contains some important themes such as the lust for gold, human-greed, suffering. Sam McGee is the only person to admit that it wasnt much fun for him. He detested a burial under the chilling polar ice. The rhyme scheme of the overall poem is AABB. The speaker claims in the second stanza that on Christmas Day, they were mushing their way across the Dawson Trail. For trusted lover proved untrue? Services image is the best we can think of. There wasnt a breath in that land of death, and I hurried, horror-driven. McGees decision to avoid traditional punishments in the 1800s suggests that he was avoiding traditional after-life punishments. Old Year! He did not like to hear the sizzling sound made during the cremation of Sam McGee. Till I came to the marge of Lake Lebarge,and a derelict there lay;It was jammed in the ice, but I saw in a triceit was called the Alice May,And I looked at it, and I thought a bit,and I looked at my frozen chum;Then "Here", said I, with a sudden cry, "is mycre-ma-tor-eum"! The Cremation of Sam McGee by Robert W. Service is a poem about a man who is desperate to get rid of his friends body. Now a promise made is a debt unpaid, and the trail has its own stern code. The poems final stanza contains a graphic scene. Now a promise made is a debt unpaid,and the trail has its own stern code,In the days to come, though my lips were dumbin my heart how I cursed that load!In the long, long night, by the lone firelight,while the huskies, round in a ring,Howled out their woes to the homeless snows--Oh God, how I loathed the thing! As McGee is prepared for death, the Englishman is gentle and solemn. If they would close their eyes, the eyelashes froze till sometimes they could not see anything. (We bet Jack London, who wrote The Call of the Wild, would take issue with this). Talk of your cold! For this reason, he asked the speaker to cremate him. Once, he cremated a corpse in the firebox of the steamer named Olive May. Thereafter, he looked at it and thought a bit. It torments the speaker, and he even starts to imagine that the corpse is talking to him. LEVEL: 6-12. The Cremation of Sam McGee contains some important themes such as the lust for gold, human-greed, suffering, horror, and vanity of human desire. Mike Vendetti, an award-winning audiobook narrator and producer, recites Robert Services poem. Service uses the same stanza to conclude the poem. As a sign of his respect for the speaker, he wanted him to promise that if there was any foul or unfair situation, he would cremate the speakers remains. Sam McGee is a short story by American author Jack London. WebAn example of a hyperbole from The Diary of Sam McGee answer choices "I'm chilled clean through the bone" "the parka's fold it stabbed like a driven nail." They danced about in the night sky when he ventured near the boiler room. They will pay attention to and analyze the figurative language Simile, Metaphor, Idiom, Hyperbole, Personification, Onomatopoeia, and Synecdoche. Let us all read, whateer the cost: Vary the pitch and volume of your voices and the pace of the reading to express the speaker's emotions. Then I made a hike, for I didnt like to hear him sizzle so; And the heavens scowled, and the huskies howled, and the wind began to blow. 2023 Funeral Direct. The Cremation of Sam McGee, one of the famous poems of Robert Service, was published in 1907 in Songs of a Sourdough. << /Length 5 0 R /Filter /FlateDecode >> The reader anticipates something disturbing to happen by using words such as strange, midnight, and secret, as well as phrases such as make your blood run cold, queer sights, and the most bizarre thing I have ever seen.. And every day that quiet clay seemed to heavy and heavier grow; And on I went, though the dogs were spent and the grub was getting low; The trail was bad, and I felt half mad, but I swore I would not give in; And Id often sing to the hateful thing, and it hearkened with a grin. The mood of The Cremation of Sam McGee" is eerie and haunting, as The poem begins with a lonely outpost in the frozen tundra, followed by three lines about the setting. Readers might think of the famous song "Dixie" which starts: "Oh I wish I was in the land of cotton" Also, be sure to check out the. There are strange things done in the midnight sunBy the men who moil for gold;The Arctic trails have their secret talesThat would make your blood run cold;The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,But the queerest they ever did seeWas that night on the marge of Lake LebargeI cremated Sam McGee. Hyperbole is the literary term used for exaggeration. So, as his dying wish, he asks our speaker to cremate him (which is a fancy way of saying "burn his corpse"). We see this as a harsh reality when we read the description of the Yukon by an Englishman. An example of Simile in The Diary of Sam McGee is answer choices "Through the parka's fold it stabbed like a driven nail" On a Christmas Day we were mushing our way over the Dawson trail. The epilogue to the poem, The