He says that Arctic trails have their secret tales and the Northern Lights have seen queer sights. One of Robert Services most famous poems, The Cremation of Sam McGee, was published in 1907. The poems narrator recounts a story about Sam McGee, his friend who died on the trail. Sam told him with a sort of moan that the cursed cold had a firm hold on him. Service uses the same stanza to conclude the poem. _____ _____ 13. Hyperbole. Yet 'tain't being deadit's my awful dread of the icy grave that pains; So I want you to swear that, foul or fair, you'll cremate my last remains.". They give us a little bit of perspective, and help us see some of the beauty of the North, as well as the cold and the misery. Analyze how meaning is conveyed in poetry through word choice, poetic devices (rhyme, rhythm, repetition, refrain) and figurative language. They fed their dogs before going to sleep. The story is about a man named Sam McGee, who is a member of a Canadian Mounted Police force. The body of the poem contains 13 four-lined stanzas. However, when the speaker was looking at the sky, McGee turned to him. The speaker says it was not much fun but the only one to whimper was Sam McGee. Robert William Service was born in 1874 in Lancashire, England. Let us all read, whateer the cost: He left the comforts of his home in search of gold in the North Pole. Compare and contrast the ways that King and Mandela order their ideas, cite WebThe grinning, frozen body is a creepy, awful companion for the speaker, but he cant get rid of it, because of the promise that he made to Sam. In the long, long night, by the lone firelight, Howled out their woes to the homeless snows--, And on I went, though the dogs were spent. Now Sam McGee was from Tennessee,where the cotton blooms and blowsWhy he left his home in the South to roam'round the Pole, God only knows.He was always cold but the land of goldseemed to hold him like a spell;Though he'd often say in his homely waythat he'd sooner live in Hell. In the cremation of Sam McGee, examples of alliteration include Sam McGee was from Tennessee, where the sun shines hot and the frost bites hard, and We packed him in with care, and the ice it kept him cold., The themes that exist between the stories are frequently ignored by those who do not pay attention. 2023 Funeral Direct. You stand to bow your last adieu; For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Oh, ring the curtain down! As a result, he wishes to be cremated (a fancy way of saying burn his corpse). With a corpse half hid that I couldn't get rid, because of a promise given; It was lashed to the sleigh, and it seemed to say: "You may tax your brawn and brains, But you promised true, and it's up to you to cremate those last remains.". The countless eyes that stare and stare; The nature of Sam McGees character is one of the most important issues in The Cremation of Sam McGee. Without thinking more, he decided that he would cremate his friend there. It makes sense that Sams mind would roam to Tennessee while he was freezing to death. It will now be difficult to perform this deed in the snow-covered Yukon. He moved to Montana in 1923 to work as a contractor on road and railroad construction projects. Readers can understand why the poet writes, The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,/ But the queerest they ever did see. Here, the queerest sight was that of the ghost of Sam McGee sitting in the furnace fire. Im sure all the other students books are in better condition than mine. Lines 31-2: Pretty much from the beginning, the corpse seems like bad news. The prologue to The Cremation of Sam McGee, gives a basic description of the poem. On a Christmas Day we were mushing our wayover the Dawson trail.Talk of your cold! WebCanada, Alaska, North Pole, Lake Lebarge, northern lights, Dawson trail, and Klondike gold rush. Example of Simile answer choices "through the parka's fold it stabbed like a driven nail." Throughout Jack Londons story, the author employs effective literary techniques such as narration and conflict, which keep readers engaged. He asked him for his cap and said that he would cash in that trip anyhow. _____ _____ 13. Well, he seemed so low that I couldn't say no;then he says with a sort of moan,"It's the cursed cold, and it's got right holdtill I'm chilled clean through to the boneYet 'taint being dead-it's my awful dreadof the icy grave that pains;So I want you to swear that, foul or fair,you'll cremate my last remains. He did not like to hear the sizzling sound made during the cremation of Sam McGee. However, the trail to fulfill that promise was a stern code. The catastrophic death of McGee and his cremation depict this theme sufficiently. They danced about in the night sky when he ventured near the boiler room. Lastly, another important theme of the poem is the vanity of human desire. What are the names of God in various Kenyan tribes? As he was looking calm and warm after his death. They will pay attention to and analyze the figurative language Simile, Metaphor, Idiom, Hyperbole, Personification, Onomatopoeia, and Synecdoche. Despite his challenges and the extreme cold, he successfully cremates Sam. Sometimes that gusto is intended to be humorous, other times its used to rally support or execute sharp The nature of Sam McGees character is one of the most important issues in The Cremation of Sam McGee. The Cremation of Sam McGee is an emotional ballad. It chews away at these poor guys until theres almost nothing left. It is through you visiting Poem Analysis that we are able to contribute to charity. What find you in that filmy gaze? The Cremation of Sam McGee, one of the famous poems of Robert Service, was published in 1907 in Songs of a Sourdough. A formative moment, fixed in poets minds. _____ Sam seemed to speak to Cap, telling him to close the boilers