When did the astrologer usually start his day’s business?

Answer: The astrologer usually started his day’s business punctually at midday.

Q. 2. Why did the astrologer think he had committed a murder?

Answer: The astrologer had a fight with Guru Nayak and had thrown him in a well and he supposed
him to be dead. So the astrologer thought he had committed the murder of Guru Nayak.

Q. 3. What mark did Guru Nayak have on his chest?

Answer: Guru Nayak had a mark of injury of knife on his chest.

Q. 4. How much money did the astrologer usually charge per question?
Answer: The astrologer usually charged three pies per question.

Q. 5. What made the astrologer’s forehead look grand?

Answer: The astrologer’s forehead was resplendent with sacred ash and vermilion and his eyes
sparkled with abnormal gleam and this made the astrologer’s forehead look grand.

Q. 6. How did the astrologer know the name of his customer?

Answer: The astrologer knew the name of his customer because he was from his hometown and an
old friend of him.

Q. 7. Describe the place where the astrologer set up his daily business.
Answer: The astrologer set up his daily business at a path running through the Town Hall Park. He sat
under the boughs of a spreading tamarind tree which flanked a path running through the Town Hall
Park. It was remarkable in many ways: a surging crowd was always moving up and down this narrow
road morning till night. A variety of trades and occupations was represented all along its way:
medicine sellers, sellers of stolen hardware and junk, magicians and above all, an auctioneer of
cheap cloth, who created enough din all day to attract the whole town. Next to him in vociferousness
came a vendor of fried groundnut, who gave his ware a fancy came each day, calling it “Bombay Ice
Cream” one day, and on the next “Delhi Almond” and on the third “Raja’s Delicacy”, and so forth and
people flocked to him. A considerable portion of this crowd dialled before the astrologer too. The
astrologer transacted his business by the light of a flare which crackled and smoked up above the
groundnut heap nearby. The place was lit up by shop lights. It was a bewildering crisscross of light
rays and moving shadows. In short, the place was perfect for the astrologer’s business.

READ ALSO: A Handful of Dates By Tayeb Salih: Summary, Theme, Characterisation and Title

Q.8. If the astrologer had stayed in the village then he would have carried on _______.
Ans: If the astrologer had stayed in the village then he would have carried on the work of his
forefathers – namely, tilling the land, living, marrying, and ripening in his cornfield and ancestral
home.

Q.9. The astrologer could understand the problem in five minutes. How?
Ans: The astrologer had a working analysis of mankind’s troubles: marriage, money, and the tangles
of human ties. Long practice had sharpened his perception. That’s how he could understand the
problem in five minutes.

Q.10. How could the astrologer tell the person about his life?
Ans: The astrologer never opened his mouth till his client had spoken for at least ten minutes, which
provided him enough time to form a dozen answers and advices. He had a working analysis of
mankind’s common troubles. He utilised the time spent in silence to collate his experience and
common understanding of life’s problems to tell the person about his life.

Q.11. What do you understand by the author’s statement that the astrologer deserved the wages
he carried home at the end of the day?
Ans: The statement means that the earnings of the astrologer were a result of a hard day’s work.
Even though he did not really know astrology, he did a good job of delighting and convincing his
customers by telling them what they wanted to hear. So, it was as much an honest man’s labour like
any other.

Q.12. The astrologer had a working analysis of mankind’s troubles. What can you infer about him
from this remark?
Ans: The astrologer did not really know astrology but by virtue of his study, practice and shrewd
guesswork, he could say pleasant and astonishing things to his customers. He generically knew about
mankind’s troubles such as marriage, money, relationships and said vague but delightful things to
them that endeared him to their hearts.

Q. 13. The astrologer never opened his mouth till the other had spoken for at least ten minutes.
Discuss the reasons behind his act.
Ans: i. he is good at reading the people

ii. he needs to buy time to frame his answers to the questions of his clients.

iii. he uses the time to weigh the client’s concerns against the working analysis of human problems
that he is an expert at.

iv. he possibly takes his time to impress on the client that he is working hard to resolve the latter’s
problem.

