Essay Questions

Who was Paul Revere and what is his significance, as mentioned in the poem "Paul Revere’s Ride’’?

Paul Revere was a man who lived on American soil in the 18th century. He became involved in politics in his youth, as a result of the economic hardships he has to endure. Paul Revere took an active role in many protests but he is remembered in history for the ‘’Midnight Ride’’, an event which took place in 1775 and which is described in the poem as well. The ride was sparked by rumors regarding a possible British landing on American soil in April. Knowing that other rebels would be in danger of being caught by the British and possibly executed, Paul Revere rode his horse to nearby villages and towns, sending word about the arriving soldiers. Other men began carrying to word further and thus the rebels had enough time to hide themselves and their supplies. Paul Revere was caught that night by British soldiers but was eventually set free after the soldiers got scared seeing the rebel forces. Because of his bravery, Paul Revere is still remembered today, hundreds of years after his ‘’Midnight Ride’’.

What is the main metaphor in the poem "To Tide Rises, the Tide Falls’’?

The major metaphor here is the tide, standing in this case for the human life. The whole poem presents the cycle of life, from birth to death. The process is presented through the image of the tide as something natural and as being something which can’t be stopped and changed. The cycle of life is also presented as having power in itself, in this case, destructive in nature. The image in the poem also transmits a sense of calm, the narrator wanting to transmit that there is no need to fear death just as there is no need to fear the crash of a wave.

Who was King Olaf in the poem "The Saga of King Olaf’’?

The name refers to Olaf Tryggvason, the king of Norway in the 10th century and he remind in history as the first Christian king in Norway and as being the first person to build a Christian Church in Norway. Olaf came into contact with Christianity for the first time after his first wife died. Pushed by the enormous grief, Olaf set on a great plundering campaign during which he encountered a seer which told him he will be wounded and then he will convert to Christianity. This happened when Olaf returned to his ship and was nearly killed by his own men. Surviving the wounds, Olaf decided to convert to Christianity, thus fulfilling the prophecy. When Olaf returned home, he eliminated all form of sorcery from the society in which he lived and some ancient writings claim he even had prophetic dreams and conversations with the Christian God.