door. Sam McGee is the only person to admit that it wasnt much fun for him. Why he left his home in the South to roam 'round the Pole, God only knows. During one of their few times alone together, the Englishman recalls how McGee developed a cold. Example: I tried explaining it a million times. The Northern Lights have seen queer sights. And that very night, as we lay packed tightin our robes beneath the snow,And the dogs were fed, and the stars o'erheadwere dancing heel and toe,He turned to me, and "Cap", says he"I'll cash in this trip, I guess;And if I do, I'm asking that youwon't refuse my last request.". The poem highlights the importance of companionship and the lengths people will go to in order to find solace in challenging circumstances." After spending a lot of days there, one day McGee realized his dream was a far cry. The Cremation of Sam McGee. In the story, there was a man who was insane. Analyze characteristics of different forms of poetry - Ballad. This section portrays a mixed emotional state of the speakers mind. Sign up to unveil the best kept secrets in poetry, Home Robert Service The Cremation of Sam McGee. %PDF-1.3 Amid my too-unthinking days, There! The dogs aren't all that comforting, in other words, especially in a poem where we might be looking for a little comfort. The poet also uses alliteration in this poem. There wasnt a breath in that land of death, and I hurried, horror-driven. WebThe Cremation of Sam McGee 2005abcteach.com Poetry Analysis 12. Readers may not understand the juxtaposition of this emotion and the feeling of the protagonist. However, McGee was a cold person but the land of gold seemed to hold him like a spell. Sam McGees body was discovered before the evening sky fell. Such a comparison is undoubtedly disturbing. We respond to all comments too, giving you the answers you need. Yet turn, Old Year, before you go, In a way, the whole poem has been about the fight between fire (warmth and life) and ice (cold and death). WebThe Cremation of Sam McGee, ballad by Robert Service, published in Canada in 1907 in Songs of a Sourdough (U.S. title, The Spell of the Yukon, and Other Verses ). And he was aware of that. It makes it easier to imagine why people would want to live there. When he arrives in the town, he finds that the only witness to the murder is a young boy. Service uses a variety of literary devices to convey his message as a major theme of the book, particularly the cold of the Arctic. All rights reserved, Uncovering The Mystery Of The Unknown Coffin: Exploring The History And Speculation Surrounding Its Contents, Exploring The Unusual: Sleeping In A Coffin In Skyrim, Coffin Nails : Unraveling The Meaning And Spanish Translation, Exploring The Origins And Popularity Of The Coffin Dance Orbs. The chilling air was stabbing them like a driven nail through the parkas fold. A moment, and the prompters chime Yet taint being deadits my awful dread of the icy grave that pains; So I want you to swear that, foul or fair, youll cremate my last remains.. What was Sam in search To begin with, the prologue to the poem contains personification in the lines, The Arctic trails have their secret tales and The Northern Lights have seen queer sights. The line, But the queerest they ever did see, contains hyperbole. Were not exactly sure how to feel about the sled dogs in this poem. (We bet Jack London, who wrote The Call of the Wild, would take issue with this). And the dogs were fed, and the stars oerhead were dancing heel and toe. Thereafter, he looked at it and thought a bit. Why he left his home in the South to roam 'round the Pole, God only knows. At last, the speaker says since he left Plumtree, in Tennessee, it was the first time he had been feeling so warm. So sleek, so prosperously clad! In the eleventh stanza of The Cremation of Sam McGee, the speaker says that after stuffing the body in the furnace he made a hike. And the dogs were fed, and the stars oerhead, were dancing heel and toe is an example of which sound device? "but God! The theme of The Cremation of Sam McGee" is the power of storytelling and the human desire for warmth and comfort. Why he left his home in the South to roam round the Pole, God only knows. Here is a list of a few poems that are similar to Services The Cremation of Sam McGee. In the third stanza of The Cremation of Sam McGee, the speaker says on that very night they laid packed in their robes beneath the snow. Repetition Something is repeated Words, lines, stanzas Example: line John Mayer, Waiting on the world to change Examples: The Cremation of Sam McGee Words: cold Stanzas: 1st and last Imagery Putting images in your mind or relating them to your experiences. From this statement, it is clear that he was ready to embrace the cold breast of death anytime. He was always cold, but the land of gold seemed to hold him like a spell; Though hed often say in his homely way that hed sooner live in hell.. He is sometimes referred to as the ", In this poem, Service presents the story of Sam McGee, an inhabitant of Tennessee, who died in the cold of the north pole. Now Sam McGee was from Tennessee, where the cotton blooms and blows. What cold, confronting shape of fear? Here, the poet depicts the scene as if the ambiance during the cremation was turned mournful. Line 18: When non-living things like stars are described as acting like humans (in this case "dancing heel and toe"), thats called, Line 55: Here are those dancing stars again. The stars seemed to him as dancers who were dancing in the night sky. You falter as a Sage in pain; Line 28: This is a big transformation the moment that Sam is changed into a corpse. He was firstly mournful for the death of his friend. With much of blame, with little praise. Not a big moment, but definitely kind of a cheery. Old weary year! Each of the following sentences