Not Marble, Nor the Gilded Monuments

Introduction

• Poem: Not Marble, Nor the Gilded Monuments
• Author: William Shakespeare
• Instructor: Ruchika Gupta

Overview

• Content:
  • Reading and explanation of the poem
  • Discussion of literary devices used in the poem

Poem and Explanation

Stanza 1

• Key Vocabulary:
  • Gilded: Covered thinly with gold
  • Contents: Refers to the poetry
  • Unswept Stone: Dirty statues made of stone
  • Bemeared: Dirtied
  • Sluttish Time: Time compared to an immoral person
• Summary:
  • Marble statues and gilded monuments will not outlive the poem.
  • The poet's beloved will shine brighter through the poetry than statues that become dirty over time.

Stanza 2

• Key Vocabulary:
  • Broils: Wars and fights
  • Work of Masonry: Monuments and statues created by masons
  • Quick Fire: Intense fire of wars
  • Living Record of Your Memory: The poetry
• Summary:
  • Wars destroy statues and monuments.
  • Neither Mars (God of War) nor war's fire can destroy the poem.
  • The poem will keep the beloved’s memory alive for generations.

Stanza 3

• Key Vocabulary:
  • Gainst: Against
  • Oblivious Enmity: Unknown enemies
  • Posterity: Future generations
  • Wear this World Out to the Ending Doom: Till the end of the world
• Summary:
  • Against death and enemies, the beloved's praise will remain alive through the poem.
  • Future generations will read and praise the beloved until the end of the world.

Stanza 4

• Key Vocabulary:
  • Judgment: Judgment Day in Christianity
  • Arise: To come out of one's grave
  • Dwell: To live
• Summary:
  • Until Judgment Day, the beloved will live through the poem.
  • Readers will remember and praise the beloved.

Literary Devices

Alliteration

• Definition: Repetition of a speech sound in a sequence of nearby words.
• Examples: "Shall shine", "Wasteful wars"

Personification

• Definition: An inanimate object or abstract concept spoken of as though it has life or human attributes.
• Examples: Time as "sluttish"

Repetition

• Purpose: Creates a musical effect and unity.
• Examples: "Shall", "Nor"

Epithet

• Definition: Adjective or phrase that describes a distinctive quality of a person/thing.
• Examples: "Sluttish" (time), "Bemeared" (statues), "Wasteful" (wars)

Allusion

• Definition: Indirect reference to a well-known person, place, thing.
• Examples: "Mars" (God of War), "Judgment" (Day of Judgment)

Imagery

• Definition: Use of descriptive language to appeal to the five senses.
• Examples: "Sluttish", "Bemeared"