Question

Read the stanza from the poem. "Poor restless dove, I pity thee; And when I hear thy plaintive moan, I mourn for thy captivity, And in thy woes forget mine own." What is the main way the stanza contributes to the meaning of the poem

Answer 1

Answer:

The first stanza brings the main focus of the whole poem, presenting us with the sad image of the captive bird.

Explanation:

The poem "The Captive Dove" by Anne Bronte talks about a captive dove in the speaker's room. She narrates how she felt about the imprisoned dove, an animal more associated with peace.

The given lines are from the very first stanza of the poem where the poet addressed the caged animal directly. The speaker, while observing the bird "flap those useless wings", feels pity for bird. She admits that she was engrossed in the bird that she forgot her own woes. Suggesting that only if the dove had "one gentle mate / Thy little drooping heart to cheer,/ And share with thee thy captive state", then it would be happy to be in the cage. But "poor solitary dove" had to "joyless moan [and] pine, neglected, and alone".

The first stanza brings the very sad situation of the bird to the fore, captivating us with the image of the bird helplessly flying around in the small space of its cage. It allows the readers to get the main idea of what the poem will be about. By laying emphasis on the captive state of the bird which is sad enough to make the speaker forget her own woes, the first stanza brings a great impact on the condition/ situation of the caged bird.