Tugas 3

Read the following poems and answer the questions that follow.

The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls

H. W. Longfellow

The tide rises, the tide falls

The twilight darkens, the curlew calls;
Along the sea-sands damp and brown
The traveler hastens toward the town,
And the tide rises, the tide falls.

Darkness settles on roofs and walls,

But the sea, the sea in the darkness calls;
The little waves, with their soft, white hands,
Efface the footprints in the sands,
And the tide rises, the tide falls.

The morning breaks; the steeds in their stalls

Stamp and neigh, as the hostler calls;
The day returns, but nevermore
Returns the traveler to the shore,
And the tide rises, the tide falls.

Questions:
1. What do these words (curlew, hastens, efface, steeds, hostler) mean?
2. What images does the poet present?
3. Discuss the possible symbolism of the third and fourth lines of the second stanza.
4. What are the other examples of symbolism in the poem?
5. How can the traveler be seen as a symbol?

I SAW A MAN
 Stephen Crane

I saw a man pursuing the horizon;

Round and round they sped.
I was disturbed at this;
I accusted the man.
“It is futile,” I said,
“You can never –“
“You lie,” he cried,
And ran on.
accusted = stop to talk with
futile = useless, without purpose
6. Question: What is the message the poet presents?

THE WAYFARER
 Stephen Crane

The wayfarer,
Perceiving the pathway to truth,
Was struck with astonishment.
It was thickly grown with weeds.
“Ha,” he said
“I see that no one has passed here
In a long time.”
Later he saw that each weed
Was a singular knife.
“Well,” he mumbled at last,
“Doubtless there are other roads.”

wayfarer = traveler on foot

singular = only one, unusual, unique

7. Question: What is the message of the poem?