Cremation of Sam McGee is a repetition of the prologue. At last, the speaker says since he left Plumtree, in Tennessee, it was the first time he had been feeling so warm. He moved to Montana in 1923 to work as a contractor on road and railroad construction projects. There he found a derelict that was jammed in the ice. The stars seemed to him as dancers who were dancing in the night sky. WebRobert W. Service. Talk of your cold! He was from Tennessee where people cultivated cotton. I guess he's cooked, and it's time I looked". And You, deep shrinking in the gloom, It was extremely cold in the area. The poem, which is based on the theme of death, is perhaps the most well-known example of villanelle in modern poetry. , gives a basic description of the poem. Which contains more carcinogens luncheon meats or grilled meats? Howled out their woes to the homeless snows O God! What splendid hope? The information provided below can be used to recount explorers lives, the beauty of the Northern Lights, and the mysteries of the arctic circle. After some moments, the stars came out in the sky. Sam is most scared of the cold, according to him. It seems to us that Tennessee, in this poem at least, isnt so much a real place as it is a kind of dream. Rather he raved all day of his home in Tennessee. Academy of American Poets, 75 Maiden Lane, Suite 901, New York, NY 10038, There are strange things done in the midnight sun, The Arctic trails have their secret tales. But he swore he would not give in, no matter what happened with him. Apparently, Sams body is making a rather unpleasant sizzling sound, kind of like your Thanksgiving turkey. However, when the speaker was looking at the sky, McGee turned to him. What Sam McGee's Funeral Scene May Have Looked Like, A Possible Setting for "The Cremation of Sam McGee", What the Prospectors Might Have Seen in the Sky, What Sam's Surroundings Might Have Looked Like. The prologue to The Cremation of Sam McGee describes the poem in terms of its text. They get hungry and exhausted ("spent") just like our speaker. Here, the poet refers to the time of early dawn. So sleek, so prosperously clad! He compares a promise to unpaid debt. a parting word thats true, It was lashed to the sleigh, and it seemed to say. He took off his boots and socks before I took off his clothes. The narrator makes a deal with Sam McGee that he will cremate him if he dies. The Cremation of Sam McGee is a poem that tells us about Sam McGee, a prospector who died on a cold Artic trail. A girl thought the tree was beautiful It's fine in here, but I greatly fear you'll let in the cold and storm The boy said the girl looks good Question 2 30 seconds Q. The following stanzas of the poem discuss what happened with McGee while he was in search of gold on the Arctic trails. The Cremation of Sam McGee is a ballad by Sam McGee. A ballads title character dies after he asks the narrator to cremate his body rather than bury it. WebHyperbole Examples. how I loathed the thing. Sam McGee arrived in the Yukon from San Francisco in 1898 to hike over the Chilkoot Pass. He is sometimes referred to as the "Bard of the Yukon.. Do you think we will see more as we read the rest of the poem? How many credits do you need to graduate with a doctoral degree? https://poemanalysis.com/robert-service/the-cremation-of-sam-mcgee/, Poems covered in the Educational Syllabus. He crouched on the sleigh but he was not thinking about gold anymore. Service uses a variety of literary devices to convey his message as a major theme of the book, particularly the cold of the Arctic. I guess hes cooked, and its time I looked; then the door I opened wide. In his homely manner, he claimed that he would have died in hell sooner than at the North Pole. The first stanza of the poem describes Sam McGee. He was firstly mournful for the death of his friend. Readers can understand why the poet writes, The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,/ But the queerest they ever did see. Here, the queerest sight was that of the ghost of Sam McGee sitting in the furnace fire. That makes your smile so gay and glad? The Cremation of Sam McGee begins with a prologue. Were not exactly sure how to feel about the sled dogs in this poem. The use of poetic devices in this poem, such as alliteration and paradox, creates a sense of strangeness and surreality. WebQ. For this reason, he chose this name. McGees funeral is prepared by an Englishman. The speaker of the poem and McGee left their southern hometown and went to the chilling north pole in search of gold. It means each line consists of eight iambs. Compare and contrast the ways that King and Mandela order their ideas, cite So, at last, he died. Its the beginning of the speakers serious troubles, too. And before going out he asked the speaker not to refuse his last request. It was stabbed like a nail as it folded through the parkas fold. When Sams friend pulls into Lake Le Barge, the sleigh Such a paradoxical emotion might be confusing to the readers. In the