BSc BA ADP English Notes Poem New Year Resolutions (Elizabeth Sewell) Summary & Introduction

BSc BA ADP English Notes Poem New Year Resolutions (Elizabeth Sewell) Summary

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New Year Resolutions

The poem is about the resolutions that the poetess makes on the New Year. The poem is an illustration of the novel approach of the poetess. In this poem, the poetess makes some New Year Resolutions for the arrival of the new year. She says that she would take an entirely new approach in the new year. The poem is an apt description of the poetess's innovative thoughts.

Summary

This is a brief and interesting poem by Elizabeth Sewel. She tells us about her resolutions on the start of a new year. Instead of celebrating and rejoicing, she is planning to be more serious and philosophical on New year's day.  She tells us that she would make some resolution on the new year. She told us about her promises for the future year.

Her first resolution is to purify her soul. She will remain quiet and serious in the coming year. Silence and quietness will purify her soul and will wash away her sins. She uses a simile that she will drink long droughts of quietness. In this way, she gives us an impression that she will not indulge in worldly affairs and will satisfy herself with what nature gives to her. This is really an innovative and untraditional resolution.

Her 2nd resolution is to remove her all shortcomings and bad things. She says that she will carefully examine her own soul. She will identify and remove her drawbacks and evil things to purify her soul.

The poetess makes another resolution that she will face reality. She will be more realistic and accepting. She will lead a simple and humble life. She will not feel proud of his beauty and riches.

Reality is bitter. But the poetess makes a resolution to accept it as it is. She says that she will lie on the bony arms of the reality. This is a good simile the poetess has used in the poem. She is trying to convey us an inspiring message that we should face the reality with all its bitterness and try to seek comfort in it.

The tone of the poetess suggests that she is willing to fulfill her new year's resolutions at any cost. Her resolutions seem to be unrealistic and inapplicable but she seems to be determined. The poem looks like imagery far away from reality. In real life, we are still not willing to make such extraordinary resolutions.