to answer an essay question on a poem, it is important that you understand what it is about. This section includes:
- The poem in a nutshell
- A “translation” of the poem, section-by-section
- A commentary of each of these sections, outlining Turner’s intention and message
‘On Finding a Small Fly Crushed in a Book’ in a nutshell
Victorian poet Charles Tennyson Turner's poem 'On Finding a Small Fly Crushed in a Book' first appeared in his 1873 collection called Sonnets, Lyrics and Translations. The speaker of the poem finds a crushed fly in a book and reflects on the inevitability of mortality and the importance of leaving a legacy after death.
‘On Finding a Small Fly Crushed in a Book’ breakdown
Lines 1–2
“Some hand, that never meant to do thee hurt,
Has crushed thee here between these pages pent;”
Translation
- The speaker reflects on the unfortunate fate of a fly that has been accidentally crushed in a book
Turner’s intention
- The opening line suggests a sense of innocence as the speaker acknowledges that the hand responsible for crushing the fly did not intend any harm
- The fly is described as being “crushed” and “pent” between the pages of the book:
- This imagery evokes a sense of entrapment and confinement
Lines 3–6
“But thou has left thine own fair monument,
Thy wings gleam out and tell me what thou wert:
Oh! that the memories, which survive us here,
Were half as lovely as these wings of thine!”
Translation
- The speaker reflects on the wings of the fly and what they represent
Turner’s intention
- The speaker acknowledges that despite the fly’s untimely demise, it has left behind a “fair monument”:
- This suggests that even in death, the fly has managed to leave a mark or a symbol of its existence
- This idea of a “fair monument” elevates the significance of the fly’s presence beyond its physical form
- The speaker focuses on the fly’s wings, which still retain their beauty and “gleam out” despite the fly’s demise:
- The wings serve as a reminder of what the fly once was, which evokes a sense of admiration for the inherent beauty of nature’s creations
- In the final lines, the speaker yearns for human “memories” to be as beautiful and lasting as the wings of the fly, highlighting a desire for a more profound and meaningful legacy
Lines 7–8
“Pure relics of a blameless life, that shine
Now thou art gone. Our doom is ever near:”
Translation
- The speaker is reminded of his own mortality
Turner’s intention
- The speaker describes the fly’s wings as “relics of a blameless life”, which suggests that the fly lived innocently and without fault
- Despite its small size and seemingly insignificant existence, the fly leaves behind something of value:
- This is symbolised by its wings that continue to “shine” even after it has died
- This could emphasise the idea that every life, no matter how small or brief, has worth or beauty
- The speaker states that “our doom is ever near” suggesting a sense of mortality or inevitability that all living beings will die
Lines 9–10
“The peril is beside us day by day;
The book will close upon us, it may be,”
Translation
- The speaker is reflecting on the mortality of humanity and how people are heading towards death
Turner’s intention
- The speaker suggests that the threat of mortality is constantly present and “beside us day by day”:
- The word “peril” implies a sense of danger or risk, highlighting the inevitability of death as a fundamental aspect of human existence
- The speaker uses a metaphor of a “book” closing to represent the end of life and links back to the image of the fly being dead in a closed book:
- The speaker uses the metaphor to serve as a reminder that death is near and an individual’s story comes to an end once to their book closes
- It also suggests that all creatures – human or fly – will eventually die
- The phrase “it may be” introduces an element of uncertainty, acknowledging that death is a possibility that looms over every individual:
- This uncertainty adds to the sense of foreboding and serves as a reminder of the unpredictability of life
Lines 11–14
“Just as we lift ourselves to soar away
Upon the summer-airs. But, unlike thee,
The closing book may stop our vital breath,
Yet leave no lustre on our page of death.”
Translation
- The speaker states the people may die without leaving a lasting impact
Turner’s intention
- The speaker states that people will “lift” themselves to “soar away”:
- This draws a parallel between the fly’s natural inclination to fly and the human desire for freedom
- The imagery of soaring “upon the summer-airs” suggests a sense of liberation and upward movement, highlighting the human aspiration to escape from earthly confines
- Again, the speaker uses the metaphor of a book to symbolise death but suggests that the impact of the death may differ significantly:
- The presence of the fly is immortalised through the “lustre” left on the page but humans may perish without leaving a visible legacy
- The phrase “our page of death” suggests the finality of human mortality and the potential for our lives to end without leaving a lasting impression or memory