Some symbols in poems of george gordon, lord byron = một số biểu tượng trong thơ của byron

Some symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron Acknowledgement After a long period of time to study, with a great attempt, I have finally finished my thesis Now I would like to express my gratitude to all who have helped me fulfill this thesis Firstly, I would like to express my deep thanks to my supervisor M.A TrÇn Ngäc T-ëng, who has helped me very enthusiastically Secondly, I am grateful to my family for their great help and encouragement Thirdly, I would like to send my special thanks to my best friend for his encouragement in my study Finally, My thanks go to my classmates and the librarians of Vinh University lending me essential documents to implement this thesis Without the help of those people, it is impossible for me to finish this thesis Vinh, May 2008 Ngun ThÞ Ngäc Table of content Ngun ThÞ Ngäc i 45 B2 English Some symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron Part I: Introduction 1 The rationale of choosing the theme The aims of the study Scope of the study Methods of the study Format of the study Part II: Content Chapter 1: Theoretical preliminaries 1.1 Figures of speech 1.2 Symbols 1.2.1 Definition 1.2.2 Etymology 1.3 Categories of symbol in literature 1.3.1 Conventional symbol 1.3.1.1 Definition 1.3.1.2 Subclasses of conventional symbol 1.3.1 Contextual Symbol 1.3.3 Private symbol 1.4 1.5 1.6 Purpose of symbol How to recognize symbols How to engage with the symbol to sense all of it meanings 9 10 Chapter II: Some symbols in poems of george gordon, lord Byron 13 2.1 2.1.1 2.1.2 2.2 2.2.1 2.2.2 Romanticism and its essential features Romanticism The essential features of Romanticism The two generations of Romantics The conservative trend The progressive trend Ngun ThÞ Ngäc ii 13 13 14 15 15 16 45 B2 English Some symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron 2.3 2.4 2.4.1 2.4.2 George Gordon ,Lord Byron (1788 – 1842) Some symbols in some Byron‛ poems Rose symbolizing beauty of love Sword symbolizing weapons 16 17 17 17 2.4.3 2.4.4 2.4.5 2.4.6 Chain symbolizing slavery Grave symbolizing death Cloud symbolizing loneliness Heart symbolizing will and encouragement 19 21 22 22 2.4.7 Light symbolizing life 23 2.4.8 Light symbolizing judgment 24 2.8.9 Light symbolizing hope and belief 24 2.410 Darkness symbolizing death 26 2.4.11 Light and darkness symbolizing the beauty‛ 27 2.10.12 Light and darkness symbolizing contraction between warmth and coldness 29 2.4.13 Childe Harold symbolizing Byronic hero 30 2.4.14 Hero in ‚ Oriental Tales‛ symbolizing Byronic hero 31 Chapter III suggested excercises 33 I Look at the image in the following pictures and answer the question: what does the image symbolize? 33 II In the following poem, is the rose a symbol, a simile, or a metaphor? 35 III In this stanza, what violet symbolizes? 35 IV Identify symbol in this stanza and explain it 35 V Read the following poem and answer questions 35 VI How many symbols are there in the following poem and present them? 36 VII Read and answer questions 37 VIII Read and answer the following questions: 37 IX Analyze symbol of light in this stanza: 38 XI Analyze symbol in the following poem 39 XII Analyze symbol in the following poem 40 Part III Conclusion 41 References 43 Part I: Introduction Ngun ThÞ Ngäc iii 45 B2 English Some symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron The rationale of choosing the theme ‚Language of poetry is almost always picturesque‛ (Paul Hunter J), language of poetry creates picture in our mind and helps us see things fresh and new; it makes our life more interesting and significant What makes poetic language picturesque? In my opinion, the most important factor is the frequent use of figures of speech With the help of figures of speech, a lot of abstract ideas are expressed very clearly and interestingly One of the most difficult devices of figures of speech is symbol; it is not always easy for us to recognize the symbolic nature of all actions, characters and objects However, the symbol brings about the great aesthetic values and significance for poetic works Therefore I really want to explore its values Moreover, I wish I could something to help my friends or any reader overcome the problems when reading poetic work in which the poet uses symbols to express ideas An another reason is when I learnt English literature, I was very interested in a poet, Lord Byron – the poet of freedom, realism and love in the English Romanticism I find the symbol in his poetry beautiful and meaningful, and they also symbolize ideal of his own That’s why I choose the subject ‚Some symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron ‛ The aims of thesis The main aims of