Q.14. What are the reasons behind the astrologer’s success in his profession?
Ans:The astrologer wore a professionally suitable appearance with vermilion and sacred ash on his
forehead, saffron-coloured turban around his head and dark whiskers streaming down his cheeks.
Also, he knew the tricks of his trade and said all the pleasing things to his customers, which endeared
him to them. Moreover, he practised in a bustling marketplace where he could attract his customers
easily. All these reasons made him successful in his profession.
Q.15. Do you think that one can’t judge a person by his or her appearance?
Ans: Yes, I agree that one should not form an opinion of someone purely based on what appears on
the surface. Upon a closer look, the person may turn out to be much more meritorious than the
appearance suggests. On the contrary, someone looking very virtuous from outside may not prove
worthy of the expectations upon a deeper analysis. This wisdom is aptly captured in the popular
proverb “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”

Q. 16. In your opinion, is astrology a true science?

Ans: In my opinion, astrology is not a science. There is no scientific evidence to prove the influence of
stars and other heavenly bodies on one’s personality and future. It is merely an orthodox belief
system based on superstition.

Q.17. What can you infer about the stranger’s nature-based on his interaction with the astrologer?
Ans: The stranger deals roughly with the astrologer by thrusting his palm under the astrologer’s nose
and challenging his professional skills. He also forces the astrologer to enter a challenge much against
his wish. Based on his interaction with the astrologer, we can infer that the stranger is a rogue
person.

Q.18. What is the likely reason that the astrologer later tries to avoid the stranger, even though he
had first suggested the latter to seek his help?
Ans: The astrologer caught a glimpse of the stranger’s face by the matchlight while the latter lit a
cheroot. The stranger sat down there ruthlessly, sucking his cheroot and puffing out. All this made
the astrologer feel uncomfortable and hence he tried to thereafter avoid the stranger.

Q.19. In your opinion, is it appropriate to force someone to accept a challenge against his or her
wish?
Ans: In my opinion, it is not at all appropriate to impose a challenge on someone. A challenge should
be entered with mutual consent of those involved and not by bullying tactics. No one has the right to
impose one’s will on the other without his or her agreement on the matter involved. A forced
challenge can negatively impact the morale and mental balance of the person in question and is
hence not a healthy situation to be in.

Q.20. What was the load on the astrologer’s mind?

Ans: The astrologer thought that he had the blood of a man on his hands all those years after he fled
from his home. This means that the guilt of having murdered a man was the load on the astrologer’s
mind.

Q.21. The astrologer feels relieved that Guru is not dead as it relieves a great burden from him.
Critically justify the statement and explain it.
Ans: The astrologer feels relieved to discover that Guru is not dead. This is so because the astrologer
had attempted to kill Guru in his early age and left him for dead. To know that Guru isn’t dead must
have acquitted him of the guilt of being an assassin. Hence, it unburdened him from the prick of
conscience.

Q.22. The astrologer has changed his appearance and his persona when he arrived in the city. Give
specific reasons.
Ans: The astrologer had moved out from his native village to the city after attempting to kill a man,
whom he had left for dead. He had to disguise his true identity to avoid being caught. Also, he had to
make a living and begin a new life in the city after absconding from his village. For these reasons, the
astrologer had to change his appearance and persona when he arrived in the city.

READ ALSO: Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu - Summary and Analysis

Q. 23. Why does the astrologer lie to the stranger that the man he is looking for has long been
dead?
Ans: The astrologer lies to the stranger that the man he is looking for has been dead, in order to save
his own skin from the stranger who was looking out for the man who had tried to kill him many years
ago, and seek revenge. The astrologer himself happens to be the culprit. So, had the astrologer not
misled the stranger by lying to him about the death of the culprit, he himself would have been under
constant threat of getting killed at the stranger’s hands if he ever found out the truth.

Q.24. The man was left for dead because _______.

Ans: The man was left for dead because there was no chance of his survival after he was brutally
attacked with knife in the chest by his assailant and then pushed into a well nearby in the field.

Q.25. In your opinion, was it right for the astrologer to hide his own identity from the unsuspecting
stranger?
Ans: The astrologer knew that the stranger was on the lookout for the man who had attempted to kill
him many years ago so that he could seek revenge by killing the culprit in turn. Had the astrologer
bared his true identity to the stranger, he would have instantly met with death at the latter’s hands.
This would have worsened the matters since the astrologer had his wife and daughter to look after.
Therefore, I think that the astrologer was right in hiding his own identity from the unsuspecting
stranger.

