Class XI English Hornbill - Poem: The Laburnum Top (Theme and Synopsis)
Q: Who is the poet of the poem 'The Laburnum Top'? What does poet want to covey through his/her poem?
Answer: The poem ‘The Laburnum Top’ is written by Ted Hughes. The poem revolves around the laburnum tree and the goldfinch bird. It presents the sweet and repaying relationship between the tree and the bird. The leaves on the laburnum tree top have started turning yellow and the tree stands quiet and still in the afternoon of September during the autumn season. However, it comes to life as soon as the goldfinch arrives and perches on it to feed her young ones. As soon as she leaves, the tree becomes elusively silent again.
Q: What is the theme of the poem?
Answer: THEME OF THE POEM
The poem presents the mutual reciprocating relationship between the laburnum tree and the goldfinch bird. The laburnum tree gives shelter to the bird and its young ones and the bird, in turn, takes away its dead silence. Thus the poet wants to tell the readers the importance of interdependence and having cordial relationships in life.
Rejuvenation of nature and the celebration of energy is another theme of the poem. The laburnum tree is silent until the goldfinch comes and enlivens the tree with its activities. There are all sorts of sounds and movements on the tree. Soon she shoots away into the sky plunging the tree into surging silence.
The poet also wants to convey to the readers that life is a process of change and transformation.
Q: Write the synopsis of the poem.
Answer: Here is the synopsis:
① The poem begins with the description of the laburnum top which is still and silent on a September afternoon.
② Due to the autumn season, the leaves have started turning yellow and the seeds have fallen on the ground.
③ The seemingly lifeless tree becomes alive on the arrival of the goldfinch.
④ The goldfinch perches on the end of the branch with a chirping sound, thereby breaking the silence of the tree.
⑤ She enters the thickness of the tree and makes her way to the nest with a swift, abrupt and alert movement of a lizard.
⑥ A machine of chittering starts up.
⑦ The young ones start chirping and flapping their wings and the tree is filled up with a series of short, high pitched, twittering sounds.
⑧ Thus, the quiet and still tree becomes alive and begins to tremble and shake as if it is excited and thrilled.
⑨ After feeding her young ones, the goldfinch flies to the end of the branch.
⑩ After feeding her young ones, the goldfinch flies to the end of the branch.
⑪ Her striped face with yellow body helps her to camouflage and she is only partly visible.
⑫ She comes out of the branch end and flies away to the sky.
⑬ The laburnum tree becomes calm and quiet again.
Q: List the poetic devices used in the poem.
Answer:
Alliteration - September sunlight, she stokes, tree trembles and thrills
Simile - sleek as a lizard
Personification - silent, quite still, whole tree trembles
Metaphor - machine, engine
Onomatopoeia - chirrup, chittering, trilling
Symbol - yellow
Transferred Epithet - barred
Important words and meanings:
Laburnum: a small tree with hanging branches of yellow flowers and poisonous seeds
Laburnum Top: The top of the laburnum tree
Goldfinch: a small singing bird with yellow feathers on wings
Twitch: movement of a small body part.
Chirrup: the sound made by birds
Startlement: amazement, a sudden unexpected action which causes surprise
Sleek: Smooth
Abrupt: Sudden or unexpected
Chittering: the singing sound of a bird
Tremor: Shiver or shake
Trillings: Singing repeatedly
Stokes: add fuel to the engine
Flirts: moves briskly
Eerie: strange
Infinite: (here) the sky
Launches: flies away
Subsides: returns
Barred: Having stripes
Stokes: Feed the nestlings
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