this thesis are: - To understand more about the symbol in literature - To enrich my knowledge about Romanticism -To know more about Lord Byron, his life and idea - To understand about the symbol in Lord Byron’s Poetry - To improve the ability of interpreting poetry Ngun ThÞ Ngäc iv 45 B2 English Some symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron Scope of the study - Studying symbol in literature, especially poetry - Studying symbols in Lord Byron‘s poetry Methods of the study - Studying documents dealing with the thesis - Using analytic, contrastive, descriptive and collective methods Format of the study This graduation thesis consists of three main parts: Part I: Introduction In this part, I give my background: the reason of choosing the theme, the aims, the scope, the methods and the format of the study Part II Content Chapter I: Theoretical preliminaries Chapter II: Symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron Chapter III: suggested exercises Part III: Conclusion I give a brief summary on what I have studied above and give some suggestions for further study Ngun ThÞ Ngäc v 45 B2 English Some symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron Part II: Content Chapter I: Theoretical preliminaries 1.1 Figures of speech: Figures of speech are deviation from denotative or common forms of statement They are pictures, images, vivid language appealing to imagination, making easy comprehension They are devices known for usage in literature, especially in poetry In Kirszner & Mandell (1984) ‚Figures of speech-expressions that suggest more than their literal meaning one more prominent in poetry than other kinds of writing‛ According to Hunter (1986) ‚ Figures of speech in which something in pictured or imaged or picture forth in terms of something already familiar to us, are taken for granted in daily life Thing we can’t see or which aren’t familiar to us are pictured as thing we can’t ‚ There are many types of figures of speech such as metaphor simile, metonymy, personification, symbol, etc - Metaphor is the transference of meaning from one object to another based on similarity between these two objects - Metonymy is the substitution of one word for another with which it is associated - Simile is a comparison between two unlike items that includes like or as - Personification is a figure of speech that an inanimate object or animal in given human qualities 1.2 Symbol: Ngun ThÞ Ngäc vi 45 B2 English Some symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron 1.2.1 Definition: Symbols are objects, pictures or other concrete representations of ideas, concepts, or other abstractions Example: In the United States, Canada, Autralia and Great Britain, a red octagon is the symbol for ‚stop‛ - A flag is a symbol of nation A prison is symbol of confinement, constriction and loss of freedom In Hunter (1986), ‚A symbol is many things to many people, and often it means that no more than the person using the term is dealing with something he doesn’t know how to describe or think about precisely The term is difficult to be precise about, but it can be used quite sensibly A symbol is put simply, something which stands for something else‛ In a very literal sense, words themselves are all symbol standing for an object, action, or quality, not just for letters or sounds, however, in poetry symbols are said to be those words and groups of words which have a range reference beyond their literal denotation According to X.J Kenedy, ‚A symbol is a specical kind of image for it exceeds the usual image in the richness of its connotation In Kirzsner & Mandell (1994), ‚Poetry uses symbol as a kind of shorthand, as a subtle way of introducing a significant idea or attitude A symbol is an idea or image that suggests something else-but not in the simple way that a dollar sign stands for money or a flag represents a country A symbol is an image that transcends its literal, or denotative, meaning in complex ways by suggesting other items or ideas‛ 1.2.2 Etymology: The word ‚symbol‛ came to the English language by way of middle English, from old French, from Latin, from the Greek ( symbolon), from the root words (syn) meaning ‚together‛ and ‚a throw‛, having the approximate meaning of ‚to throw together‛ This means a symbol throws Ngun ThÞ Ngäc vii 45 B2 English Some symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron together object, people, or actions and a meaning that is not necessarily inherent in them 1.3 Categories of symbol in literature Symbols can be divided intro major categories: Conventional symbol, contextual symbol and private symbol 1.3.1 Conventional symbol 1.3.1.1 Definition: Conventional symbol are those that traditionnally carry a particular meaning In literature, conventationl