Q. 26. ‘The darkness load that was inside the astrologer has disappeared’. Through this sentence,
explain the significance of the title ‘An Astrologer’s Day’.
Ans: The sentence ‘The darkness load that was inside the astrologer has disappeared’ directly relates
to the title ‘An Astrologer’s Day’. The title seems to reflect two aspects of the astrologer’s life. The
first is that of a typical workday in the life of the astrologer. However, the second aspect is what the
given sentence captures, i.e, the importance of the particular day in the astrologer’s life. On the said
day, the astrologer found out that a man whom he had attempted to kill way back and left for dead,
had actually survived. This finding must have relieved the astrologer of the guilt of committing a
murder. Also, that day, the astrologer had tricked the stranger into believing that the man who had
left him for dead after attempting to kill him, had himself died in an accident, and hence the latter
did not have to search for him anymore to seek revenge. This must-have provided the astrologer with
further relief and assured him to breathe easier.

Q.27. If we have to eradicate the superstitions and other ill practices from our society, what steps
would you like to suggest?
Ans: In order to eradicate the superstitions and other evil practices from our society, I would firstly
suggest taking steps to promote rational outlook amongst people. I would like to educate the masses
and expose the bluff behind obscure and orthodox practices. Although I wouldn’t go all-out against
all traditional practices, as some of them could have valid basis. However, I would spread awareness
among everyone in my social circles to keep a scientific temper and think logically rather than blindly
following superstitions. I could possibly even tell them about the reasons for which some
superstitions held good in ancient ages but are no longer valid.

Q.28. In the story, the astrologer has a great listening power. Listening helps in developing good
relations with people. Express your opinion.
Ans: Listening, as differentiated from hearing, is about consciously understanding and applying one’s
mind to what is heard. As the story illustrates, being a good listener helps one to fare better in any
activity that one takes up. The astrologer isn’t knowledgeable of his work but still manages to
convince his customers and make his living, owing to his great listening skills. He establishes a
rapport with his clients by just listening to them for a few minutes without uttering a word, while
analysing their troubles and simultaneously composing his talk and answers to the clients. This helps
him to mask his own shortcomings and succeed in his work, where he would otherwise not have.
Hence, great listening power is a strong skillset we all should develop.

Q.29 The astrologer wins/gets the sympathy of criticism of the reader in the end. Express your
opinion with the support of the main story.

Or

What are the astrologer’s strategies to win more customers?

Ans: The story portrays the astrologer as a false fortune teller with no real knowledge of his
‘profession’. He attracts clients by his street-smart ways and also manages to convince them by
sweet-talking to them. Moreover, he is revealed to the reader as a near- murderer towards the end
of the story. However, despite all this, it’s difficult to judge the astrologer as a negative character and
he rather manages to win the sympathy of the reader’s criticism.. This is so because firstly, he has to
make a living in the new city after he fled his village for fear of being caught. So, in the absence of
any other skill he must have had to adopt astrology as a livelihood under distress and not by choice.

Secondly, he had to trick the stranger into believing that the man whom he was looking out for had
already died in an accident, so as to protect his own life. Again, he can’t be judged badly on this
count because he couldn’t have afforded to lose his own life at the hands of the stranger by revealing
him his true identity. Since he had his wife and child to support too, it made him lie to the stranger in
order to keep himself out of harm’s way.
The Little Ghost' by Edna St. Vincent Millay

AI and Tech Aggregator

Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay

I knew her for a little ghost

That in my garden walked;
The wall is high—higher than most—
And the green gate was locked.

And yet I did not think of that

Till after she was gone—
I knew her by the broad white hat,
All ruffled, she had on.

By the dear ruffles round her feet,

By her small hands that hung
In their lace mitts, austere and sweet,
Her gown's white folds among.

I watched to see if she would stay,

What she would do—and oh!
She looked as if she liked the way
I let my garden grow!

She bent above my favourite mint

With conscious garden grace,
She smiled and smiled—there was no hint
Of sadness in her face.

She held her gown on either side

To let her slippers show,
And up the walk she went with pride,
The way great ladies go.

And where the wall is built in new

And is of ivy bare
She paused—then opened and passed through
A gate that once was there.

Editor 1 Interpretation

"The Little Ghost" by Edna St. Vincent Millay: A Hauntingly Beautiful Poem
Edna St. Vincent Millay's "The Little Ghost" is a mesmerizing poem that explores the theme of
loneliness and the longing for companionship. This hauntingly beautiful piece of literature has
captured the hearts of readers for generations and continues to do so to this day.

The Interpretation

At first glance, "The Little Ghost" appears to be a simple, innocent poem about a ghost that wanders
through a garden. However, upon closer inspection, the poem is a poignant reflection on the human
experience of loneliness and the desire for connection.

