ZEBAR SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN

2 STD. VIII ENGLISH

Poem – When I set out for Lyonnesse (Notes)
By: Thomas Hardy

Name: ________________________ Div: _____ Roll No.____ Date:__________

Summary

The poem ‘When I set out for Lyonnesse’ written by Thomas Hardy comes from his memory of
three days of his life. The poet was a young apprentice architect when he went to Lyonnesse to
supervise the renovation work of a dilapidated church. It was hundred miles away and the
season was the peak of winter. The foliage was covered with frost. He was lonely and his sole
companion was the starlight. He was not sure of what lay ahead for him at Lyonnesse while he
was staying there. According to him, no prophet or a magician could make a forecast about
what would happen at Lyonnesse. Nor could he himself predict the experience he was going to
have. But when he returned from that place, there was magic in his eyes; his eyes were shining.
Everyone around could well guess/understand that his happiness was of a rare quality which
could not be measured.

POETIC DEVICE

* Refrain- it is the repetition of one or more phrases or lines at the end of a stanza.
When I set out for Lyonnesse
A hundred miles away
* Symbolism - it means an object or idea, or person means something deep and not

just what the word means.

starlight (twinkling stars) - hope

magic and radiance in poet’s eyes - joy and satisfaction

Lyonnesse- a place in which the poet goes from darkness and comes back enlightened

* Alliteration - is the repetition of beginning consonant sounds of the words in a line.

what would durst declare let my lonesomeness

1. What is Lyonnesse?
Lyonnesse is the mythical birthplace of Sir Tristra, in England, believed to have been
submerged by the sea.
2. What does ‘all marked with mute surmise mean’?

Email ID: shweta@zebarschool.com/ hema.taneja@zebarschool.com (VIII English) Page 1 of 2

d.
 This line means that everyone noticed the magic in his eyes and the radiance all over
him. They made guesses (surmise) as to what had happened to him in Lyonnesse or
what he saw there, but they didn't speak (mute) a word.
3. What was the purpose of the poet’s visit to Lyonnesse?
The poet had gone to Lyonnesse, to supervise the renovation work of a dilapidated
church.
4. Do you think that the journey away from the material world to the spiritual land
was responsible for the changes seen in the poet?

Yes, the poet’s journey away from the material world to the spiritual world was

responsible for the changes seen in him. His visit, from the city where he lived, with all

the luxuries, to a spiritual land, ‘Lyonnesse’ was responsible for the changes seen in the

him. The poet was able to give away worldly desire and temptations and was perhaps

able to surrender himself before the divine light of God and church.

People felt that he had a radiating glow in his eyes, was full of positivity.

The poet gave the credit, to his visit to Parish, for bringing the magical glow in his

eyes. He was totally reformed.

Email ID: shweta@zebarschool.com/ hema.taneja@zebarschool.com (VIII English) Page 2 of 2

d.