symbol is a part of the language of literature They may be the basis of relatively simple ideas for example, rose suggests love, spring can suggest rebirth and promise, autumn symbolizes declining years and powers, summer is symbol of youth and beauty They may also develop more complex and ambiguous ideas For example: in ‚Love’s Emblem‛ of John Clare, the speaker in ‚Love’s Emblem‛ sends the rose to Chloe to decorate her bosom and reflect the blush of her check and brow and he goes on to mention some of the standard meaning The rose is pure, transitory, fragnant, beautiful, and always appreciated To say that the rose is am emblem of love is to say that it traditionally symbolizes love, and the speaker expects Chloe to accept his gift readily She will understand it as a complimentary in going on to call her a rose, except that her qualities are said to be more lasting than those of momentary flower 1.3.1.2 Subclasses of conventional symbols: + National or regional symbol: Nation or regional symbols are conventional symbol only within a given culture It means that a specific symbol is controlled by a specific Ngun ThÞ Ngäc viii 45 B2 English Some symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron culture People living in different cultures may consider the meaning of an object different to decide the meaning of a symbol; we should look at the particular tradition or body of belief which makes the many symbols have national or regional features For example: Color yellow means the previous things or immortality to Vietnamese people but means disease to English people Black cat is symbol of good luck to English people however it is a symbol of bad luck to Vietnamese poeple + Universal symbols: Universal symbol are those likely to be recognized by people regardless of their culture They have the same meaning in every community all over the world Example: - A rose suggests love beauty - A sword is the symbol of fighting - Spring symbolizes growth - Winter symbolizes death + Archetypal symbols: Archetypal symbols are those which were not conventional at first, but after a long time being used and known by many people, they become more familiar and gradually go into the minds of people everywhere with the same meaning In other words, many symbols have appeared so frequently and for such a long time in the literature or various cultures that their meaning seems to be natural, these are known as ‚archetypes‛ Example: ‚The woods are lonely, dark and deep But I have to promise to keep And miles to go before I sleep And miles to go before I sleep‛ (Robert Frost, Stopping by woods on a snowing evening) Ngun ThÞ Ngäc ix 45 B2 English Some symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron The repetition of the last time puts an additional stress on both ‚miles‛ and ‚sleep‛, that the words imply more than they literally say Reader familiar with other literal works that use either a journey or sleep as symbols can see this poem as using the conventional archetypal symbol of a journey towards death, an additional implication that co-exists with its surface meaning of a journey on a winter’s night 1.3.2 Contextual Symbol: Contextual Symbols are those that become symbols only within the context of a particular work They may not have the same symbolic meaning or even any symbolic meaning in different work Example: In ‚A rose for Emily‛, William Faulker focuses attention on an unseen watch in a pivotal scene The reader’s first view of Miss Emily Grierson reveals her an ‚a small, fat woman in black, with a thin gold chain descending to her waist and vanishing into her belt Several sentences later the narrator returns to the watch Noting that Emily’s visitor ‚could hear the invisible watch ticking at the end of the gold chain‛ Like these visitors, readers can assume that the presence of that watch intended to reinforce the impression that she can not see at that time ( The watch) has moved on The vivid picture of the pale, plump woman in the musty room with the watch invisibly ticking dose indeed suggest both that she has been left back in time and that she remains unaware of the progress around her In ‚Barn Burning‛, another Faulkner story, the clock is a somewhat more complex symbol The itinerant snopes family in without financial security and apparently without a future The clock the mother carries from shack to shack ‚The clock inlaid with mother-of-peal, which would not run, stopped at some fourteen minutes past two o’clock of a dead and forgotten day and time, which had been (Sarty’s) mother’s drowry – is their only possession of any value The fact that the clock no longer works seems Ngun ThÞ Ngäc x 45 B2 English Some symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron Byron explained that she is nameless