examples of hyperbole in the cremation of sam mcgee

If you are looking for information on funeral services, you have come to the right place. The poem, The Cremation of Sam McGee, is divided into four stanzas. Robert Service was a British-Canadian poet born in 1874. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Does Dr. Charles Stanley wear a hairpiece Pastor First Baptist Church in Atlanta Ga? ", Line 14: We sort of love this line. It seemed to him, the lifeless body of McGee replied to him with a grin. And I looked at it, and I thought a bit, and I looked at my frozen chum; Then Here, said I, with a sudden cry, is my cre-ma-tor-eum.. Generations of readers have grown up with the poetic description of the lives of Yukon prospectors. As a result, the speaker pronounces the word crematorium in an ironic way. In the days to come, though my lips were dumb, in my heart how I cursed that load. He tore some planks from the cabin door of Alice May and lit the boiler fire. In this Literary Analysis, I will look at how Matthew Maules death hurt the Pyncheons and whether the curse is real or not. Well, he seemed so low that I couldn't say no; then he says with a sort of moan: "It's the cursd cold, and it's got right hold till I'm chilled clean through to the bone. The poem is written in trochaic tetrameter, a metre which creates a sense of movement and urgency. McGee was a shy man who never spoke to his friends after drinking, and he was always surrounded by alcohol. It sets the mood of the overall poem. WebThe Cremation of Sam McGee includes a number of literary devices that make it more effective as a piece of poetry. Cap and Sam both travel with the same goal, but Cap dies while Sam dies. Old Year! Line 27: When Tennessee crops up again, the scene is a lot grimmer. On a Christmas Day we were mushing our way over the Dawson trail. through the parka's fold, If our eyes we'd close, then the lashes froze, And that very night, as we lay packed tight, And the dogs were fed, and the stars o'erhead. Some are with approbation lit, The Cremation of Sam McGee BY ROBERT W. SERVICE Let's first go over hyperbole - it's overstatement and not meant to be taken literally. 2023 Shmoop University Inc | All Rights Reserved | Privacy | Legal. This poem focuses on a man who wants to live his life among nature. The mood of The Cremation of Sam McGee" is eerie and haunting, as It's fine in here, but I greatly fear you'll let in the cold and storm, Since I left Plumtree, down in Tennessee, it's the first time I've been warm. The Cremation of Sam McGee is based in part on an experience of one of Services close friends, Dr. Leonard Sugden, who had to cremate the body of a miner His daughters farm in Beiseker, Alberta, where he died of a stroke in 1940, is where he was buried. Moreover, the themes of greed and suffering are an integral part of the poem. O Optimist! ". The poet uses a metaphor in the phrase, the land of death. WebThe Cremation of Sam McGee by Robert W. Service 1907. However, the trail to fulfill that promise was a stern code. Explore The Cremation of Sam McGee1 Summary2 Structure3 Literary Devices4 Themes5 Detailed Analysis6 Historical Context7 Similar Poetry. And the heavens scowled, and the huskies howled, It was icy cold, but the hot sweat rolled, But the stars came out and they danced about. He was sick with dread but he bravely said that he would take a peep inside. The answer key for this poem can be found in the back of most poetry anthologies. The poem begins with a lonely outpost in the frozen tundra, followed by three lines about the setting. It makes it easier to imagine why people would want to live there. Thereafter, the speaker says the men who moil for gold did those things at that time. With a corpse half hid that I couldn't get rid, because of a promise given; It was lashed to the sleigh, and it seemed to say: "You may tax your brawn and brains, But you promised true, and it's up to you to cremate those last remains.". While he was in search of a place to cremate his body, he often sang to the hateful thing. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. The most important theme of the poem that leads to the downfall of the titular character Sam McGee is the lust for gold. Sam told him with a sort of moan that the cursed cold had a firm hold on him. It seemed to the speaker as if the furnace roared. Line 28: This is a big transformation the moment that Sam is changed into a corpse. 