rssenglishworld, The English Literature and Grammar Digest

Tithonus  By Alfred Lord Tennyson The woods decay, the woods decay and fall, The vapours weep their burthen to the ground, Man comes and tills the field and lies beneath, And after many a summer dies the swan. Me only cruel immortality Consumes: I wither slowly in thine arms, Here at the quiet limit of the world, A white-hair'd shadow roaming like a dream The ever-silent spaces of the East, Far-folded mists, and gleaming halls of morn.          Alas! for this gray shadow, once a man— So glorious in his beauty and thy choice, Who madest him thy chosen, that he seem'd To his great heart none other than a God! I ask'd thee, 'Give me immortality.' Then didst thou grant mine asking with a smile, Like wealthy men, who care not how they give. But thy strong Hours indignant work'd their wills, And beat me down and marr'd and wasted me, And tho' they could not end me, left me maim'd To dwell in presence of immortal youth, Immortal age beside immortal youth, A...

Beethoven  by Shane Koyczan Section 1: Abusive Childhood and Forced Genius (“Listen. / His father made a habit out of hitting him… Beethoven.”) Paraphrase: The poet begins by asking the reader to listen carefully. Beethoven’s father was violent and abusive. Like some men who drink, shout, or beat their children, he did all three. His cruelty came from a desire to make his son a genius. Beethoven grew up in a home where his name had no value and kindness had to be earned. Only flawless music could win approval. Each perfect note had to rise heavenward, as if pleasing angels, yet even that was not enough. Beethoven, a child who already had hearing problems, poured immense passion into his music but received no mercy. Section 2: Relentless Practice and Constant Rejection (“Who heard his father’s anthem… it was NOT GOOD ENOUGH.”) Paraphrase: Whenever Beethoven touched the piano keys, he heard his father’s harsh judgment telling him he was inadequate. He tried playing slowly, softl...

Summary of Indigo by Satyajit Ray The story is narrated in the first person by Aniruddha Bose, a 29-year-old, unmarried Bengali babu working in a merchant firm in Kolkata. Though financially secure, Aniruddha feels suffocated by the monotony and chaos of city life and often escapes alone on road trips. He also has a keen interest in creative writing and, significantly, has been reading extensively about indigo cultivation in Bengal, the atrocities committed by British planters, and the Indigo Revolt. Aniruddha decides to visit his old school friend Pramod in Dumka. He chooses to travel alone by car. His journey is delayed first by social obligations and later by poor roads. After leaving the Grand Trunk Road near Panagar, he suffers a puncture, which he reluctantly repairs. Soon after, a violent thunderstorm breaks out. In the blinding rain and darkness, Aniruddha mistakenly takes a wrong road. Disaster strikes again when his second tyre bursts, leaving him stranded without a spare. As...