In Memoriam, [Ring out, wild bells]
By Lord Tennyson Alfred
Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light:
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.Ring out the grief that saps the mind
For those that here we see no more;
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes
But ring the fuller minstrel in.Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.Ring out old shapes of foul disease;
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.
Summary of In Memoriam, [Ring out, wild bells]
- Popularity of “In Memoriam, [Ring out, wild bells]”: “In Memoriam, [Ring out, wild bells]” by Alfred Lord Tennyson first appeared in 1850. The poem gained widespread popularity and critical acclaim after its publication. Since then, it remains one of Tennyson’s most famous works. The poem is part of a larger work, also titled “In Memoriam A. H. H.,” written to refresh the memory of Arthur Henry Hallam, who was his close friend. Hallam, unfortunately, left him at a very young age. The poem’s powerful and evocative imagery, combined with its themes of grief, love, and hope, has made it a favorite of readers and scholars alike.
- “In Memoriam, [Ring out, wild bells]” As a Representative of Optimism: This excerpt from Tennyson’s poem “In Memoriam” is a call to let go of the past and embrace the future with optimism. The ringing of the wild bells represents a call for change and a call to leave behind the grief, the feud, and the want that has sapped our minds and held us back. Instead, we are called to leave behind old shapes of foul disease, the narrowing lust for gold, and the thousand wars of old and, instead, ring in the thousand years of peace. As representatives of humanity, we must work toward a better world, a world of love and kindness, a world where the valiant and free can thrive and where the darkness is replaced by the Christ that is to be.
- Major Themes in “In Memoriam, [Ring out, wild bells]”: The major themes in “[Ring out, wild bells]” include the passage of time, renewal, social justice, and spiritual awakening. Tennyson begins by urging the bells to “ring out” to mark the passing of time, with the year “dying in the night” (stanza 1), and to welcome in the new year with hope and joy (stanza 2). The poem then shifts to a call for social reform and justice, with Tennyson urging the bells to ring out “the feud of rich and poor” and to “ring in redress to all mankind” (stanza 3). He also calls for a transformation of society, with “nobler modes of life” and “purer laws” (stanza 4).
In the following stanza, Tennyson urges the bells to ring out negative aspects of humanity, such as “the want, the care, the sin” and “the faithless coldness of the times,” while also calling for the fuller expression of artistic and creative endeavors. Tennyson then urges the bells to ring out false pride and slander and to ring in love and truth (stanza 6). Finally, the poem ends with a call for the eradication of disease and war, and for the coming of a new age of peace and spiritual enlightenment, symbolized by the arrival of Christ (stanza 7). Put it concisely, “[Ring out, wild bells]” is a powerful and uplifting poem that speaks to the themes of renewal, social justice, and spiritual awakening that continue to resonate with readers today.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in In Memoriam, [Ring out, wild bells]
The poet Alfred Lord Tennyson used a range of literary devices in his poem to effectively convey his intended themes and emotions. Several significant literary devices are identified and explored below.
- Alliteration: It is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words in a sentence or line. For example, in “flying cloud” and “frosty light.” The consonant sound /f/ has been used as alliteration in the words “flying” and “frosty”, which creates a rhythmic effect.
- Anaphora: It is the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or verses. For example, in the repeated phrase “Ring out” throughout the poem.
- Antithesis: It is the contrast between two opposing ideas in a sentence or line, such as in “Ring out the false, ring in the true” in line 6.
- Apostrophe: It is the direct address of a person, thing, or abstraction, such as the speaker’s address to wild bells in the first line saying “Ring out.”
- Assonance: It is the repetition of vowel sounds in words that are close together, such as in “frosty light” in line 1 where the sound /i/ is repeated.
- Consonance: It is the repetition of consonant sounds in words that are close together, such as in “Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky” in line 1 where the sounds /l/ and /t/ show a repetition.
- Hyperbole: It is the use of exaggerated language to emphasize a point, such as in “Ring out the thousand wars of old, / Ring in the thousand years of peace” in lines 27-28.
- Irony: It is a contrast or incongruity between what is stated and what is meant or between what is expected and what actually happens, such as in the line “Ring out the darkness of the land, / Ring in the Christ that is to be” (lines 31-32) where the speaker calls for the coming of Christ while using the bells to “ring out” the darkness.
- Metaphor: It is a comparison between two things without using “like” or “as,” such as in “Ring out the grief that saps the mind” in line 9.
- Personification: It is giving human characteristics to non-human things, such as in “The year is dying” in line 3.
- Repetition: It is repetition of a word or phrase for emphasis, such as in the repeated phrase “Ring out” throughout the poem.
- Symbolism: It is the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities, such as the bells symbolizing the passage of time and the change of eras.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in In Memoriam, [Ring out, wild bells]
Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is an analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem.
- Diction: It is the choice of words used in the poem which helps in creating the desired effect or tone. Examples of diction in the poem include “wild bells,” “frosty light,” “redress to all mankind,” and “narrowing lust of gold.”
- End Rhyme: It is the repetition of sounds at the end of words in two or more lines of poetry. Examples of end rhyme in the poem include sky/die and snow/go.
- Meter: It is the rhythmical pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line of poetry. “Ring out, wild bells” has a regular iambic tetrameter, with four iambic feet per line, which creates a smooth and consistent beat throughout the poem.
- Rhyme Scheme: It is the pattern of rhyming words at the end of each line in a poem. The rhyme scheme of the poem is ABAB, with the second and fourth lines of each stanza rhyming with each other.
- Poem Type: “Ring out, wild bells” is a lyric poem, which is a type of poetry that expresses personal feelings or emotions.
- Stanza: The poem consists of seven stanzas, each consisting of four lines. The type of stanza used in the poem is quatrain.
- Tone: It is the attitude or mood of the poet towards the subject of the poem. The tone of “Ring out, wild bells” is predominantly melancholic and mournful, reflecting the sadness and loss that comes with the end of a year and the passing of time. However, the poem also contains hopeful and optimistic notes by the end.
Quotes to be Used
This quote is perfect for a New Year’s toast or message, emphasizing the idea of leaving the past behind and welcoming a new beginning.
Ring out the old, ring in the new.
(Line 5)