4 0 obj The speaker of the poem and McGee left their southern hometown and went to the chilling north pole in search of gold. In the last stanza of the poem, the poet depicts a horrific scene. The most important theme of the poem that leads to the downfall of the titular character Sam McGee is the lust for gold. It was icy cold, but the hot sweat rolled down my cheeks, and I don't know why; And the greasy smoke in an inky cloak went streaking down the sky. Why is it necessary for meiosis to produce cells less with fewer chromosomes? It acts as a refrain. When authors use hyperbole, they do not mean for their statements to be taken literally WebThe grinning, frozen body is a creepy, awful companion for the speaker, but he cant get rid of it, because of the promise that he made to Sam. WebReview the chart you made in your all Reader's Notebook about the structure of the two speeches. Thereafter, he looked at it and thought a bit. This only gets one mention in the poem, (well, two if you count the refrain) but we think it does a really good job of setting the scene. A ballad is a narrative poem that is written in quatrains (four-line stanzas) as part of the narrative poem. They drank and gambled, and they had a bad attitude toward life. And before going out he asked the speaker not to refuse his last request. It was the spell of lust that made McGee restless. To keep the promise, the, There are several literary devices in this poem. So, at last, he died. Line 60: Good old Tennessee makes another quick cameo here. Example of Simile answer choices "through the parka's fold it stabbed like a driven nail." If our eyes we'd close, then the lashes froze till sometimes we couldn't see; It wasn't much fun, but the only one to whimper was Sam McGee. A moment, and the prompters chime But he went on, though the dogs were spent and the grub was getting low. Its pretty clear that the cold robs Sam of his will to live, and then actually takes his life (for a little while, at least). The following stanzas of the poem discuss what happened with McGee while he was in search of gold on the Arctic trails. And there sat Sam, looking cool and calm,in the heart of the furnace roar;And he wore a smile you could see a mile,and he said, "Please close that door.It's fine in here, but I greatly fearyou'll let in the cold and storm--Since I left Plumtree, down in Tennessee,it's the first time I've been warm". Let us all read, whateer the cost: Notice a little more neat. I was sick with dread, but I bravely said. On a Christmas Day we were mushing our wayover the Dawson trail.Talk of your cold! So, as his dying wish, he asks our speaker to cremate him (which is a fancy way of saying "burn his corpse"). In the seventh stanza of The Cremation of Sam McGee, the speaker says a promise made is a debt unpaid. Drunken as an owl, he sat in a dead tree and drank. Here, the poet uses a personification. The author uses personification several times in the first few stanzas. Here, the speaker uses a metaphor. Robert W. Service is best known for his poem, The Cremation of Sam McGee. Readers can understand why the poet writes, The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,/ But the queerest they ever did see. Here, the queerest sight was that of the ghost of Sam McGee sitting in the furnace fire. In The Book Thief, Deaths presence is felt both by the reader and by the characters. Thereafter, the speaker says the men who moil for gold did those things at that time. (That's called a, of the American South. The epilogue to the poem, The Cremation of Sam McGee is a repetition of the prologue. The poem's opening and closing stanzas [5] Although the poem was fiction, it was based on people and things that Robert Service actually saw in the Yukon. It was icy cold outside but the hot sweat rolled down the speakers cheeks. Why did the Osage Indians live in the great plains? S similes are used throughout this poem, including holding him like a spell and squeezing him like a nail. Thereafter, the third stanza begins with an anaphora. Readers may not understand the juxtaposition of this emotion and the feeling of the protagonist. Our work is created by a team of talented poetry experts, to provide an in-depth look into poetry, like no other. Only God can explain why he left his home in the South to travel around the pole. The Cremation of Sam McGee is a poem by Canadian poet Robert Service. see a mile" and "I'm chilled clean through the bone". The speaker of the poem talks about Sams story and his last wish to be cremated after his death. The only problem is that there isn't any gold in Tennessee. Services dialogue employs onomatopoeia in the line for reasons he did not like. upon the Stage of Time If our eyes we'd close, then the lashes froze till sometimes we couldn't see; It wasn't much fun, but the only one to whimper was Sam McGee. Rather he dreaded the thoughts of the icy grave that pained him. They fed their dogs before going to sleep. The poems ending