grace: her beauty is so perfect that it can not have name Then in third, fourth, fifth and sixth lines of second stanza, Byron writes some characteristic of woman’s beauty Byron stated that her raven tress and her face are softy illuminated (light) Fathermore , Byron expressed that her thought is srene, pure and sweet, and it is normal if we think that her thought is in relation with her beauty She is beautiful into herself as much as she is outwardly After analyzing immages of light and darkness, we come to realize that they are contextual symbols Darkness is also a symbol of the beauty in ‚Donjuan‛ The darkness of her oriental eye Accorded with her Moorish eye‛ (Donjuan) Byron used ‚the darkness‛ to describe the beauty of Julia; it is the external beauty and also the internal beauty containing mystery in her soul 2.4.12 Light and darkness symbolizing contradiction between warmth and coldness Sun of the sleepless / melancholy star Whose tearful beam glows tremulously far? That show’st that the darkness thou canst not dispel How like art thou to joy remember’d well! So gleams the past, the light of the other days Which shines but warms not with its Powerless rays A night- beam wathchetth to behold Distinct, but distant- clear-but Oh how cold! (The sun of sleepless) Ngun ThÞ Ngäc xxxii 45 B2 English Some symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron In this poem we see a contradiction between light and darkness, it means that there is a contradiction between warmth and coldness, light symbolizes warth and darkness for coldness The sun is the star that shines in the sky during the day and gives the earth light It means that it gives the earth warmth However, here, the sun is like ‚melancholy star‛ with weak light, and although it is trying to drive away darkness, it ‚glows tremulously far‛, so it cannot dispel the darkness of the night symbolizing the coldness In this sight, the man feels powerless before darkness, he remembers image of the sun in the past to find out warth, however the light also gleams (shines with a faint or brief light) – ‚So gleams the past, the light of the other days/ which shines but warms not with its powerless rays‛, he finds warmth in the past but there is no enough light, on the contrary, darkness is spreading the space and invades light, thus the man feels colder in the large space invaded by darkness From concrete details and the use of words associated with light and darkness symbolizing warmth and coldness, we conclude that light and darkness are contextual symbols 2.4.13 Childe Harold symbolizing Byronic hero Childe Harold is a central character of ‚Childe Harold‘s pilgrimage‛ He is a young aristocrat who disappointed in the realities that surround him , finds himself solitary and friendless He decides to go travelling to nations who are not spoiled by civilization and by so doing, he hopes to find out from them the sincerity and purity of sentiment Childe Harold travels throught a lot of countries such as Potugal, Spain, Anbania and Greece He witnesses many events taking place in those countries , that is fights between Empires to take up colonies , revolutions of working class to gain equality and freedom , especially the struggle of the Spainish people against Napoleon and people living in poverty and slavery All these events change him from a man living far from working Ngun ThÞ Ngäc xxxiii 45 B2 English Some symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron class , melancholy into a new man , who sympathizes deeply with people in their fighting for endepence and freedom ,and feels very sad when seeing people in hunger and poverty, and slavery At the same time, Childe Harold also expresses deep hartred for upper class Childe Harold is a young aristocrat hating the upper society, so he travells everywhere to find out the way for himself.Childe Harold, who has a contrary but honest character, hates his current life and wishes a change of his spirit, so he sets out to find out his new ideals, is a symbol of Byronic hero and this symbol became popular in the 19th European classical literature Childe Harold is a private symbol 2.2.14 Hero in “Oriental Tales “symbolizing Byronic hero The hero in ‚Oriental Tales‛ is a pround and solitary rebel against goverments, religious and social conventions He looks down on the miserable life within a souless civilization He is a man of strong will, powerful emotion and boundless energy For him the society seems narrow, thus it fetters his natural ambitions Therefore, his conflicted with that society is unvoidable The most impotant characteristics of the hero in these poems are the strong will, their independence and uncompromising attitude They never stops half way; never feel satisfied with the partial realization