When I Set Out for Lyonnesse Summary

About the Poet: Thomas Hardy

Although written in 1869, this poem was first published in 1914 as part of Thomas Hardy's collection of poems, Irony of Circumstance, Verse, and Fantasy. Lyonnais is the setting of Arthurian legend, so the poet uses mythological scenes to give a sense of mystery to the journey ahead.

Introduction

The poet's journey to a Parish, which he named Lyonesse, and subsequent change in his life are the subjects of the poem 'When I Set Out for Lyonnesse.'

According to Arthurian legend, Lyons was a country near Cornwall (near England) before submerging in the sea.

The architect poet traveled to Cornwall to oversee the church's construction.

After returning from the parish, people noticed changes in his behavior and a new glow in his eyes.

Summary

The poet goes to supervise the repair of the church because he is a budding architect. Lowkey, he knows that he is in for a life-changing encounter.

On a frosty evening, the poet heads to a Parish. The bush was completely covered with frost and perhaps a hundred miles away. The stars were his only company on his lonely journey. They also helped show him the way.

The poet spends a short time at Lyonnesse to see everything. The poet was entirely unaware that his stay at Lyonnesse would change his life. However, he notices some changes during this short time.

These were internal changes that he did not foresee at all. The poet was not ready for this at all. Even a prophet or wizard, he claims, could not have foreseen these changes. After he came back from a business trip, he felt different. Everyone could see the new sparkle in his eyes.

This part was unexpected. Because not only could the poet feel the inner change, but others could also sense it. To them, he seemed to ooze positivity. The poet owed the beautiful shine of his eyes to his visit to the neighborhood.

Overall, the poet undergoes profound changes when he least expects it. Therefore, it was a miracle. Moreover, he began to enjoy his life.

Analysis of the Poem

Stanza 1

In the first stanza, the poet claims that when he went to Lyonnesse (actually Cornwall) 100 miles away, there were rimes (icicles, tiny ice crystals) on the sprigs (leaves and branches).This line provides information about the atmosphere. The full-fledged winter has arrived, and the cold is everywhere. Winter is a literary allegory with death, sadness, and darkness. As a result, the poet seems to have become powerless.

Feeling alone, his only hope is starlight - a star twinkling in the dim light. He says that the bright star illuminates his loneliness and takes it away.

The two lines of the poemare repeated. The first stanza expresses the search for happiness and the lack of optimism.

Stanza 2

In the second stanza, the poet guesses what will happen if he stays in Lyonnesse (if he stays there for a while). The excitement and curiosity of the poet are evident in the text. He believes that neither the wisest magicians (seers of the future) nor prophets (here priests) dare to declare (dare to reveal) to predict.

The first two lines of this stanza are repeated once again. He claims he does not know what will happen during his stay in Lyonnesse. The curious mind of the poet is mentioned in the second stanza. He believes that the lions will witness something remarkable.

Stanza 3

In the third stanza, the poet leaves Lyonnesse and returns back. It needs to be clarified what exactly happened there. But, according to him, when he returned from Lyonnesse, everyone noticed the brightness of his eyes. They found the light in the poet's eyes unusual and unfathomable (profound). So the poet has achieved what he wanted. He has recently received something that changed him.