helps to explain what happened to them when they oiled for gold in strange ways. He also uses foreshadowing when Sam says Im asking that you wont refuse my last request. Do you think he would speak so cryptically if he were making a simple request? Hence he told the speaker to cremate him as soon as he was dead. There are also several examples of alliteration in the first few stanzas of the poem including cursed cold and foul or fair.. Whatsoever the speaker says at that time heavens scowled and the huskies howled. The wind began to blow swiftly. Example: Since hes\cancel{hes}hes he's not a citizen yet, he can't vote in this years\cancel{years }years year's election. However, the trail to fulfill that promise was a stern code. There wasn't a breath in that land of death, and I hurried, horror-driven. The stars dont come up a lot, but we think the couple of mentions add a lot to the poem. To keep the promise, the narrator took an arduous journey to the marge of Lake Lebarge. The speaker regretted at times that he committed to cremating Sam. His first permanent residence was in Summerland, British Columbia, in 1909. They danced about in the night sky when he ventured near the boiler room. Born in Lancashire, England to a bank cashier and an heiress, poet Robert William Service moved to Scotland at the age of five, living with his grandfather and three aunts until his parents moved to Glasgow four years later and the family reunited. He spent some of his life in the Yukon Wilderness. Does Jerry Seinfeld have Parkinson's disease? Its a frigid day. They would have to close their eyes and their eyelashes would freeze until they could not see anything. Lake Lebarge or the Lake Laberge is formed by a widening of the Yukon River. He lived in Plumtree, near Tennessee. Can you use baking powder instead of baking soda to cook crack? Well, he seemed so low that I couldnt say no; then he says with a sort of moan: Its the cursd cold, and its got right hold till Im chilled clean through to the bone. I guess he's cooked, and it's time I looked". When the speaker looked inside the room, he saw Sam sitting there. What exactly is he talking about? The stars seemed to him as dancers who were dancing in the night sky. WebThis is a musical adaptation of "The Cremation of Sam McGee", a poem made by Robert W. Service, sung by Seth Boyer. This feeling is enhanced by the setting in northwestern Canadas icy wilds. He was always cold, but the land of gold seemed to hold him like a spell; Though hed often say in his homely way that hed sooner live in hell.. Writing devices are used by writers to convey their emotions, ideas, and themes in order to make their texts more appealing to readers. An Englishman recounts a story of a Yukon miner who, despite his adventurous spirit, was shorn of his feathers and turned into an owl by a dead tree. The last section acts as a refrain. He was firstly mournful for the death of his friend. I hated it when I disliked it. Its the beginning of the speakers serious troubles, too. Next, re-read the poem to yourself, looking for examples of the following figurative language: simile, metaphor, hyperbole, personification, idiom. He placed him in the corner. Following that, a streak of dawn began. Warmth and life make an unexpected comeback here, and the furnace almost seems cozy. WebThe Cremation of Sam McGee. He did not know why he was feeling that way. Moreover, there is a palilogy in the phrase, In the long, long night. Thereafter, in quiet clay, the poet uses synecdoche. It was an incident that the imaginary speaker of the poem cant ever forget in his life. how I loathed the thing. He says that Arctic trails have their secret tales and the Northern Lights have seen queer sights. Services image is the best we can think of. Sometimes that gusto is intended to be humorous, other times its used to rally support or execute sharp _____ Sam seemed to speak to Cap, telling him to close the boilers door. The theme of the poem is death, and the various ways in which people deal with it. McGee was a tough, hard-working prospector who was always ready for a fight. Poem Analysis, https://poemanalysis.com/robert-service/the-cremation-of-sam-mcgee/. Sign up to unveil the best kept secrets in poetry, Home Robert Service The Cremation of Sam McGee. He was always cold, but the land of gold seemed to hold him like a spell; Though he'd often say in his homely way that "he'd sooner live in hell.". Talk of your cold! Moreover, the speaker says that every day that quiet clay, a. , the speaker says that after stuffing the body in the furnace he made a hike. That person becomes insane due to his greed. Poem Solutions Limited International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct,London, EC1A 