of their desire They never hesitate or change their mind in choosing a just cause It is impossible for them to reconcile with the society that they have denied They would rather die in an unfavourable fight than give up their aims and surender to their enemies; the rivals of these heroes are often characters belonging to the highest class – the lustful rich men, the feuldal tyrants or the dictators Among these outstanding figures in Byron’s Oriental poems is Corad – the Consair – a proud lonely man Having been offended by his society, Conrad leaves it and becomes the leader of a small group of pirates with NguyÔn ThÞ Ngäc xxxiv 45 B2 English Some symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron whom he lives on an island His men and he are always ready to fight against the rich The action of the heroic characters represents the author’s attitude to the world Byron was always ready to fight against feudal reactions, against all reactionary forms of bourgeois rule, against his ruling class Hero in ‚Oriental Tales ‚is a private symbol Ngun ThÞ Ngäc xxxv 45 B2 English Some symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron Chapter III: Suggested exercises Teaching and learning symbols in literature, especially in poetry is very important It helps learner understand significance of the work and recognize aesthetic values of the work.These are some suggested exercises for teaching and learning symbols I Look at the image in the following pictures and answer the question: what does the image symbolize? Ngun ThÞ Ngäc xxxvi 45 B2 English Some symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron Ngun ThÞ Ngäc xxxvii 45 B2 English Some symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron II In the following poem, is the rose a symbol, a simile, or a metaphor? The rose family (Robert Frost) The rose is a rose And was always a rose But was the theory now goes That the apple’s a rose, And the pear is, and so’s The plum, I suppose The dear only knows What will next prove a rose? You, of course, are a roseBut was always a rose His fate III In this stanza, what violet symbolizes? ‚A violet by a mossy star Half hidden for the eyes Fair as a star when only one Is shining in the sky‛ (Lucy- Wordsworth) IV Identify symbol in this stanza and explain it ‚The sun now upon the right Out of the sea came he Still hid in mist, and on the left Went down into the sea‛ (The Rime of the Ancient Mariner- Colleige) V Read the following poem and answer quetions The Island (Langston Hughles) Wave of sorrow Do not drown me now Still some how I see the island Still a head some how Ngun ThÞ Ngäc xxxviii 45 B2 English Some symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron I see the island And its sands are fair Wave of sorrow Take me three In this poem which is symbol? a wave b island c both What does it symbolize? VI How many symbols are there in the following poem and present them For one, then, something (Robert Frost) Others taunt me with having knelt at well- curbs Always wrong to the light, so never seeing Deeper down in the well than where the water Give me back in a shining surface picture Me myself in the summer heaven, God like Looking out of the wreath of fern and cloud puffs Once, when trying with chin against a well- curb, I discerned, as I thought, as I thought beyond the picture Though the picture, a something white, uncertain, Something more of the depths- and then I lost it Water came to rebuke the too clear water One drop fell from a fern, and lo, a ripple Shook whatever it was lay there at bottom Blurred it, blotted it out what was that whiteness Truth? A pebble of quartz? For once, then something VII Read and answer questions Neutral Tones (Thomas Hardy) We stood a pond that winter day And the sun was white, as though chidden of God They had fallen from an ash, and was gray Your yes on me were as eyes that rove Over tedious riddles of years ago: And some words played between us to and fro On which lost the more by our love The smile on your mouth was the deadest thing Alive enough to have strength to die Ngun ThÞ Ngäc xxxix 45 B2 English Some symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron And grin of bitterness swept thereby Like an ominous bird a wing…… Since then, keen lessons that love deceives And wring with wrong, have shaped to me Your face and the God- curst sun, and tree, And a pond edged with grayish leaves What visible objects in the poem function symbolically? What actions or gestures? What meanings you find in the title? VIII Read and answer the following questions: The goose fish (Howard Neme rov) On the long shore, lit by moon To show them properly alone So that their shadows were as one The ordinary was graced For them by the swift tide of food That silently