Poetry Analysis

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The lunatic, the lover and the poet

Original Poetry

Translation

The lunatic, the lover and the poet

The crazy person, the lover, and the poet

Are of imagination all compact:

Are all full of imagination:

One sees more devils than vast hell can hold, 10

The madman sees more devils than hell can hold,

That is, the madman: the lover, all as frantic,

The lover, just as wild,

Sees Helen's beauty in a brow of Egypt:

Sees Helen's beauty in an Egyptian face:

The poet's eye, in fine frenzy rolling,

The poet's eye, in wild excitement,

Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven;

Looks from heaven to earth, and back again;

And as imagination bodies forth 15

As imagination gives shape

The forms of things unknown, the poet's pen

To unknown things, the poet's pen

Turns them to shapes and gives to airy nothing

Turns them into forms and gives to nothing

A local habitation and a name.

A place and a name.

Explanation

In this passage from 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', Shakespeare explores the theme of imagination and its power in different states of mind. The lunatic, lover, and poet are all driven by their imaginations, which shape their perceptions of reality. The madman sees devils everywhere, beyond what hell could contain, illustrating the overwhelming nature of his delusions. The lover, equally consumed by emotion, sees unparalleled beauty in his beloved, comparing her to Helen of Troy. The poet, with his imaginative eye, captures the essence of things unseen and transforms them into tangible forms through his writing. This passage underscores the creative and transformative power of imagination, suggesting that it can bring to life what does not exist in reality, giving it substance and identity.

Word Dictionary8

Word	In English	Plain (English)	Pron.
lunatic	crazy person	someone who is mentally ill or very foolish	loo-nuh-tik
compact	made of	made of	kuhm-pakt
frantic	wild	very excited or upset	fran-tik
frenzy	wild excitement	wild excitement	fren-zee
glance	look	to take a quick or brief look	glans
bodies forth	gives form	to make something appear or take shape	bo-deez forth
airy nothing	nothingness	nothing	air-ee nuh-thing
habitation	place	a place where something lives or exists	hab-i-tey-shuhn

Poet & Context

PoetWilliam Shakespeare

EraElizabethan Era

William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language. He wrote 39 plays, 154 sonnets, and several other poems. His works have been translated into every major language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.

View on Wikipedia

When1595-1596

WhyThis excerpt is from Act 5, Scene 1 of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', a comedy by William Shakespeare. The play explores themes of love, imagination, and the supernatural, often blurring the lines between reality and fantasy. The passage highlights the power of imagination in different states of mind.

FormPlay (Comedy)

Themes & More

Themes

ImaginationMadnessLoveCreativity

Literary devices

Metaphor: Comparing the lunatic, lover, and poet to illustrate their shared reliance on imagination.Imagery: Vivid descriptions of the madman's devils and the lover's vision of beauty.Personification: Imagination is given the ability to 'body forth' unknown forms.Alliteration: 'Fine frenzy' emphasizes the chaotic nature of the poet's imagination.

Poetry Analysis

Back to poet

The lunatic, the lover and the poet

Original Poetry

Translation

The lunatic, the lover and the poet

The crazy person, the lover, and the poet

Are of imagination all compact:

Are all full of imagination:

One sees more devils than vast hell can hold, 10

The madman sees more devils than hell can hold,

That is, the madman: the lover, all as frantic,

The lover, just as wild,

Sees Helen's beauty in a brow of Egypt:

Sees Helen's beauty in an Egyptian face:

The poet's eye, in fine frenzy rolling,

The poet's eye, in wild excitement,

Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven;

Looks from heaven to earth, and back again;

And as imagination bodies forth 15

As imagination gives shape

The forms of things unknown, the poet's pen

To unknown things, the poet's pen

Turns them to shapes and gives to airy nothing

Turns them into forms and gives to nothing

A local habitation and a name.

A place and a name.

Explanation

Word Dictionary8

Word	In English	Plain (English)	Pron.
lunatic	crazy person	someone who is mentally ill or very foolish	loo-nuh-tik
compact	made of	made of	kuhm-pakt
frantic	wild	very excited or upset	fran-tik
frenzy	wild excitement	wild excitement	fren-zee
glance	look	to take a quick or brief look	glans
bodies forth	gives form	to make something appear or take shape	bo-deez forth
airy nothing	nothingness	nothing	air-ee nuh-thing
habitation	place	a place where something lives or exists	hab-i-tey-shuhn

Poet & Context

PoetWilliam Shakespeare

EraElizabethan Era

View on Wikipedia

When1595-1596

FormPlay (Comedy)

Themes & More

Themes

ImaginationMadnessLoveCreativity

Literary devices