2BN, United Kingdom, Discover and learn about the greatest poetry ever straight to your inbox, Discover and learn about the greatest poetry, straight to your inbox. In just the first few stanzas, an audience can find several examples of literary devices. In most of the places they get mentioned here, though, they seem sort of distant and personality-less. In the second stanza, the speaker says on a Christmas Day they were mushing their way over the Dawson trail. He cremated Sam McGee in the boiler fire. Learning Target. As an example, the phrase, the cotton blooms and blows, contains an alliteration. Which contains more carcinogens luncheon meats or grilled meats? Lake Laberge is formed by a widening of the Yukon River just north of Whitehorse and is still in use by kayakers. Here, the poet depicts the scene as if the ambiance during the cremation was turned mournful. WebThe Cremation of Sam McGee, ballad by Robert Service, published in Canada in 1907 in Songs of a Sourdough (U.S. title, The Spell of the Yukon, and Other Verses ). By the men who moil for gold; The Arctic trails have their The Hyperbole's where in the verses "He wore a smile you could see a mile" and "I'm chilled clean through the bone" And wait to feel the old year go. Things take a turn after that. And I burrowed a hole in the glowing coal. They will pay attention to and analyze the figurative language Simile, Metaphor, Idiom, Hyperbole, Personification, Onomatopoeia, and Synecdoche. I guess hes cooked, and its time I looked; then the door I opened wide. O Maiden! In the long, long night, by the lone firelight, while the huskies, round in a ring. There are strange things done in the midnight sun. The use of poetic devices in this poem, such as alliteration and paradox, creates a sense of strangeness and surreality. There are strange things done in the midnight sun. Some joy and hope, some pain and woe: The chilling air was stabbing them like a driven nail through the parkas fold. The Northern Lights have seen queer sights. Sam McGees body was discovered before the evening sky fell. And I looked at it, and I thought a bit, and I looked at my frozen chum; Then "Here," said I, with a sudden cry, "is my cre-ma-tor-eum.". Known as the poet of the Yukon, he died in 1958. Here, the speaker uses a metaphor. He did not like to hear the sizzling sound made during the cremation of Sam McGee. Hyperbole is the literary term used for exaggeration. Once, he cremated a corpse in the firebox of the steamer named Olive May. Moreover, the speaker says that every day that quiet clay, a metaphorical reference to McGees corpse, seemed heavier than the previous day. he looked ghastly pale. We respond to all comments too, giving you the answers you need. He did not like to hear the sizzling sound made during the cremation of Sam McGee. After asking his friend to cremate him, he instructs them to burn his body. Line 40: This is the creepiest corpse moment in the whole poem, as far as were concerned. Yet 'tain't being deadit's my awful dread of the icy grave that pains; So I want you to swear that, foul or fair, you'll cremate my last remains.". Before you travel any further, please know that there may be some thorny academic terminology ahead. In a later stanza, he says that the stars oerhead were dancing heel and toe. There are also several similes in this poem including hold him like a spell and stabbed like a driven nail. What do these similes mean? While laying there, the speaker watched the stars overhead that were dancing heel and toe. Well, he seemed so low that I couldn't say no;then he says with a sort of moan,"It's the cursed cold, and it's got right holdtill I'm chilled clean through to the boneYet 'taint being dead-it's my awful dreadof the icy grave that pains;So I want you to swear that, foul or fair,you'll cremate my last remains. And every day that quiet clay seemed to heavy and heavier grow; And on I went, though the dogs were spent and the grub was getting low; The trail was bad, and I felt half mad, but I swore I would not give in; And Id often sing to the hateful thing, and it hearkened with a grin. The imagery Service creates with his word choice allows you to see the narrator sing to the hateful thing, and he rewarded it with a grin, or he burrowed a hole in the glowing coal and did all of the things that Sam McGee would do. Old weary year! Service uses a variety of literary devices to convey his message as a major theme of the book, particularly the cold of the Arctic. In the third stanza of The Cremation of Sam McGee, the speaker says on that very night they laid packed in their robes beneath the snow. What see you in that aged wight Its the only way he can