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Saturday, 20 March 2021

ABOU BEN ADHEM -SUMMARY, POETIC DEVICES, THEME, PARAPHRASING- Leigh Hunt

 

ABOU BEN ADHEM -SUMMARY, FOUNDATION GRID-FIGURES OF SPEECH- Leigh Hunt

 

Abou Ben Adhem( May his tribe increase!)

Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace

And saw, within the moonlight in his room,

Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,

An angel writing in a book of gold:-

Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,

And to the presence in the room he said,

“what writest thou?’ – the vision raised its head,

And with a look made of all sweet accord,

Answered, ‘the names of those who love the Lord,’

‘and is mine one?’ said Abou, ‘Nay, not so,’

Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low,

But cheerily still: and said, ‘I pray thee, then,

Write me as one that loves his fellow men.’

The angel wrote, and vanished. The next night

It came again with a great wakening light,

And showed the names whom love of God had blest,

And lo! Ben Adhem’s name led all the rest!

 

SUMMARY

This inspirational fable Abou Ben Adhem is written by Leigh Hunt. In this poem the poet tell story of a Sufi saint, Abou Bin Adhem. He explains that serving men is in fact serving God. If we value others, no doubt, God would claim us as His close friend. The poem is giving a message to be kind to others. We should help others to seek Allah’s will and closeness. Our good deeds of offering prayers and keeping fast will not be helpful if we don’t help our fellow men. Service to humanity is service to god in real.

 

FOUNDATION GRID/POETIC DEVICES

Theme:

 

Service to humanity is service to God. Faith, Love & Humanity is a theme of Abou Ben Adhem

 

Central Idea:

 

In this poem “Abou Bin Adhem” the poet has given the message to serve humanity. Allah loves those who show compassion, love, affection and empathy to their fellow men.

 

Tone/style:

 Simple, Spiritual, Moralistic, Fable, and inspirational

 

Setting:

 Abou Ben Adhem’s room

 

Imagery: ( This figure of speech mean is name given to the elements in a poem that spark off the senses of hearing, sight, touch, taste etc.)

Moonlight, A pious person lily, Angel, book of gold

 

Simile: (It is a figure of speech relating the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind to enhance the description)

 

“Like a lily in bloom”

 

Rhyming Scheme: (It is the pattern of sounds that repeats at the end of a line or stanza. Here are 18 lines so write 9 pairs of sounds)

 aa, bb, cc, dd, ee, ff, gg, hh, ii

 

Alliteration: (It is technique when two or more words are linked that share the same first consonant sound, such as "deep dream".)

 

"Deep dream of peace"

Here 'd' sound is used to convey sound and peaceful sleep.

Assonance:  (It is the repetition of “vowel sounds” in the same line.)

 

The sound of “O” in “Abou spoke more low.”

“I” in “Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom”

Rhyming words

 

Room    bloom

Bold         gold

Said           head

Night            light

Blest            rest

Then         men

Accord        lord

So          low

 

 

OLD ENGLISH VS NEW

 

Thou           you

Thee           you

Nay              no

Writest        writing

Blest            blessed

Lo                look

 

 

PARAPHRASING

VERSE # 7

But cheerily still he said to pray thee. Write me as one that loves His Fellow men.

 

VERSE# 8

The angel wrote and vanished. The next night it came with great wakening light.

 

VERSE # 9

And the angel showed the names whom love of God had blest and Lo! Ben Adhem’s name led all he rest.

.

 

About the poet

 

James Henry Leigh Hunt was British critic, essay writer and poet. He was born on 19 October 1784 and died on 28 August 1859. He also worked at many newspapers. Leigh Hunt was lucky to have company of renowned writers & poets Shelley and Keats. He had 10 children with his wife Kent. A few of 

Lei Hunt's famous poetry work is:

  • Abou Ben Adhem
  • Juvenilia
  • Story of Rimini
  • The descent of liberty

 

ABOUT THE POET

Ibrahim Bin Adham OR Abou Ben Adhem was a King of Balkh who turned to Sufism. He’s more known as a Sufi saint from Syria. He abandoned the throne of Balkh to become a Sufi saint. Many Arabic and Persian sources tell that, Ibrahim Bin Adham received an admonition from God to do well.  He gave up his status as a king to take up the ascetic life in Syria.

 

NOTES OF POEM ABOU BEN ADHEM

 

Q. What is meaning "may this tribe increase?

A.  The poet says may his tribe increase which means he wishes that may there be many more like him.

Q. What is mean of “lily in full bloom”.

A. It means the room was very bright.

Q. Why Abou Ben Adhem is Fable?

A. Any short story that has animal or any mythical characters as a part to convey moral is called fable. Here the appearance of an angel makes the poem a fable like work.

Abou Ben Adhem summary, figures of speech, poet


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