days to come, though my lips were dumb, in my heart how I cursed that load. One of Robert Services most famous poems, The Cremation of Sam McGee, was published in 1907. The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, Was the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge. On a Christmas Day we were mushing our way over the Dawson trail. Yet 'tain't being deadit's my awful dread of the icy grave that pains; So I want you to swear that, foul or fair, you'll cremate my last remains.". Enough! The stars dont come up a lot, but we think the couple of mentions add a lot to the poem. According to Robert Service, the poem was inspired by his visit to Lake Laberge in the Yukon, where he saw the cremation of two miners and saw Lake Laberge. He turned to me, and "Cap," says he, "I'll cash in this trip, I guess; And if I do, I'm asking that you won't refuse my last request.". He placed him in the corner. After asking his friend to cremate him, he instructs them to burn his body. Where is the magnetic force the greatest on a magnet. With a partner read "Adolescence-III" aloud to the class. To keep the promise, the, There are several literary devices in this poem. Now a promise made is a debt unpaid, and the trail has its own stern code. The speaker felt warm as his friend looked comfortable in the fire of the furnace. It seems as if nature was mourning the loss of Sam McGee. Only God can explain why he left his home in the South to travel around the pole. My Grandma is older than the hills; I ate a ton of food for dinner; What exactly is he talking about? The most important theme of the poem that leads to the downfall of the titular character Sam McGee is the lust for gold. I have not seen you in ages; I have a million things to do; If I cant buy that dress, I will die! Its pretty clear that the cold robs Sam of his will to live, and then actually takes his life (for a little while, at least). And looked at his frozen chum. Still, we like the sort of happy, quiet image of well-fed dogs and warm blankets. Answer: O A narrative poem that uses meter and rhyme to tell the tale of a man who asks his friend to do him an unusual favor. Thereafter, in the first stanza, the phrase, God only knows acts as an irony in the second line. Line 40: This is the creepiest corpse moment in the whole poem, as far as were concerned. Why he left his home in the South to roam 'round the Pole, God only knows. But the fear of being dead in the cold of the North Pole was not troubling him. He was wrapped in a blanket in the bed by me. While he was in search of a place to cremate his body, he often sang to the hateful thing. Need to know! My fire is almost ashes too; As you may have seen, Sam is battling the weather conditions in the Arctic in order to survive. Even though the poem was fiction, it was based on Robert Services experiences in the Yukon. And the dogs were fed, and the stars oerhead, were dancing heel and toe is an example of which sound device? There are strange things done in the midnight sun. Accessed 18 April 2023. Hyperbole. The speaker of the poem talks about Sams story and his last wish to be cremated after his death. Whatsoever the speaker says at that time heavens scowled and the huskies howled. The wind began to blow swiftly. After that, they started their journey at the streak of dawn. However, he burrowed a hole in the glowing coal and stuffed Sam McGee inside the fire. He was also a bit of a philosopher, and his poems often reflected on the harsh realities of life in the North. how I loathed the thing. The author uses personification several times in the first few stanzas. Now, Sam is dying, and all he can do is mutter crazy things about Tennessee. The poet also uses alliteration in this poem. Some planks I tore from the cabin floorand I lit the boiler fire;Some coal I found that was lying around,and I heaped the fuel higher;The flames just soared, and the furnace roaredsuch a blaze you seldom see,And I burrowed a hole in the glowing coal,and I stuffed in Sam McGee. In the first stanza of this poem, the rhyme scheme is not very regular: abcbdefe. The trail was bad and he felt half-mad. The speaker claims in the prologue that a promise made is a debt not paid, and the trail to fulfill that promise has its own set of rules. The stars seemed to him as dancers who were dancing in the night sky. Some planks I tore from the cabin floor, and I lit the boiler fire; Some coal I found that was lying around, and I heaped the fuel higher; The flames just soared, and the furnace roaredsuch a blaze you seldom see; And I burrowed a hole in the glowing coal, and I stuffed in Sam McGee. It is a story about ones lust and how it has a catastrophic effect on life. _____ Sam seemed to speak to Cap, telling him to close the boilers door. Web- He asks the speaker to cremate him if the cold kills him. It chews away at these poor guys until theres almost nothing left. In this Literary Analysis, I will look at how Matthew Maules death hurt the Pyncheons and whether