Concord Hymn Study Guide
Who is the foe?
The British are the foe.
What does the line "Bid Time and Nature gently spared" mean and why are the words time and nature capitalized?
Time and nature are capitalized because they are personified in this statement. The people are asking time and nature to spare their statue/memory of the Revolution.
What is an indirect reference to a historical person, place, or event?
It is an allusion.
"Here once the embattled farmers stood,/And fired the shot heard round the world." is an example of what?
It is an example of a hyperbole.
What is "Spirit, that made those heroes dare/to die, or leave their children free,/Bid Time and Nature gently spare/The shaft we raise to them and Thee." an example of?
It is an example of personification.
"And time the ruined bridge has swept." is an example of what?
It is an example of reversed sentence order.
What does it mean when it says slept, or sleeps?
It means dead, or forgotten.
What does the third stanza mean?
It means that the people wanted to do something so we don't forget the Revolution. We shouldn't forget the people who fought and/or died, people who were a part of the battle and not yet dead would soon die, then who will remember the battle and what these people fought for?
What does the line "We set to-day a votive stone" mean?
It means they want to keep the memory alive by planting a monument.
What does spare mean?
It means to refrain from harming or destroying.
Overall, what does stanza 4 mean?
It means, the people are asking many people and things, to preserve their monument and keep it safe for generations so this war will always be remembered.
What is the definition of rude?
Rude means rough, unfinished, and crudely made.
Who is the author of the poem?
The author is Ralph Waldo Emerson.
What is the third stanza about?
It's about commemorating the Battle of Lexington and Concord.
What is the definition of sires?
Sires means forefathers, father, and/or male ancestors.
What is the definition of embattled?
Embattled means prepared or fortified for battle.
What is the mood of the poem?
It is nostalgic sadness and very serious. They want to remember, they can't let people forget the Revolutionary War.
What doe it mean by votive stone in the poem?
It means a monument.
What does the poem mean by spirits?
It means talking to a greater power than your own.
What does this poem refer to?
It refers to the first battle of the American Revolution, or the Battle of Lexington and Concord.
What is the definition of shaft?
Shaft means an obelisk or a stone pillar, typically having a square or rectangular cross section and a pyramidal top, set up as a monument or landmark.
What does spare mean?
Spare means refrain from harming or destroying.
Who is the Conqueror?
The conqueror was the Americans and it's capitalized because this poem is about them.
What do the lines "Spirit, that made those heroes dare/to die, or leave their children free" mean?
These lines mean The greater force made the soldiers choose, would they die, leaving their children free? Or live on, enslaved under British control?
What does redeem mean?
To restore worth or honor; to fulfill a pledge.
What is the literal definition of votive?
Votive means a stone dedicated to fulfilling a vow or pledge.
