Essay Questions

Why does the narrator compare his beloved with a mannequin in the poem entitled "Both Portraits’’?

The reason why the narrator compares the lover with a mannequin is because he wants to transmit the idea that the girls is inaccessible and many have caused him harm at one time or another. The girl is compares with a mannequin and is also described in reference with a portrait to transmit the idea that she is beautiful while also being inaccessible. Thus, by comparing her to a portrait, the narrator wanted to make the reader understand how his beloved was sometimes behaving in a rather cold way and how she is too beautiful for him.

Why does the quill mentioned in the poem "Inspiration’’ writes on air?

The poem "Inspiration’’ ends with the poet mentioning how the feather he found from the owl writes on air. The reason why the author may describe the feather as writing on air is to suggest how the writing process is sometimes unseen by the readers and can be compared with a quill writing on air. The action also implies something out of this world and thus the author may also want to suggest that a person who has the capability to write good literature is a truly remarkable person, a modern day magician.

What is the meaning of the line "that yellow Stanley measuring tape/used to measure what used to matter’’ in the poem "Inspiration’’?

The poet wants to transmit the idea that a measuring tool he once trusted does no longer work as it should. The measuring tape could in this context be used as a symbol for a belief the author had in the past and changed as time passed on or some form of moral belief he no longer trusted. Either way, the measuring process is no longer a viable one because the measuring tape is no longer able to measure out correctly or is no longer reflecting the reality believed by the author.