Page 4 - Microsoft Word - 8.2 class-6 Ch-8 to the cuckoo ln

Now, lets take down the SUMMARY(To be written in the Eng CW Notebook)

Stanza-1
Wordsworth welcomes the cuckoo bird with a sense of familiarity, as he says he has
heard him before. Calling the cuckoo a “blithe” new-comers alludes to the fact that
the cuckoo is free and is not subject to the restrictions of human life. The cuckoo is
merry and free from all worldly worries. The first stanza itself sets the tone for the
rest of the poem as the poet makes it clear that he is addressing the cuckoo. The
cuckoo bird’s voice brings back joyous memories to the poet and thus, he rejoices.
The third and the fourth line of the poem are suggestive of the idea that the poet has
never actually seen the bird, and know him only by his voice. He expresses this
when he asks the cuckoo whether he should call him a bird or his identity will remain
as that of a wandering voice. The third line can also be interpreted as Wordsworth
wonders whether calling the cuckoo a bird encompasses his sentiments, or if the
cuckoo extends beyond his realms of comprehension.

Stanza-2
Wordsworth is lying on the grass when he hears the cuckoo’s call. The effect of
echoing has been spoken about in this stanza. The cuckoo’s voice echoes across
hills and reaches the poet. This gives the impression of the voice being once close,
then again far off. The fact that the poet is lying on the grass while hearing the
cuckoo’s song gives the reader an idea of how close and deeply attached to nature
the poet is. The wandering cuckoo’s song is everywhere and it submerges the entire
milieu in its melody. The poet also reveals to the reader how he discovers that the
voice is that of a cuckoo. The twofold shout that he hears is something that is
exclusive to the cuckoo, hence the poet reaches his conclusion.
Stanza -3
Despite singing to the valley, talking about sunshine and flowers, the cuckoo bird’s
voice brings back many memories to the poet. The cuckoo birds wanders about in
the valley that is brimming with flowers and sunshine, thus the bird’s songs too are
an ode to these aspects of nature. But, to Wordsworth these songs have a
completely different relevance. They act as an element of nostalgia, transporting the
poet to days of his past. He calls those times “visionary hours” as he cannot go back
to them in person, and can only envision them from his memory. This indicates that
the poet remembers the cuckoo from his childhood, which is alluded to in the first
stanza when he says he has heard the cuckoo’s song before, and the cuckoo’s voice
now acts as a catalyst in bringing back the poet’s memories of his childhood.

Stanza-4
The poet welcomes the cuckoo thrice, indicating his excitement and eagerness. The
cuckoo is addressed as the darling of the spring he arrives with the genesis of
spring, singing about valleys, flowers and other beauties of nature. This is where the
poet clearly states that he has never seen the cuckoo in reality. He recognises his by
his voice. Thus, to the poet the cuckoo is less of an actual living bird, and more of a
mysterious voice whom he wants to see. The bird has been visually hidden from the
poet through all these years, yet his song strikes such emotions in him that the poet
remembers the cuckoo bird by his voice.

Stanza-5