The leaves, or people, who have passed on, were closely related to the leaves, or people, who are still living. While these things are sometimes worth fearing, there is an equally fearful fate awaiting those who cling to life as the remaining leaves do. One might fear “sickness, care” and unending “grief,” like that which the fallen leaves suffered. The speaker offers the negatives of life as reasons that one might want to live forever. The poem then turns back to the leaves that have fallen from the tree and met their end. The speaker finishes the question that she began in the previous line by asking what long drawn out days of life are worth, that is not “scorn” by “Wisdom?” She is attempting to make the point that there is nothing wise about living forever, seeking eternal life, or even a prolonged life. The second half of the poem summarizes what has been said in the first section, while answering any lingering questions and providing the most important theme of this piece. In the final set of lines, the sestet, the sonnet takes its turn. Shivering they cling to life, and fear to fall! Yet, like those weak deserted leaves forlorn, Rose near their own and solemn is the call That laid the friends in dust, whose natal morn The blasts of sickness, care, and grief appal, What is it worth that Wisdom does not scorn? The last phrase reaches into the concluding sestet, it begins by the narrator asking what “their,” meaning those who resist aging, “protracted” or drawn out, “day,” is worth. The speaker states that among mankind, many “expect longevity.” There are very few who understand and accept that they will eventually meet their end. She sees in the stubbornness of the leaves the same inability to accept the death that is present throughout all of the human race. This stanza continues with the speaker stating that these leaves are not just interesting for their longevity, but for the fact that they are an “Emblem” of humankind. This image is one that almost every reader would be able to clearly picture as the speaker gets to the main theme of her narrative in the final six lines. The image of a battered tree which has been left with only a few of its previously endless leaves is a very common sight. The speaker is unsure of these numbers, but the exact total means less than the fact that somehow there are still leaves remaining. Of all the innumerable that blew away, perhaps “millions,” maybe “Twenty” remain. In the second quatrain of this sonnet the speaker gives further detail about this tree and how many leaves exactly are left on its branches. Twenty, perchance, for millions whirled away! They were strong enough, or stubborn enough, to hang on much longer than others of their kind. They have faced the wind and the “naked spray” of the rain and persevered. In the next two lines, it is revealed that there are still a few leaves “lingering” on the branches. The narrator asks that all those reading this piece, “Behold” a tree that is deep in “Autumn’s dim decay.” The poet has capitalized “Autumn” in an attempt to depict the changing of the season as having a conscious will and ability to cause “decay.” The tree has been “Stripped” of its leaves by the wind that is both “chill” and blowing in circles, or “eddying.” The time of year, and physical settings of this narrative, while negligible by the conclusion, are worth keeping in mind as a reference point. The speaker begins this piece by placing the poem within a season. Lingering and trembling on the naked spray, Where yet some yellow, lonely leaves we find Stripped by the frequent, chill, and eddying wind The poem concludes with the speaker stating that there is no wisdom in trying to live forever and even if one is avoiding death, there are many things still to fear in prolonged life.Īnalysis of Behold that tree, in Autumn’s dim decay Lines 1-4 They represent the majority of humankind and man’s inability to accept death. Of those that remain, perhaps 20 out of the original “millions,” the speaker describes as being stubborn in their resistance. The leaves have been unable to withstand the onslaught and many have fallen to the ground. The poem begins with the speaker introducing one such tree that has been driven to “decay” by the chilly autumn winds. “ Behold that tree, in Autumn’s dim decay” by Anna Seward describes the fear and acceptance of death through the metaphor of a tree battered by Autumn.
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