O what is that sound questions

How do stanzas 5, 6, 7, and 8 fit into whatever the poem seems to mean? Who are the people in the poem? What is their relationship? It is here that the possibility of more than one interpretation can be introduced by suggesting that if students find two interpretations and can't decide between them, both might be used in the composition.

This opens the door to a discussion of mood. After reading and hearing the notes made on the previous day, students reach an agreement of sorts that there is suspense in the poem, that the reader is left in a mood of fright and despair, with a sense of alarm, almost of panic.

How does Auden create such a mood? One technique is a change in tempo requiring the adaptation of the last line of the ballad stanza from a four- to a two-stress line. The first two stanzas describe a pleasant, colorful scene, and the only hint that all is not well is the final line of each stanza which does not fit the ballad but creates an abrupt sort of stop that alerts the reader to trouble. There is no other hint of anything alarming until the final line of stanza three"Or perhaps a warning.

The second line repetitions in each succeeding stanza. This repetition added to the speed and sudden stop create a breathless,harried feeling that reaches a peak in the next to the last stanza.

Throughout the poem, the short, simple words, many of them with harsh military sound and flavor, the dialogue, the short ballad stanza broken in pattern-all these help Auden create the mood the class has felt.

This discussionleads naturally to the question, "What is the panic about? What is there to fear? The poem is about war or violence of any kind such as earthquakeor hurricane. His religion and his work don't matterin the struggle.

Force, with burningeyes, defeatslove, and the heavy feet upon the floor representthe soul's march. An effective conclusionwould be a re-readingof the balladby the sametwo studentswho read it at the beginningof the study. Maybe the whole class would prefer to read the answers as a single reader does the questions. Among major speakersare Robert C. Pooley, John C. Gerber, G. Robert Carlsen,and David H.

Consultantsinclude Dora V. Smith, Lou LaBrant,J. Hook, Lennox Grey, and Louise M. A series of discussion groups will consider six topics: the methods course;. The conference planningcommitteeincludes:Dwight L. Evans, University of Illinois;William E. Agnella Gunn, Boston University; R. Simonini,Longwood College; G. Views Total views. Actions Shares. No notes for slide. O what-is-that-sound poem 1. O What is that Sound 2. Copy these notes into your folders… The man in the poem must be a traitor or rebel of the army.

They have come to get him. His wife is concerned by their approach and asks him what the soldiers are doing. He tries to reassure her but there is evidence that he is lying to her and hiding from them. He betrays his wife by running away at the last minute and leaving his wife to face the soldiers. O what is that sound which so thrills the ear Down in the valley drumming, drumming? Only the scarlet soldiers, dear, The soldiers coming. O what is that light I see flashing so clear Over the distance brightly, brightly?

Only the sun on their weapons, dear, As they step lightly. Appeals to the senses Repetition adds to rhythm — like marching Questions show her confusion and fear 4. O what are they doing with all that gear, What are they doing this morning, morning? Only their usual manoeuvres, dear, Or perhaps a warning.

O why have they left the road down there, Why are they suddenly wheeling, wheeling? Perhaps a change in their orders, dear, Why are you kneeling? Soldiers are armed and organised turning Is she trying to hide from them? O haven't they stopped for the doctor's care, Haven't they reined their horses, horses? Why, they are none of them wounded, dear, None of these forces.

O is it the parson they want, with white hair, Is it the parson, is it, is it? No, they are passing his gateway, dear, Without a visit.

O it must be the farmer that lives so near. It must be the farmer so cunning, so cunning? They have passed the farmyard already, dear, And now they are running. O where are you going? Stay with me here! Were the vows you swore deceiving, deceiving? The girl says that none of the soldiers is wounded, and there is nothing serious.

Stanza-6 Then the soldiers are seen stopping by the parson's house. But the beloved says that they are just passing his gate-way. Stanza-7 In the seventh stanza the soldier again sees them stopping by the farmer's house, and wants to know its reason. The beloved again replies that they have passed the farmyard and are running. Stanza-8 In this stanza it is said that the soldler-lover can no longer ha stopped by his beloved. He must join other soldiers. The girl wants him to stay with her, and when she finds that she cannot stop him, she charges him with being false in his promises to love her.

The soldier points out that he did promise to love her, but not at the cost of his public duty. So he is duty bound and ready to leave her. Stanza-9 The soldier is tempted to go to war. Nothing can stop him now. He is bound to perform his public duty. So he feels an urge to join his regiment and marches on to some unknown frontier. Critical Appreciation The most important element of Auden's poem O, What is that Sound is the portrayal and rendering of an emotionally charged situation.

To quote Dennis Davison: The ballad "presents a dramatic situation without comments, by means of question and answer dialogue between a woman and a man who forsakes her - a standard situation of the old-folk ballads. The language and the reference to soldier, doctor and farmer seems carefully chosen to be practically timeless. On the surface level the theme is betray of love, violence and patriotism. But the other segment of the poem points to a political expediency in the face of which such values as love and faithfulness are abandoned.

The poet seems to hola his moral judgement in abeyance on the lover's act of descertions, as he has attributed a motive to the lover, although the motive is not explained and merely hinted at: O where are you going? Stay with me here! Were the vows you swore deceiving, deceiving? No, I promised to love you, dear, But I must be leaving.

The lover actually is not obvious of his promises of love, but he feels he has a reason to love. The lover is placed in a situation where he has to make a choice between his love and the cause which he exposes.

So, his betrayal is considered and calculated, based on his beliefs although this view is contrary to that of John Fuller. The theme is the stock theme of the old ballads. The first speaker is the lady, the beloved, who is afraid that her soldier-lover would leave her at the sight of the scarlet soldiers. Her fears are conveyed by the intensity and urgency of her repetitions at the end of the second line of each stanza 'drumming, drumming,' 'Brightly; Brightly', 'Wheeling Wheeling', 'cunning, curring'.

According to John Fuller, "O what is that sound is a much anthologized and compelling ballad whose point lies in one's presumption that the eighteenth-century soldiery were as likely as not to be the instruments of repression, and that, therefore, the second speaker of the poem is an honest rebel for whom the cause of continued resistance is more important even than the girl he loves.

The rebel's Scale of values is not approved by Auden, however, and the poem is thus an important political comment appropriate to his developing emphasis on love and individual values. The contemporary application is obvious, and the poem's success is built upon the way this application lurks teasingly within the simple musicality and accumulating menace of the poem.