they took at flood And for a little time they prized Themselves emparadised Then, as if shaken by state- fright Beneath the hard moon’s bony light’ They stood together on the sand Embarrassed in each other’s sight, Until they saw, there underfoot, As though the world had found them out, The goose fish turning up, though daed, His hugely grinning head There is china light lay, Most ancient and corrupt and grey They hesitated at his smile Wondering what it seemed to say To lovers who little while Before had though to understand, By violence upon the sand, The only way that could be know To make a world their own Ngun ThÞ Ngäc xl 45 B2 English Some symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron It was a wide and moony grin Together peaceful and obscene, They knew not what he would express, So finished a comedian He might mean failure success, But took it for emblem of Their sudden, new and guilty love To be observed by, when they kissed’ That rigid optimist So he became their patriarch Deadfully mild in the half – dark His throat that the sand seems to choke He is picket teeth, these left their mark But never did explain the joke That so amused him, lying there While the moon went down to disappear Along the still and tilted track That bears the zodiac What the mood of the poem before the goose fish appears? How does it change after he is introduced? Why does it change? What details of the poem suggest that the goose fish has symbolic significance? List three possible interpretations of symbol of the goose fish In what way does the rest of the poem support each of this interpretation? In what way could the setting of this poem be considered symbolic? IX Analyze symbol of light in this stanza: ‚It is the cause; it is the cause, my soul: Let me not name it to you, you chaste stars It is the cause Yet I’ll not shed her blood Nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow And smooth as monumental alabaster Yet you must die, else she’ll betray more men Put out the light, and then put out the light If I quench thee Thou flaming minister, I can again thy former ligh restore, Should I repent me; but once put out thy light Thou cunning’st pattern of excelling nature…‛ (Shakespeare, Othello, Act V, scence I) X.Analyzing symbol of darkness ‚Many a moring hath he there been seen Ngun ThÞ Ngäc xli 45 B2 English Some symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron With tears augmenting the fresh morning’s dew Adding to clouds more clouds with his deep sighs; But all so soon as the all – cheering sun Should in tha farthest East begin to draw The shady curtains from Aurora’s bed, Away from light steals home my heaven son And private in this chamber pens himself, Shut up his windows, lock fair daylight out, And makes himself an artificial night‛ (William Shakespears, Romeo and Juliet, Act I, Prologue) XI Analyze symbol in the following poem The road not taken (Robert Frost) Two roads divereged in a yellow wood And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveller, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perharps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really adout the same And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black Oh, I kept the first for anather day! Yet knowing how way leads on to a way I doubted if I should ever come back I will share by telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence Two roads divered in a wood, and I – I took the one less travelled by And that has made all the difference XII Analyze symbol in the following poem Child’s grave, Hale County, Alabama (Jim simmers man) Someone drove a two- by – four Ngun ThÞ Ngäc xlii 45 B2 English Some symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron Through a head of this harh land That even in a good year Will notch a plow blade worthless, Snap the head off a shovel Or brow a stubborn back He’ had have had to steal The wood from a local mill Or steal, by starling, across His lanlord’s farm, to worry A fencepost out of its well And lug it the three mile home He’d have had to leave his wife Asleep on a scorn shuck mat Leave his broken brogans By the stove, to slep outside Quiet as sin, with the child Bundled in a burlap sack What a thing to have to On a cold night on December, 1936, a lone But for a raspy wind And the red, rock – ridden dirt Things come down to in the end Whoever it was pounded This shabby half- cross Into the ground must have toiled All night to root it so Five feet buried with the child For the foot of it that shows And as there are no words Carved here, it likely that The man was illiterate Or addled with fatigue, Or wrenched simple minded By the one simple fact Or else the unscored lumber Driven deep into the land And the hump of busted rock Spoke too plainly of his grief Forty years layed by still Thre are no word for this Ngun ThÞ Ngäc xliii 45 B2 English Some symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron Part III: Conclusion Figures of speech are deviation from denotative or common forms of statement They are pictures, images, vivid language appealing to imagination, making easy comprehension They are devices known for usage in literature, especially in poetry There are many types of figures of speech such as metaphor, metonymy, simile, symbol, etc Symbols are objects, pictures or other concrete representations of ideas, concepts, or other abstractions.