Analysis of 17th Century Poem (Gifts)
In my AP English class our assignment was to choose a poem from the 17th century and analyze it. I chose to do a poem by James Thomson called Gifts. My insight for choosing this poem is that Valentines Day has just happened and is a season for giving. The title or story has nothing to do with Valentines Day but there is my motive for picking the piece I did. Here is the poem itself:
This pieces structure is the main organizational piece that this poem offers. The three stanzas I believe represent 3 different men. The three different men are men at home, on land, and at sea, which is known from the last line of this poem. All of the stanzas have four lines but the first line stands out the most. In capital letters it begins with "GIVE" but all the other lines simply start with "Give" or other words, but they are not in all capital letters. I think that the "GIVE" and the title "Gifts" were connected, and Thompsons purpose for the capital letters were to get across the main idea or to motivate others to give. But you may also noticed the 2nd and 4th lines of the stanzas rhyme with one another.
The first stanza says, "Give a man a boat he can sail," and "On sea nor shore shall fail." What man do you think the first stanza represents? He represents the man at sea. This mans everyday lifestyle starts with a boat that he may have already owned, but God gives him "his rank and wealth, his strength, and health." But the last line of stanza 1 is saying that God's giving hand is there on sea and shore and it never fails to give him his rank, wealth, strength, and health. I really like the rhyme scheme it has in the third line of stanza one. The mood of this stanza seems to be uplifting and hopeful with all the giving features this man is receiving.
The second stanza says, "Give a man a pipe he can smoke, Give a man a book he can read: And his home is bright with calm delight." What man do you think this one is? He's the man whose at home, it's clear because of the word "home," but also because of the actions he's doing. His actions are reading a book, and smoking a pipe, which are easily done in an household, not so much on a boat.
There is a contradicting mood between the third and fourth stanzas. The third says, "is bright with a calm delight," but the fourth says, "though the room be poor indeed." I feel that this man is living in a home that is not very nice with the word choice of "poor" but his gifts of a book and pipe make him feel delightful. I think this man who is the home body is probably very grateful for what he does have because he found delight it such small items, in such a downgrading place.
The third stanza I would say is the most difficult to identify. It is very unclear where the setting is taken place here. The man is given a girl he can love and his heart grows with his fate. He is meant to love this woman obviously, but you can love someone at home, on sea, or on land. But since sea and home are already taken, it can be assumed that this is the guy who stays on land and stands his own ground. The only thing I found off about this stanza is they said "girl" rather than woman. Which leads me to believe that this man is young, or goes after younger women. The mood seems heartwarming because love makes me feel happiness.
What was the purpose of this poem? Why did Thomson feel the need to characterize 3 different men? Well he made this poem probably in regards to the people surrounding him and maybe one is himself. I truly doubt that he is one of the characters, I feel if he were on of the characters he would be writing as an action, considering he's a poet. I think he felt the need to do this because he sees these 3 men receiving all these so called gifts, but in reality most people receive these gifts. But Thomson may not have or sees people that don't receive these things. These men are privileged, they are not receiving gifts at all.
Gifts by James Thomson
GIVE a man a horse he can ride,
Give a man a boat he can sail;
And his rank and wealth, his strength and health,
On sea nor shore shall fail.
Give a man a pipe he can smoke,
Give a man a book he can read:
And his home is bright with a calm delight,
Though the room be poor indeed.
Give a man a girl he can love,
As I, O my love, love thee;
And his heart is great with the pulse of Fate,
At home, on land, on sea.
Give a man a boat he can sail;
And his rank and wealth, his strength and health,
On sea nor shore shall fail.
Give a man a pipe he can smoke,
Give a man a book he can read:
And his home is bright with a calm delight,
Though the room be poor indeed.
Give a man a girl he can love,
As I, O my love, love thee;
And his heart is great with the pulse of Fate,
At home, on land, on sea.
The first stanza says, "Give a man a boat he can sail," and "On sea nor shore shall fail." What man do you think the first stanza represents? He represents the man at sea. This mans everyday lifestyle starts with a boat that he may have already owned, but God gives him "his rank and wealth, his strength, and health." But the last line of stanza 1 is saying that God's giving hand is there on sea and shore and it never fails to give him his rank, wealth, strength, and health. I really like the rhyme scheme it has in the third line of stanza one. The mood of this stanza seems to be uplifting and hopeful with all the giving features this man is receiving.
The second stanza says, "Give a man a pipe he can smoke, Give a man a book he can read: And his home is bright with calm delight." What man do you think this one is? He's the man whose at home, it's clear because of the word "home," but also because of the actions he's doing. His actions are reading a book, and smoking a pipe, which are easily done in an household, not so much on a boat.
There is a contradicting mood between the third and fourth stanzas. The third says, "is bright with a calm delight," but the fourth says, "though the room be poor indeed." I feel that this man is living in a home that is not very nice with the word choice of "poor" but his gifts of a book and pipe make him feel delightful. I think this man who is the home body is probably very grateful for what he does have because he found delight it such small items, in such a downgrading place.
The third stanza I would say is the most difficult to identify. It is very unclear where the setting is taken place here. The man is given a girl he can love and his heart grows with his fate. He is meant to love this woman obviously, but you can love someone at home, on sea, or on land. But since sea and home are already taken, it can be assumed that this is the guy who stays on land and stands his own ground. The only thing I found off about this stanza is they said "girl" rather than woman. Which leads me to believe that this man is young, or goes after younger women. The mood seems heartwarming because love makes me feel happiness.
What was the purpose of this poem? Why did Thomson feel the need to characterize 3 different men? Well he made this poem probably in regards to the people surrounding him and maybe one is himself. I truly doubt that he is one of the characters, I feel if he were on of the characters he would be writing as an action, considering he's a poet. I think he felt the need to do this because he sees these 3 men receiving all these so called gifts, but in reality most people receive these gifts. But Thomson may not have or sees people that don't receive these things. These men are privileged, they are not receiving gifts at all.
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