The Castle by Edwin Muir Summary and Analysis, 12th English, Samacheer Kalvi

The Castle by Edwin Muir

The Castle by Edwin Muir Summary and Analysis, 12th English, Samacheer Kalvi

Poem Lines:

All through that summer at ease we lay,

And daily from the turret wall

We watched the mowers in the hay

And the enemy half a mile away

They seemed no threat to us at all.

For what, we thought, had we to fear

With our arms and provender, load on load,

Our towering battlements, tier on tier,

And friendly allies drawing near

On every leafy summer road.

Our gates were strong, our walls were thick,

So smooth and high, no man could win

A foothold there, no clever trick

Could take us dead or quick,

Only a bird could have got in.

What could they offer us for bait?

Our captain was brave and we were true…

There was a little private gate,

A little wicked wicket gate.

The wizened warder let them through.

Oh then our maze of tunneled stone

Grew thin and treacherous as air.

The cause was lost without a groan,

The famous citadel overthrown,

And all its secret galleries bare.

How can this shameful tale be told?

I will maintain until my death

We could do nothing, being sold:

Our only enemy was gold,

And we had no arms to fight it with.

Summary:

The poem tells the story of a fortified citadel and its inhabitants, who spend a carefree summer feeling secure behind their strong defences. They watch their enemies from a distance, convinced that their walls and gates make them invulnerable. They have ample supplies, brave leadership, and allies approaching, further reinforcing their sense of safety.

Despite their confidence, there exists a small, overlooked gate—a "little wicked wicket gate"—which a treacherous guard opens to the enemy. This act of betrayal leads to the swift downfall of the citadel. The walls and defences once thought impregnable, prove useless as the enemy infiltrates and overtakes the stronghold effortlessly.

The poem concludes with the narrator lamenting the fall of the citadel, attributing the defeat not to the enemy's strength, but to internal corruption symbolized by gold. The narrator insists their downfall was due to betrayal and greed, against which they had no defence.

Analysis:

1. Imagery

The poem is rich with imagery, vividly depicting the scene and emotions.

"All through that summer at ease we lay, / And daily from the turret wall / We watched the mowers in the hay"
"Our towering battlements, tier on tier, / And friendly allies drawing near / On every leafy summer road."

2. Personification

The citadel and its features are given human-like qualities.

"Our gates were strong, our walls were thick, / So smooth and high, no man could win"
"Oh then our maze of tunneled stone / Grew thin and treacherous as air."

3. Irony

There is a strong sense of irony, especially towards the end.

"We could do nothing, being sold: / Our only enemy was gold, / And we had no arms to fight it with."

4. Symbolism

Several elements in the poem act as symbols.

The citadel symbolizes strength and security.

The little wicket gate symbolizes vulnerability and betrayal.

Gold symbolizes corruption and moral weakness.

5. Metaphor

The entire poem can be seen as an extended metaphor for a false sense of security and the unforeseen internal threats.

"Our towering battlements, tier on tier" and "The famous citadel overthrown."

6. Contrast

The poem contrasts the apparent security and strength with the eventual downfall.

"They seemed no threat to us at all" vs. "The cause was lost without a groan."

7. Alliteration

The use of repeated consonant sounds at the beginning of words.

"turret wall / We watched the mowers in the hay"
"Our gates were strong, our walls were thick, / So smooth and high, no man could win"

8. Repetition

Certain phrases and structures are repeated to emphasize the ideas.

"Our gates were strong, our walls were thick," "Our captain was brave and we were true."

9. Enjambment

The lines flow into one another without terminal punctuation.

"With our arms and provender, load on load, / Our towering battlements, tier on tier,"

10. Hyperbole

Exaggeration for effect.

"So smooth and high, no man could win / A foothold there, no clever trick / Could take us dead or quick."

These figures of speech contribute to the overall impact of the poem, emphasizing its themes of misplaced confidence, vulnerability, and inevitable betrayal.