Response To Elegy

Response Essay 1: Annotation of a Poem
Poem: Elegy by Chidiock Tichborne
Four Items:
1. The time period which it was written
2. Tichborne died the year it was written
3. The commas that create a pause within each line
4. The title
Words for Annotation:
1. “prime” – the peak of quality at a certain time
Prime is used as a point in Tichborne’s life that is supposed to be fun and adventurous when it seems to only be a “frost of cares”.
2. “tares” – a poisonous plant used in the Bible that looks like corn
Tares is used as a contrast to actual corn. Tichborne’s life is supposed to be full of corn and is instead full of tares.
3. “sought” – desired or wanted
Tichborne uses this word in hopes of seeking after is death, and he finds it before he was even born.
4. “womb” – a place where a child is conceived and grows in its mothers body before entering the world
Womb is used in a a literal sense, meaning before he was born; before he had life.
5. “trod” – walk a certain way
The words tomb, womb and sought are simple, but are used in a way that makes them complex and meaningful. “I trod the earth and knew it was my tomb,” (Tichborne 15). Tichborne is telling the reader that is basically his time to go. By using the word tomb he makes it more of an elegy and gives the reader a visual of death. Tichborne also uses the word womb which I found interesting because that word is almost the complete opposite of death. However in the line he uses it he says, “I sought my death and found it in my womb,” (Tichborne 13) which means he thinks he’s been dying since before he was born. He was very young and probably felt like he did not get enough time. In the same line he uses the word sought and I think it’s also another a simple word, but it is so much stronger than using “see” or