The poem is narrated by someone who is watching the little ghost as she walks through the garden.
The narrator is intrigued by the ghost's presence but does not feel any fear or apprehension towards
her. Instead, the narrator is drawn to the little ghost's attire - a broad white hat, ruffled gown, lace
mitts, and slippers - all of which suggest that she is a lady of refinement and elegance. Despite the
narrator's initial curiosity, they quickly realize that the ghost is searching for something more than
just a place to wander.

The little ghost's behavior in the garden suggests that she is looking for companionship. She takes
pride in the narrator's garden and appears to be pleased with the way that it is allowed to grow.
Furthermore, she smiles and shows no hint of sadness or despair. This suggests that she is content in
the presence of the garden and the narrator.

As the little ghost continues to wander, she pauses at a gate that is built into the wall of the garden.
The gate is of ivy and is bare, indicating that it has not been used in a long time. The little ghost then
proceeds to open the gate and pass through it. This action symbolizes the little ghost's departure
from the garden and her search for a more permanent connection.

Overall, "The Little Ghost" can be interpreted as an exploration of the human experience of
loneliness and the longing for connection. The little ghost's presence in the garden represents the
desire for companionship and the need to be accepted and loved. The narrator's observation of the
little ghost's behavior suggests that when we are lonely, we seek out places and situations that make
us feel appreciated and valued.

The Literary Devices Used in the Poem

Edna St. Vincent Millay is known for her use of literary devices in her poetry, and "The Little Ghost" is
no exception. In fact, the poem is a masterful combination of different techniques that give the poem
its hauntingly beautiful quality.

Alliteration

One of the most prominent literary devices used in the poem is alliteration. Alliteration is the
repetition of the same sound at the beginning of several words in a phrase or sentence. Millay uses
alliteration to create a musical quality to the poem, making it almost lyrical in its delivery. For
example, in the line, "By the dear ruffles round her feet", the repetition of the "r" sound in "ruffles"
and "round" emphasizes the gentle, delicate nature of the little ghost.

Imagery

Another literary device used in the poem is imagery. Imagery refers to the use of descriptive
language to create a vivid picture in the reader's mind. Millay uses imagery to create a haunting,
ethereal atmosphere in the poem. For example, in the line, "And where the wall is built in new/And
is of ivy bare", Millay uses the image of the ivy-covered wall to create a sense of mystery and wonder.
The image of the wall being built in new also suggests that there is a sense of change or
transformation happening in the little ghost's life.

Metaphor

Metaphor is another literary device used in the poem. Metaphor is the comparison of two things
without using the words "like" or "as". In "The Little Ghost", Millay uses metaphor to create an
emotional connection between the little ghost and the narrator. For example, in the line, "She looked
as if she liked the way/I let my garden grow!", Millay uses the metaphor of the garden to represent
the narrator's life. By suggesting that the little ghost likes the way the garden is allowed to grow,
Millay is implying that the little ghost likes the way the narrator lives their life.

The Universal Appeal of the Poem

"The Little Ghost" has a universal appeal that transcends time and cultural differences. The poem's
theme of loneliness and the longing for companionship is something that everyone can relate to,
regardless of age or background. Furthermore, the poem's use of literary devices creates a musical,
lyrical quality that captures the imagination and draws the reader in. It is no wonder that this poem
has stood the test of time and continues to be studied and appreciated by readers today.

Conclusion

In conclusion, "The Little Ghost" is a hauntingly beautiful poem that explores the human experience
of loneliness and the longing for connection. Through the use of literary devices such as alliteration,
imagery, and metaphor, Edna St. Vincent Millay creates a musical, lyrical quality that captures the
reader's imagination and draws them into the world of the little ghost. The poem's universal appeal
ensures that it will continue to be studied and appreciated by readers for generations to come.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

The Little Ghost: A Hauntingly Beautiful Poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay

Edna St. Vincent Millay, a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, is known for her lyrical and poignant works
that explore themes of love, loss, and mortality. One of her most beloved poems is "The Little
Ghost," a hauntingly beautiful piece that captures the essence of loneliness and longing. In this
analysis, we will delve into the meaning and significance of this classic poem.

The poem begins with a description of a little ghost who wanders through the night, searching for
something that she cannot find. The ghost is described as "a little, timid ghost" who "goes shuffling
through the night." The use of the word "timid" suggests that the ghost is afraid or hesitant, perhaps
because she is lost or alone. The word "shuffling" also implies a sense of uncertainty or aimlessness.

