Character
One Sentence Summary
Summary
Long – Question
1. What is ironical about the poem?
Short-Questions
1. What changes to people and objects
are described in the poem, "On the Vanity of Earthly Greatness"?
2. What are the different examples used
by the poet to show the vanity of Earthly Greatness?
3. Who was Charlemagne the Just? Show
your acquaintance?
4. How much you know about Caesar,
Julius?
5. On The vanity of Earthly Greatness
Arthur Guiterman
Character
I : poet
The tusks : Mastodons' outer teeth (like elephant)
Mastodons : exit animal like elephants
Charlemagne the Just : a great emperor
The grizzly bear : a large fierce brown bear
Great Caesar : a great king
One Sentence Summary
All the earthly glories of either power or status or beauty or wealth are like the bubbles on water which last no more after death.
Summary
In the poem, "On the Vanity of Earthly Greatness" the poet describes the loss of things on the earth. He says that all the things on the earth are changeable. They die or end sooner or later. The poet gives some examples of the decay of things and people. He says that when the 'Mastodons' were alive, they fought by clashing their tusks. The tusks were very strong and powerful. But they are now changed into billiards balls. The sword of Charlemagne is rusted now. Once very fearful grizzly bear is now changed into a rug. Likewise, Julius Caesar has turned into a bust. And people keep his bust for decoration. Therefore, we have to know that all the things on the earth are changeable. They do not last forever. So, we should not boast/ proud for the things we have. If we boast for them, it is our foolishness.
Long – Question
1. What is ironical about the poem?
The poem has been written by Arthur Guiterman. The poem is full of irony. Irony means the expression of one’s meaning by saying something which is the direct opposite of one’s thoughts. An event or situation is said to be ironical when it seems desirable but because of the circumstances, it is of little or no value or directed by evil fate. Irony is the most striking feature of this poem. It spreads throughout the poem. The poet first shows how great or powerful a person or animal is, but in the second line of each of the couplet he describes the unfortunate state time has reduced them. The people and animals described in the poem are great, powerful and brave but all their greatness, power and bravery is hollow in the course of time. The irony is that people feel pride in their earthly gains and greatness which are worthless and vacant. One can’t help laughing at their feeling proud in these short-lived belongings. So, we should not proud of our gains and so on, which is ironical.
Short-Questions
1. What changes to people and objects are described in the poem,
"On the Vanity of Earthly Greatness"?
In the poem, the entire examples are concerned with the greatness. But the greatness has been changed into valueless. The bright shining tusks of Mastodons have become playing materials. The sword of Charlemagne the Just has been rusted. Powerful grizzly bear whose embrace (hug) was very dreadful. It has become nothing more than a rug (carpet, blanket) .The Great King Julius Caesar is the object of decoration. His bust now is in the shelf. So, the poet also becomes worry to being a valueless object in the future.
2. What are the different examples used by the poet to show the vanity
of Earthly Greatness?
Arthur Guiterman composed the poem "On the Vanity of Earthly Greatness". To show the Vanity of Earthly Greatness, the poet used the different examples, such as tusks of mastodons, Roman emperor Charlemagne the Just, dreadful grizzly bear and great mighty Julius Caesar, and himself too.
3. Who was Charlemagne the Just? Show your acquaintance?
Charlemagne the Just was born in
742 and died in 814 A.D. He was a king of Franks from 768 and Holy Roman
emperor from 800. By heritage (inheritance) and extensive campaigns of conquest
he united most of Western Europe by 804. He reformed the legal, judicial, and
military systems; established schools; and promoted Christianity, commerce,
agriculture, arts and literature.
4. How much you know about Caesar, Julius?
Julius Caesar was born in 102 BC and died 44 BC. He was the Roman state-man and general who had won large empire for Rome. Caesar is the symbol of greatness, great warrior and general. He formed the first triumvirate (a group of three powerful people or groups who control something together) with Pompey and Crassus, conquered Gaul, invaded Britain, mastered Italy and defeated Pompey. He was assassinated by Brutus and Cassius.
.jpg)
