In the first 3 stanzas what is an example of a mentonomy/synechdoche?
Is it dew, eye, river, marge, or heaven? I am leaning toward heaven since the dew and rosy depths are associated with the heavens?

In line 3, what is the antecedent for "their"?
Is it steps, dew, heavens, depths, or day?
I am leaning toward heavens because through the rosy depths of "heavens" you search for loneliness?

Lastly, does the "pathless coast" refer to the sky?

Thanks for the help~!!!

To A Waterfowl
William Cullen Bryant

Whither, 'midst falling dew,
While glow the heavens with the last steps of day,
Far, through their rosy depths, dost thou pursue
Thy solitary way?

Vainly the fowler's eye
Might mark thy distant flight, to do thee wrong,
As, darkly seen against the crimson sky,
Thy figure floats along.

Seek'st thou the plashy brink
Of weedy lake, or marge of river wide;
Or where the rocking billows rise and sink
On the chafed ocean side?

There is a Power, whose care
Teaches thy way along that pathless coast,
The desert and illimitable air,
Lone wandering, but not lost.

All day thy wings have fanned,
At that far height, the cold thin atmosphere;
Yet stoop not, weary, to the welcome land,
Though the dark night is near.

And soon that toil shall end,
Soon shalt thou find a summer home, and rest,
And scream among thy fellows; reeds shall bend,
Soon, o'er thy sheltered nest.

Thou'rt gone, the abyss of heaven
Hath swallowed up thy form, yet, on my heart
Deeply hath sunk the lesson thou hast given,
And shall not soon depart.

He, who, from zone to zone,
Guides through the boundless sky thy certain flight,
In the long way that I must trace alone,
Will lead my steps aright.

Thank you!! Pageturner~

Hi,

Does anybody have any suggestions?
Please assist.
Thanks again,
Pageturner~

Pageturner, one type of synecdoche is where a reference to a special example is intended to represent a general class. So in line 5 the reference to 'the fowler' [= the hunter with a gun] could be understood as representing such hunters in general. Possibly, you could also take the reference to his "eye" as meaning both his eyes, or his gaze.

Since "their" in line 3 is plural, its antecedent must be plural. That rules out "dew" and "day" from your list. An "antecedent" is something already referred to, so that rules out "depths". That leaves you with "heavens" and "steps". Like you, I lean towards "heavens", because line 3 appears to be referring to the rosy depths of the heavens.

Grammatically, I suggest that "pathless coast" refers to what follows in the next line, i.e. "the desert and illimitable air". You could loosely call that the sky. I believe "desert" is used in that line, not as a noun referring to some area of bare ground, but adjectivally, meaning empty or like a desert. Thus the reference is to empty and illimitable air.

Ian

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/29/2008 08:11AM by IanAKB.

Hi Ian,

Thanks again for responding.
Process of elimination, as you suggested, is a good way to analyze meanings.
I can certainly use the hint(s)!
You sure seem to know your poetry! Cheers!!

Gratefully yours,
Pageturner~