As the poem progresses, we learn more about the little ghost's search. She is looking for "someone
she loved long ago" and "something she cannot remember." The repetition of the phrase "long ago"
emphasizes the ghost's sense of distance from the past, as if the person she loved and the thing she
is searching for are both far away in time and space. The fact that she cannot remember what she is
looking for adds to the sense of confusion and disorientation.

The poem then takes a poignant turn as the little ghost realizes that she is alone. She calls out into
the darkness, but there is no one there to answer her. The lines "But only the silence answers her, /
And sinks, and curls about" convey a sense of emptiness and despair. The use of the word "sinks"
suggests a feeling of heaviness or suffocation, as if the silence is pressing down on the little ghost.
Despite her loneliness, the little ghost continues to search. She wanders through the night, hoping to
find what she is looking for. The lines "She cannot find him on the hill, / Nor on the moonlit sea"
suggest that the little ghost is searching for her lost love in all the places that they used to go
together. The fact that she cannot find him adds to the sense of futility and hopelessness.

The poem ends with a powerful image of the little ghost disappearing into the darkness. The lines
"And when the night wind roars and bends, / She is no more to see" suggest that the little ghost has
finally given up her search and has vanished into the night. The use of the word "roars" conveys a
sense of violence or chaos, as if the wind is a force of nature that cannot be controlled. The fact that
the little ghost is "no more to see" emphasizes her sense of invisibility and insignificance.

So what is the meaning of this hauntingly beautiful poem? At its core, "The Little Ghost" is a
meditation on the human experience of loss and longing. The little ghost represents all of us who
have lost someone or something that we love and are searching for a way to fill the void. The fact
that she cannot remember what she is looking for suggests that sometimes we don't even know
what we are searching for, but we continue to search nonetheless.

The poem also explores the theme of loneliness and the human need for connection. The little ghost
is alone in the darkness, calling out into the silence, but there is no one there to answer her. This
sense of isolation and despair is something that many of us can relate to, especially in times of grief
or heartbreak.

Finally, the poem touches on the theme of mortality and the fleeting nature of life. The little ghost is
searching for something that is long gone, and in the end, she disappears into the darkness herself.
This sense of impermanence and transience is a reminder that life is short and that we should
cherish the moments that we have with the people we love.

In conclusion, "The Little Ghost" is a hauntingly beautiful poem that explores some of the most
profound and universal themes of the human experience. Through the character of the little ghost,
Edna St. Vincent Millay captures the essence of loss, longing, loneliness, and mortality, reminding us
of the fragility and beauty of life. This classic poem is a testament to Millay's talent as a poet and her
ability to capture the complexities of the human heart in just a few short lines.
My Heart Leaps Up

My heart leaps up when I behold A rainbow in the sky: So was it when my life began; So is it now I
am a man; So be it when I shall grow old, Or let me die! The Child is father of the Man; And I could
wish my days to be Bound each to each by natural piety.

Summary

‘My Heart Leaps Up’ by William Wordsworth centers on a rainbow, a symbol of nature and how the
poet wishes to keep his childlike self alive.

This poem begins with a reference to a rainbow. Whenever Wordsworth beholds it, his heart gets
filled with enthusiasm and energy. It is not that the sensation of joy existed in his heart when he was
a child. As an adult, he still enjoys the beauty of a rainbow. He wishes to retain this childish self even
if he matures and grows old. If it does not happen, he will embrace death unquestionably. According
to him, nature, symbolized by the rainbow, will always be divine, and he thinks it should be for
everyone.

Themes

This poem consists of the following themes: nature, childhood, beauty, and aging. The main theme of
this piece like most of his poems is nature and the beauty in it. For him, nature is a
true embodiment of God. A glimpse of the rainbow is like having glimpses of the divine entity. The
rainbow is nothing other than a bridge that connects poets to the spiritual self. He wishes never to
lose touch with nature even if he grows old. The theme of childhood is another important aspect of
this piece. This theme is present in the third and seventh lines. Besides, the theme of aging is
displayed in the fifth line.

Structure

The poem’s simplicity carries over into its use of rhyme scheme. There are a total of nine lines in this
piece. Each line ends with one of 4 sounds, each sound is repeated twice, except “man,” which ends
two lines and is rhymed with “began.” The rhyme scheme of this piece can be sketched as
ABCCABCDD. Regarding the meter, the poem is written in iambic tetrameter. There are three
variations: the second line is in iambic trimeter, the sixth line contains two iambs, and the last line is
in iambic pentameter.

Literary Devices

Wordsworth’s ‘My Heart Leaps Up’ contains the following literary devices that make the poetic
thoughts more appealing to readers.