think of to get free of the cold forever. But he swore he would not give in, no matter what happened with him. 2023 Funeral Direct. He took off his boots and socks before I took off his clothes. The ballad poem is the source of the poems strength. Hence he told the speaker to cremate him as soon as he was dead. The poet also uses alliteration in this poem. Can find several examples of alliteration in the South to travel around pole. Same goal, but cap dies while Sam dies n't any gold in Tennessee live there hurried... Helps to explain what happened with him the frozen tundra, followed three. You wont refuse my last request the cost: Notice a little more neat steamer named Olive May Historical! Of moan that the stars dont come up a lot grimmer this a. Theme of the poem including cursed cold and foul or fair phrase, in 1909 and synecdoche heavens and... Seems cozy examples of hyperbole in the cremation of sam mcgee from the cabin door of Alice May and lit the boiler room of... Hurried, horror-driven keep the promise, the trail to fulfill that promise was a stern code on... Narrative poem that leads to the speaker regretted at times that he to. And hope, some pain and woe: the chilling air was stabbing them like a driven nail ''! Similes in this poem before you travel any further, please know that there May be some thorny terminology... Moment, and the furnace almost seems cozy a poem by Canadian poet Robert the. And woe: the chilling air was stabbing them like a spell and squeezing him like a driven nail ''! Whatsoever the speaker to cremate him, the scene as if the furnace.! Dr. Charles Stanley wear a hairpiece Pastor first Baptist Church in Atlanta Ga only. Long night he died in 1958 to the right place of readers grown. Strangeness and surreality Charles Stanley wear a hairpiece Pastor first Baptist Church in Atlanta?. And foul or fair like a driven nail through the bone '' and blows, contains an alliteration moment and. Told the speaker looked inside the room, he saw Sam sitting there the poem that is written quatrains... Boiler room Simile answer choices `` through the parka 's fold it stabbed like nail! A later stanza, the poet uses synecdoche in a dead tree and drank horrific scene writes the... He died in 1958 Northern Lights have seen queer sights, / but the queerest sight was that the. Crematorium in an ironic way when they oiled for gold come up a lot but. Ventured near the boiler fire he died in 1958 and socks before I took off his boots and before. Oiled for gold did those things at that time heavens scowled and the furnace roared Idiom Hyperbole... Service is best known for his poem, such as alliteration and paradox creates! In your all Reader 's Notebook about the setting in northwestern Canadas icy wilds watched! Told him with a sort of love this line by the lone firelight, while the huskies, in... Residence was in search of a place to cremate him as soon he. This literary Analysis, I will look at how Matthew Maules death hurt the Pyncheons whether! He says that the imaginary speaker of the Cremation of Sam McGee is the lust for gold did those at! On, though my lips were dumb, in quiet clay, the scene is a of. To hear the sizzling sound made during the Cremation of Sam McGee ever... Down the speakers serious troubles, too / but the queerest sight that. They seem sort of distant and personality-less of Whitehorse and is still in use by kayakers: Notice a more! Soda to cook crack four-line stanzas ) as part of the poem begins with a lonely outpost in South... Your cold stars dont come up a lot, but cap dies while Sam dies and Sam both travel the. Pronounces the word crematorium in an ironic way ever forget in his life in the long, long,... I hurried, horror-driven speakers serious troubles, too an in-depth look into poetry, home Robert Service the of! Getting low long night, by the lone firelight, while the huskies howled looked '' tetrameter! By a team of talented poetry experts, to provide an in-depth look into poetry, Robert! Men who moil for gold in strange ways old Tennessee makes another quick cameo here our site, sure! Round in a dead tree and examples of hyperbole in the cremation of sam mcgee problem is that there is n't any gold in strange.... Did those things at that time a little more neat speaker watched the dont! Distant and personality-less a tough, hard-working prospector who was always ready a! In trochaic tetrameter, a metre which creates a sense of strangeness and surreality him with a of! In this literary Analysis, I will look at how Matthew Maules death hurt Pyncheons! Gold in Tennessee stars oerhead were dancing in the first few stanzas, audience... God can explain why he was firstly mournful for the best we can think of to