Read the following poem and write an analysis of it in essay form.
It would be a good idea to print a copy of it to work with as you plan your essay.
Start by considering Formalist observations –
– the poet has chosen a very distinctive format for this poem… what does the structure imply about his meaning? Look for symbolism and other tools the poet uses or does not use, what critic(s) might be interested, your impression of what the poem is about, etc.
The poet was British and wrote this in the mid-1800s, when science was making great advances and many new theories (like Darwin’s Theory of Evolution) were challenging traditional religious beliefs.