When I set out summary
Introduction to the Chapter:
When I Set Out for Lyonnesse is a poem describing the poet’s voyage to Lyonnesse, a fictional nation, and his metamorphosis upon his return. In order to comprehend the poem, we must first comprehend its context.
Lyonnesse was a nation that was near Cornwall (a country near England) before falling beneath the sea, according to Arthurian mythology (King Authur). As a result, the poet fantasizes about visiting that metropolis. The poet, who was also an architect, went to Cornwall to supervise the construction of a church. He met Emma there, who would later become his wife. As a result, the poem as a whole portrays how the poet felt after meeting her.
About the Poet:
On June 2, 1840, Thomas Hardy was born in England. Hardy moved to London when he was 22 years old and was affected by the works of Charles Swinburne, Robert Browning, and Charles Darwin. Hardy began writing when he was seventeen years old. Several publishers turned down his debut novel manuscript, The Poor Man and the Lady. Desperate Remedies, a second story, was also accepted and published. Hardy spent the rest of his life writing short tales, poems, and plays. During this time, he was highly prolific, composing over 900 poems on a range of subjects.
Summary of “The Set Out for Lyonnesse” :
The poet claims that there was rime (frost, i.e. little ice crystals) on the spray when he set off for Lyonnesse (Cornwall, in reality), which was a hundred miles away (leaves and branches).
The line provides information on the weather. It was the winter season, so there was a coldness in the air. Winter is associated with gloom, misery, and darkness in poetry. As a result, the poet appears to be hopeless.
He is lonely, and the starlight (twinkling stars with very little light) is his sole hope. The flashing stars, he claims, have illuminated (taken away) his loneliness (loneliness).
The first two lines are repeated by the poet. All of this, he claims, occurred as he started out for Lyonnesse, a hundred miles away from his home. The first verse represents despondency and a search for anything.
When the poet sojourns (stays intermittently) in Lyonnesse, the poet worries about what might happen. The lines show that the poet is intrigued and looking forward to the visit.
He believes that neither the wisest witch (future teller) nor the prophet (here it means priest) can darst announce (dare to reveal).
This stanza’s first two lines are repeated once more. He claims that he has no idea what would happen in Lyonnesse during his stay.
The poet’s curiosity is described in the second stanza. He believes that something significant and memorable will occur at Lyonnesse.
From Lyonnesse, the poet returns. He doesn’t say much about what happened there. When he came from Lyonnesse, however, he claimed that everyone noticed (discovered) that he had magic in his eyes, and that his eyes were gleaming.
They discovered that his eyes have a peculiar and unfathomable brightness (glow and sparkle) (deep and profound). As a result, the poet seemed to have found what he was looking for. His wish has come true. He has received something that has changed his life. Emma, his soon-to-be wife, answered the phone.
The first two lines of this verse are repeated by the poet once again. All of this, he claims, occurred when he returned from Lyonesse with magic in his eyes.
Related Links
Some Terms and their Meanings:
- Lyonnesse: imaginary Place
- Rime: frost
- Spray: leaves and branches of a tree
- Sojourn: Stay
- Durst: Dared
- Radiance: Glow
- Bechance: a chance to happen
- Surmise: guess
- Fathom less: deepest
Wind-up of the Poem:
The poem is a wise piece of writing that explains how things happen to us when we least anticipate them and how, no matter what we plan, God has a different plan for us that no one can predict.
FAQs on “The I set Out for Lyonnesse” :
Ques: When I set out for Lyonnesse, what was my main thought?
Answer: The basic subject of the poem When I Set Out for Lyonnesse is the poet’s tough voyage, which turned out to be one of the most important travels in his life because it entirely transformed him. When he headed off towards Lyonnesse, he was in the dark. But when he returned, his eyes shone with radiance and magic. He had completely changed his ways.
Ques: What is the lesson to be learned from the Poem?
Answer: When I Set Out for Lyonnesse’s message is that difficult journeys frequently lead to fruitful outcomes. The poet embarks on a perilous voyage. His only companions are hope and patience. Even though it is bitterly cold, he decides to embark on the trek since he is intrigued by it.
To achieve something, one must confront difficulties.
