the-slaves-dream-赏析

AlthoughHenryWadsworthLongfellow’slifewascomfortable,hehaddeepsympathyforslaves.In1842,hepublishedPoemsonSlavery.Inthislyricpoem,heshowedhisshameofAmerican’sslaveryandwasagainstitfirmly.ThepoemIhavechosentodiscussisTheSlave’sDream.ItnotonlyshowsLongfellow’ssympathyforslavesbutalsorevealedthecrueltyofdrivers.Inthefirststanza,weseeaslavewhohadendlesswork.Withtiredness,helaybesidetheungatheredriceanddreamtadreamthathesawhisNativeLand.Infact,dreamisacompensationforreality.Indreams,hecouldgetwhathelackedinreality.Inthesecondstanza,hedreamthebecameaking.Herethefirstimportantimageappears.“King”isthesymboloffreedomanddignity.Fromthiswelearnhowmuchhedesiredforfreedom.Inthethirdstanza,hedreamtheandhiswifeandhischildrengatheredtogetherhappily.Iguessbecauseoflongtermseparatingfromslaves’hometownandfamilymembers,theyusuallytreasuredfamilyverymuch.Inthefourthstanza,hedreamtherodeonahorsealongtheNiger’sbankfreely.Inthefifthstanza,herodefrommorningtillnighttofollowthebrightflamingoes.Herethesecondimportantimageappears.“Flamingo”standsforfreedom.Again,weseehelongedforfreedom.Inthesixthstanza,heheardthelionroar,thehyenascreamsandtheriver-horse,ashecrushedthereeds.Andstreampassedthroughthetriumphofhisdream.Fromthiswecanseehehadfreedhimselffromthefettersofrealitycompletely.Theseventhstanzareads“Theforests,withtheirmyriadtongues,shoutedofliberty.”Byusingpersonification“theforestsshouted”,theauthoractuallyconveyedthattheslaveshoutedforfreedom.Inthelaststanza,wecomebackrealityfromhisdream.Hewasnearlytodie,becausehecouldnotstandthedrivers’whipandtheburningheatofday.Onlybydyingdidheescapefromthecruelreality.Andatlasthissoulwasfree.Inmyopinion,thisissarcasm.Bythisway,theauthorrevealedthedrivers’mercilessnessandcruelty.Byreadingthepoem,IlearnthatLongfellowisagreatpoet.Hewasnotonlyconcernedaboutthefateofslavesbutalsoexpressedindignationatslavery.Atthesametime,herevealedthedrivers’cruelty.Hemadeeveryreaderfeelsympathyforslavesandangryatthesystemofslavery.Thisisthepowerofhispoem.