 Synecdoche: It occurs in the first line “My heart leaps up when I behold”.

 Anaphora: Lines three to five begin similarly. It is an example of anaphora.

 Hyperbole: It occurs in “Or let me die”. This line is also a rhetorical exclamation.

 Metaphor: In the line “The Child is the father of the Man,” Wordsworth implicitly compares a
child to a would-be father.

 Allusion: This poem probably contains an allusion to the rainbow of Noah.

 Detailed Analysis
 Lines 1–2
 My heart leaps up when I behold
 A rainbow in the sky:
 In the first lines of the poem, Wordsworth explains his reaction to a
rainbow. It’s obvious that the poet has a deep affinity for the natural
world. He says, “My heart leaps up…” This is an extreme reaction to a not
uncommon meteorological event.
 Rainbows are, universally, regarded as beautiful, but the rainbow in this
poem is a symbol of nature as a whole. Wordsworth’s reaction is
somewhat extreme. Most grown men do not react with the same level of
enthusiasm to a rainbow. As the poem goes on, however, he will argue
that we should all share his sense of wonder.
 Lines 3–4
 So was it when my life began;
 So is it now I am a man;
 In these lines, the poet describes that he has always felt the same
visceral, joyous reaction to a rainbow and to nature as a whole. His sense
of wonder began when he was born and persisted throughout his
childhood, into his adulthood. Wordsworth has been a fan of nature from
the very start.

 Both lines begin similarly with the word “So”. This device (anaphora) is
used to emphasize his idea. It also helps readers to understand that the
meaning of these lines is internally connected.

 Lines 5–6

 So be it when I shall grow old,

 Or let me die!
 Wordsworth gets a bit extreme in these lines. First, he states that he
hopes to continue to be mesmerized by nature well into old age. Then, he
says “Or let me die!” The fairly unambiguous interpretation here is that
the poet would rather die than find the world around him boring and bereft
 of beauty. Death would be preferable to becoming a jaded cynic who
cannot grasp the wonder of nature.

Line 7

The Child is father of the Man;

This is, perhaps, the most important line of ‘My Heart Leaps Up’. In his typical
fashion, Wordsworth gives a seemingly straightforward metaphor, which actually
has enormous implications.

All people were once children, so the line makes some sense on that level. We
come from children as children come from their parents. The greater implication
is that, as a parent, a child can be a great teacher and a great role model.

Children are constantly experiencing the world as if for the first time. They have an unending sense
of wonder and awe regarding nature and, indeed, life itself.

Wordsworth is saying we should be like children in this way and that we should hold on to our
childhood sense of the world.

Lines 8–9

And I could wish my days to be

Bound each to each by natural piety.

In the last two lines of the poem, Wordsworth closes by reiterating the idea that he hopes to
continue being in awe of nature. He wants every day to be tied together by an ongoing theme of love
for the world. The words “natural piety” imply that the poet considered his feeling for nature to be
so reverent that seeing a rainbow was an almost spiritual experience.

Historical Context

William Wordsworth was part of the Romantic Movement. The artists of this time elevated nature,
discussing it as a part of the “sublime,” or something of great beauty beyond human understanding.
This respect and reverence for nature are on clear display in this particular piece.

The poem was written on March 26, 1802, while Wordsworth was staying at Dove Cottage with his
wife. This was a fertile place for the poet, as he wrote many poems there. Indeed, ‘My Heart Leaps
Up’ was written at around the same time as many of the poet’s other works such as ‘To The
Cuckoo,’ ‘Ode: Intimations of Immortality,’ etc. The poem was first published in 1807 as part of
“Poems, in Two Volumes”. Explore more Wordsworth poems.

FAQs

What is the meaning of ‘My Heart Leaps Up’ by William Wordsworth?

The overall meaning of this poem is that Wordsworth wants to keep his childish self alive and tries to
feel the impulses of nature as he felt as a child.

What type of poem is ‘My Heart Leaps Up’?

It is a short, romantic lyric poem with a regular meter and rhyme scheme. This poem is written from
the first-person point of view.

What does the rainbow symbolize?

The “rainbow” is a symbol of nature. It is depicted as a bridge that connects Wordsworth’s spiritual
self to the divine.

What is the mood of the poem?

The mood of this poem is joyous and filled with childish enthusiasm.

What does “natural piety” mean?

The phrase “natural piety” contains a geometrical pun. It symbolizes continuity and infinity. The word
“piety” normally means reverence. This phrase refers to the inherent purity of a human being.