‛ A symbol is an image that transcends its literal, or denotative, meaning in complex ways by suggesting other items or ideas.( Kinzsner & Mandell) There are three types of the symbol: conventional symbol, contextual symbol and private symbol The purpose of symbol is to render the abstract in concrete terms and refer to what we can perceive, to enrich a work and give it additional layers of meaning, and to encourage reader to probe work for values and ideas to consider and weigh the suitability of a variety of interpretation A symbol can be recognized by its prominence or repetition, being supported by the details of the poem and make sense within the context of the ideas developed in the poem, moreover the symbol must suggest the poem’s theme To engage with the symbol to sense all of its meaning it is necessary for us to read the literary works carefully, pay attention to the concrete details, understand about biographical, historical and theoretical context, understand cultures, literary conventions and habits of expression change from generation to generation and reread literary works Romanticism in English literature is a historical period beginning from the last decade of the 18th century and continuing up to the 1830 s In this period, there are many essential features and a revolution in both topic and style Ngun ThÞ Ngäc xliv 45 B2 English Some symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron Byron is not only a great poetry of the progressive trend in the Romanticism but he is also very famous in the world He is a fighter poet; his works are associated with freedom, love and realism The symbols in his works are rich and very meaningful They symbolize beauty of love, weapon, slavery, death, lonliness, will and encouragement, life, judgment, hope and belife, beauty of woman, contradiction between warmth and coldness and Byronic hero Teaching and learning symbols in literature, especially, in poetry is very important.It help learner recognize aesthetic value and understand significance of a work Therefore there are suggested exercises for teaching and learning symbols While studying this thesis we find figures of speech interesting so we would like to give subjects for further study That is ‚the symbols in Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poetry‛, ‚the personification in William Wordworth’s poetry‛, ‚and the use of metaphor in Samuell Taylor Coleridge’s poetry‛ Ngun ThÞ Ngäc xlv 45 B2 English Some symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron References Đăng Anh Đào, (1995), Văn học ph-ơng tây H Nội ,Nxb Gio Dục Lê Thị Phương, (2004), Graduation thesis ‚the effect of using light and darkness expression in symbolism in literature Vinh Unersity Vâ ThÞ ViƯt Anh (2002),Graduation theis “George Gordon,Lord Byron- the fighter poet“, Vinh University NguyÔn ChÝ Trung, ( 2001), ‚ English literature‛ Nxb Gio Dục Thai b Tân (1984), Tuyển tập thơ GG Bairon‛ H¯ Néi Nxb Gi²o Dôc Bloom H & Trilling L, (1973),‛ Romantic poetry and prose‛ London Oxford University press Kirszner & Mandell,( 1994),‛ Literature‛ United States of America.Harcourt Brace college puplishers Kenedy XJ, (1991), ‚Literature, An introduction to fiction, poetry and drama‛ Harper Collin puplishers Paul Hunter J, (1996) The Norton introduction to poetry‛.America, Norton puplishers 10 http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byron 11 http: // en Vikipedia, the free encyclopedia 12 http:// mural.uv.es/bosmarmi/she walks in beauty.html NguyÔn ThÞ Ngäc xlvi 45 B2 English ... have of the struggling, winning and losing, enjoying and scorning, aspiring and falling, loving and hating human spirits.‛ 2.4 Some symbols in Byron? ??s poems 2.4.1 Rose symbolizing beauty of love... contextual symbols – become more apparent, this is why rereading is important Ngun ThÞ Ngäc xv 45 B2 English Some symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron Chapter II: Some symbols in poems of George. . .Some symbols in poems of George Gordon, Lord Byron Part I: Introduction 1 The rationale of choosing the theme The aims of the study Scope of the study Methods of the study Format of the