Syntax!

Thesis: The speaker of the poem positively views life, and shares that the unpleasant occurrences in life tend to have their opposing outcomes. She exemplifies her sanguine spirit when she discusses her full resistance to a negative mindset about life.

The syntax throughout the poem matches the speaker’s different reflections of life. The structure of the second stanza is repeated at the end of the poem, as both act to uplift the reader after the speaker questions the “bad” in life. The consistent commas dance along with the tone that the speaker produces in those sections when she uses the eight exciting and inspiring adverbs. Each comma follows an adverb to emphasize all of the different yet similar words being used, and to give the poem a bouncy feel to represent the excitement of life. The exclamation points that follow further emphasize the speaker’s continuous encouragement towards focusing on the recognition of the positive aspect of a situation, despite its derivation from a negative. The poem holds a pattern in its syntax that begins with a calm, and steady stanza, and leads to a passionate stanza representing what the speaker thinks life should feel like. As the speaker slumps back into that predictable type of syntax that the first stanza has, the poem ends with the same enthusiasm that once again, enforces that life can, and will, soar back up again should hopeful and courageous people allow it to.


Life by Charlotte Bronte

LIFE, believe, is not a dream
So dark as sages say;
Oft a little morning rain
Foretells a pleasant day.
Sometimes there are clouds of gloom,
But these are transient all;
If the shower will make the roses bloom,
O why lament its fall ?

Rapidly, merrily,
Life's sunny hours flit by,
Gratefully, cheerily,
Enjoy them as they fly !

What though Death at times steps in
And calls our Best away ?
What though sorrow seems to win,
O'er hope, a heavy sway ?
Yet hope again elastic springs,
Unconquered, though she fell;
Still buoyant are her golden wings,
Still strong to bear us well.
Manfully, fearlessly,
The day of trial bear,
For gloriously, victoriously,
Can courage quell despair !