Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem “The Owl” explores the mysterious and solitary nature of the owl, a bird often associated with wisdom and nocturnal silence. Through vivid imagery and a reflective tone, Tennyson captures the quiet dignity and enigmatic presence of this creature in the dark of night. The poem invites readers to contemplate not only the owl’s physical characteristics but also its symbolic significance, making it a rich subject for literary analysis. In this essay, I will examine the themes, language, and symbolism Tennyson employs to portray the owl’s unique role in the natural world.
The Owl by Alfred Lord Tennyson
When cats run home and light is come,
And dew is cold upon the ground,
And the far-off stream is dumb,
And the whirring sail goes round,
And the whirring sail goes round;
Alone and warming his five wits,
And dew is cold upon the ground,
And the far-off stream is dumb,
And the whirring sail goes round,
And the whirring sail goes round;
Alone and warming his five wits,
The white owl in the belfry sits.When merry milkmaids click the latch,
And rarely smells the new-mown hay,
And the cock hath sung beneath the thatch
Twice or thrice his roundelay,
Twice or thrice his roundelay;
Alone and warming his five wits,
The white owl in the belfry sits.
And rarely smells the new-mown hay,
And the cock hath sung beneath the thatch
Twice or thrice his roundelay,
Twice or thrice his roundelay;
Alone and warming his five wits,
The white owl in the belfry sits.