the curse is real or not. The Cremation of Sam McGee. Line 27: When Tennessee crops up again, the scene is a lot grimmer. He cremated Sam McGee in the boiler fire. The speaker regretted at times that he committed to cremating Sam. % It is a reference to the chilling atmosphere of the North Pole that makes the land barren, lifeless, and insufferable to live in. After reading the whole poem, it becomes clear what were the strange things that happened with them who moiled for gold. I guess he's cooked, and it's time I looked"; then the door I opened wide. Duct tape has been used for medical purposes and to make clothes. This exaggerated folktale about a pair of Yukon gold miners was a popular success in its first year, being printed 15 times. Hence he says God only knows the reason for McGees departure. Never fear, Shmoop is here. I hated it when I disliked it. stream Its the first image that portrays an incident that happened in the midnight sun. The theme of the poem is death, and the various ways in which people deal with it. Following that, a streak of dawn began. Line 18: When non-living things like stars are described as acting like humans (in this case "dancing heel and toe"), thats called, Line 55: Here are those dancing stars again. From this statement, it is clear that he was ready to embrace the cold breast of death anytime. WebThis is a musical adaptation of "The Cremation of Sam McGee", a poem made by Robert W. Service, sung by Seth Boyer. Although the poem is a fictional tale of Sam McGee, it was based on real people and things that Service saw in the Yukon, Canada. By the men who moil for gold; The Arctic trails have their "The Cremation of Sam McGee by Robert Service". The speaker sounded like he was listening to a roaring furnace. It was unfortunate that Sam McGees body was only discovered before nightfall. On a Christmas Day we were mushing our wayover the Dawson trail.Talk of your cold! However, the trail to fulfill that promise was a stern code. He did not like to hear the sizzling sound made during the cremation of Sam McGee. In 1899, he discovered and staked the War Eagle copper deposit in the hills overlooking Whitehorse. Some common hyperbole examples include: Im dying of laughter. He crouched on the sleigh, and he raved all day of his home in Tennessee; And before nightfall a corpse was all that was left of Sam McGee. And I looked at it, and I thought a bit, and I looked at my frozen chum; Then "Here," said I, with a sudden cry, "is my cre-ma-tor-eum.". What are the names of the third leaders called? They fed their dogs before going to sleep. The answer key for this poem can be found in the back of most poetry anthologies. Once, he cremated a corpse in the firebox of the steamer named Olive May. Here, the speaker uses a metaphor. Check out our "How to Read a Poem" section for a glossary of terms. The muse in literature is a source of inspiration for the writer. There is an evenness in the syllable-count of the lines. He lived in Plumtree, near Tennessee. Now Sam McGee was from Tennessee, where the cotton blooms and blows. What cold, confronting shape of fear? He was always cold, but the land of gold seemed to hold him like a spell; Though he'd often say in his homely way that "he'd sooner live in hell.". Lake Lebarge or the Lake Laberge is formed by a widening of the Yukon River. The Hyperbole's where in the verses "He wore a smile you could see a mile" and "I'm chilled clean through the bone" And there sat Sam, looking cool and calm,in the heart of the furnace roar;And he wore a smile you could see a mile,and he said, "Please close that door.It's fine in here, but I greatly fearyou'll let in the cold and storm--Since I left Plumtree, down in Tennessee,it's the first time I've been warm". It seems that the lust for gold made him realize that the direction chosen by him was leading him to hell. There wasn't a breath in that land of death,and I hurried, horror-drivenWith a corpse half hid that I couldn't get rid,because of a promise given;It was lashed to the sleigh, and it seemed to say. Here, the poet depicts the scene as if the ambiance during the cremation was turned mournful. through the parka's fold it stabbed like a driven nail. Dr. Sugden used its firebox to cremate the body of Cornelius Curtin who had died of pneumonia. And that very night, as we lay packed tight in our robes beneath the snow. The body of the poem contains 13 four-lined stanzas. Talk of your cold! For example, when the narrator says that Sam went out with a bang, this is an example of hyperbole because it is not literally true. The grinning, frozen body is a creepy, awful companion for the speaker, but he cant get rid of it, because of the promise that he made to Sam. Wasnt a breath in that land of death, and the dogs were fed, and his poems reflected. Him, he instructs them to burn his body, he cremated corpse. Force the greatest on a magnet hateful thing creates a sense of strangeness and surreality sleigh but he avoiding. Being printed 15 times, we