contains at least one error in the use of possessives, plurals, or contractions. - What is Sam the most afraid of? Whatsoever the speaker says at that time heavens scowled and the huskies howled. The wind began to blow swiftly. Warmth and life make an unexpected comeback here, and the furnace almost seems cozy. The poet based the poem on the experience of his roommate, Dr. Leonard S. E. Sugden. You can read about 10 of the Scariest Poems and 10 of the Best Gothic Poemshere. Service describes the cold as a cut-like saw that numbs the skin and conveys the loneliness and isolation of the frontier. Does Jerry Seinfeld have Parkinson's disease? JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. why that bitter tear? As an example, the phrase, the cotton blooms and blows, contains an alliteration. He crouched on the sleigh but he was not thinking about gold anymore. It seems as if nature was mourning the loss of Sam McGee. If the Yukon represents the cold, dark world of death and pain (sorry, too grim?) Rather he dreaded the thoughts of the icy grave that pained him. Still, we like the sort of happy, quiet image of well-fed dogs and warm blankets. Moreover, the speaker says that every day that quiet clay, a metaphorical reference to McGees corpse, seemed heavier than the previous day. a parting word thats true, This poem contains 15 stanzas in total. Some planks I tore from the cabin floorand I lit the boiler fire;Some coal I found that was lying around,and I heaped the fuel higher;The flames just soared, and the furnace roaredsuch a blaze you seldom see,And I burrowed a hole in the glowing coal,and I stuffed in Sam McGee. The fictional town of Plumtree, like the state of Tennessee, is just standing in for "home" or "a place where it isnt so darn cold! This is a simple, yet impactful poem that talks about what is important and whats not in ones life. The poem, The Cremation of Sam McGee, is divided into four stanzas. However, there are a few variations in this poem. The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, Why he left his home in the South to roam, On a Christmas Day we were mushing our way, Talk of your cold! Then I made a hike, for I didn't liketo hear him sizzle so;And the heavens scowled, and the huskies howled,and the wind began to blow,It was icy cold, but the hot sweat rolleddown my cheeks, and I don't know why;And the greasy smoke in an inky cloakwent streaking down the sky. The description of the preparation of burning his friends body is no doubt horrific and disturbing. Moreover, the Alice May was based on the derelict Olive May that belonged to the Bennett Lake & Klondike Navigation Company. The Territorial government spent $45,000 between 1902 and 1909 on 36 roads in the Copper Belt region. The poet uses a metaphor in the phrase, the land of death. Why is it necessary for meiosis to produce cells less with fewer chromosomes? It was the spell of lust that made McGee restless. I do not know how long in the snow I wrestled with grisly fear; But the stars came out and they danced about ere again I ventured near; I was sick with dread, but I bravely said: Ill just take a peep inside. The prologue to The Cremation of Sam McGee describes the poem in terms of its text. Is it for fond illusion gone? It doesnt last long, but its sort of sweet. Here, the poet uses a personification. In the long, long night, by the lone firelight, while the huskies, round in a ring. Sam McGee is a short story by American author Jack London. The rhyme scheme of the overall poem is AABB. Line 60: Good old Tennessee makes another quick cameo here. The speaker of the poem and McGee left their southern hometown and went to the chilling north pole in search of gold. After reading the poem, readers can understand why the poet gives such a description at the beginning of the poem. LEVEL: 6-12. The speaker felt warm as his friend looked comfortable in the fire of the furnace. It led to his death at the end of this verse-tale. And every day that quiet clay seemed to heavy and heavier grow; And on I went, though the dogs were spent and the grub was getting low; The trail was bad, and I felt half mad, but I swore I would not give in; And I'd often sing to the hateful thing, and it hearkened with a grin. Now a promise made is a debt unpaid, and the trail has its own stern code. Explore The Cremation of Sam McGee1 Summary2 Structure3 Literary Devices4 Themes5 Detailed Analysis6 Historical Context7 Similar Poetry. At last, he came to the marge of Lake Lebarge. Inside the heart of the roaring furnace, the ghost of Sam somehow made the speaker dreadful. WILL SCL2 and SCl4 have the same shape as CH4? Its a frigid day. Read the poem with the class. Do you get more time for selling weed it in your home or outside? And that very night, as we lay packed tight in our robes beneath the snow. What problems did Lenin and the Bolsheviks face after the Revolution AND how did he deal with them? It is not clear why McGee whimpered. An Englishman recounts a story of a Yukon miner who, despite his adventurous spirit, was shorn of his feathers and turned into an owl by a dead tree. As a result, the speaker pronounces the word crematorium in an ironic way. Hence he says God only knows the reason for McGees departure. Who makes the plaid blue coat Jesse stone wears in Sea Change? He saw that it was named the Alice May. Line 40: This is the creepiest corpse moment in the whole poem, as far as were concerned. Its fine in here, but I greatly fear youll let in the cold and storm, Since I left Plumtree, down in Tennessee, its the first time Ive been warm.. , Hyperbole, Personification, Onomatopoeia, and the lengths people will go to in order find. Turned to him of Lake Lebarge, Northern Lights have seen queer sights sense that Sams mind would to. 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