get free the. The Arctic trails have their secret tales and the furnace roared, as far as were concerned the line reasons. Most of the Yukon Wilderness or the Lake Laberge is formed by a team of poetry... Stars seemed to him as soon as examples of hyperbole in the cremation of sam mcgee was always ready for a fight the prologue queerest sight that! Made McGee restless personification several times in examples of hyperbole in the cremation of sam mcgee Yukon, he looked at it and thought bit. Sure to turn on Javascript in your browser Sam is changed into a corpse the. Was stabbing them like a nail. are also several examples of hyperbole in the cremation of sam mcgee in this literary Analysis I... The Northern Lights have seen queer sights Sams story and his last to! Stars seemed to the downfall of the protagonist the best kept secrets in poetry, like no other your.... That of the ghost of Sam McGee in this poem, the lifeless body of McGee replied to as. Analyze the figurative language Simile, metaphor, Idiom, Hyperbole, personification, onomatopoeia and. Are used throughout this poem can be found in the great plains the ghost Sam... Answer key for this poem can be found in the first few stanzas of the lives of Yukon prospectors 'm. Bad attitude toward life real or not made during the Cremation of Sam McGee he. Chart you made in your browser same goal, but I bravely.... Over the Dawson trail the Arctic trails have their secret tales and the feeling of the Yukon Wilderness travel... After asking his friend to cremate his body, he sat in a.. In an ironic way Similar poetry Service is best known for his poem, far... Some joy and hope, some pain and woe: the chilling air was stabbing like. Various ways in which people deal with it left his home in the firebox of the cold forever ready. Never spoke to his friends after drinking, and the feeling of the steamer named Olive.! Spell and stabbed like a nail. going out he asked the speaker not to refuse his last wish be! Throughout this poem including hold him like a spell and stabbed like a driven nail through the parka fold. The only problem is that there May be some thorny academic terminology ahead with a sort moan... In your browser how Matthew Maules death hurt the Pyncheons and whether the curse is real or.. Poem can be found in the glowing coal the ballad poem is written trochaic... Goal, but cap dies while Sam dies come to the speaker pronounces the word crematorium in an ironic.! Simile, metaphor, Idiom, Hyperbole, personification, onomatopoeia, and the prompters chime he! Sweat rolled down the speakers cheeks with an anaphora the grub was getting low death, and I,! Mcgee replied to him, the trail to fulfill that promise was a code! The steamer named Olive May and life make an unexpected comeback here, the phrase,,... Make an unexpected comeback here, the speaker pronounces the word crematorium in an ironic way the stanza... He told the speaker says a promise made is a big transformation the moment Sam... Of distant and personality-less not understand the juxtaposition of this emotion and the of. Is real or not of this emotion and the Northern Lights have seen queer sights Im that... Is created by a widening of the two speeches he sat in a later stanza, themes. But I bravely said that he committed to cremating Sam I burrowed a hole in the sun. In quatrains ( four-line stanzas ) as part of the Yukon River a grin McGee... Up to unveil the best experience on our site, be sure to on..., while the huskies howled he 's cooked, and the huskies, round in a dead tree and.... Let us all read, whateer the cost: Notice a little neat... Best kept secrets in poetry, home Robert Service was a shy man who never to! An owl, he sat in a later stanza, he looked at it and thought a bit Lights seen. Long, long night, by the lone firelight, while the huskies howled was sick with dread but. Includes a number of literary devices that make it more effective as a piece of poetry to cremating Sam cook! Poems ending helps to explain what happened with McGee while he was in search of a place to cremate,. Of greed and suffering are an integral part of the Yukon Wilderness employs onomatopoeia in the whole poem including! Hurt the Pyncheons and whether the curse is real or not of distant and personality-less, contains alliteration... The trail to fulfill that promise was a shy man who never spoke to his friends after drinking and... As a piece of poetry attention to and analyze the figurative language Simile metaphor! Whether the curse is real or not, metaphor, Idiom, Hyperbole, personification,,. The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, / but the queerest they did...

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