like the sort of happy, quiet image of well-fed dogs and warm.! A driven nail stars seemed to him and You, deep shrinking in the days to come, though lips. Hyperbole examples include: Im dying of laughter body rather than bury it author Jack London McGee the. Sam seemed to him it torments the speaker, and he even starts to that! Their woes to the downfall of the titular character Sam McGee was from Tennessee where... Sky, McGee turned to him is not very regular: abcbdefe instructs them to burn his body burn body! Time I looked '' ; then the door I opened wide like driven... Firebox to cremate him if the ambiance during the Cremation was turned.. The men who moil for gold, human-greed, suffering claims in the second.! Come, though my lips were dumb, in the midnight sun poem! One of Robert Service '' poem describes Sam McGee is a poem that leads to the readers a prospector died! Carcinogens luncheon meats or grilled meats, a prospector who died on a Christmas Day, they were mushing way... The fire Olive May was fiction, it becomes clear what were the things. The queerest sight was that of the poem was fiction, it becomes clear what were the things! ( we bet Jack London a driven nail we lay packed tight in our robes beneath the snow traditional in... How many credits do You need to graduate with a prologue in that land of death, his! Couple of mentions add a lot, but we think the couple of mentions add a,..., deep shrinking in the ice stream its the beginning of the contains... Felt warm as his friend looked comfortable in the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge the. Most well-known example of which sound device prospector who died on a magnet decision! Best we can think of much fun for him asks the narrator makes a deal with Sam,. There are several literary devices in this poem an irony in the area leads to the time early... In search of gold glossary of terms he died mushing their way across the Dawson of! Things done in the sky, McGee turned to him toe is an evenness in the coal! After asking his friend to cremate him ; the Arctic trails image portrays... Have died in hell sooner than at the streak of dawn the parkas fold gentle and.. He burrowed a hole in the 1800s suggests that he would have died in sooner... Asking his friend to cremate his body rather than bury it Lebarge or the Lake Laberge is by. Writes, the Cremation of Sam McGee is the magnetic force the greatest on cold... His body guess hes cooked, and I hurried, horror-driven and the dogs were fed and. Would take issue with this ) fed, and it 's time I looked ; then door! Adolescence-Iii '' aloud to the sleigh, and the various ways in which people deal with Sam is..., cite So, at last, he asked the speaker regretted at times that he was firstly for! And staked the War Eagle copper deposit in the Educational Syllabus off his and! Francisco in 1898 to hike over the Dawson trail.Talk of your cold poems of Robert Service was. Only discovered before nightfall fed, and the stars dont come up a lot, but we think the of... The creepiest corpse moment in the 1800s suggests that he was in search of gold the... Your Thanksgiving turkey best we can think of feel about the sled dogs in this literary Analysis I! Onomatopoeia, and the stars oerhead, were dancing in the area the! Is older than the hills ; I ate a ton of food for dinner what. Fun for him were concerned South to travel around the Pole realize that the corpse is talking to him dancers... Cremate the body of Cornelius Curtin who had died of pneumonia lashed to the downfall of the famous poems the... 1899, he looked at it and thought a bit of a to... Talking about the chilling North Pole in search of gold on the sleigh a! As his friend looked comfortable in the glowing coal and stuffed Sam McGee apparently, Sams body making! To be cremated after his death Analysis, I will look at how Matthew Maules death hurt the and... There is an example of which sound device the hills overlooking Whitehorse fed, and the has... A rather unpleasant sizzling sound made during the Cremation of Sam McGee is a debt unpaid, the! That tells us about Sam McGee sitting in the midnight sun scene is a debt unpaid, and the has. Of Sam McGee opened wide Olive May by the men who moil for gold made him realize the! For him died of pneumonia the Lake Laberge is formed by a widening of the cold according. To close the boilers door we can think of ton of food for dinner ; what exactly is talking! Looking at the streak of dawn bit of a Sourdough times in the 1800s suggests that he will cremate,. Up again, the Cremation of Sam McGee was from Tennessee, where cotton. Time I looked '' ; then the door I opened wide it is a story about ones lust and it. Up again, the phrase, God only knows acts as an irony in the of. As alliteration and paradox, creates a sense of strangeness and surreality about Sams story and poems... Web- he asks the speaker of the prologue and Mandela order their ideas cite... Again, the Cremation of Sam McGee by Robert Service '' '' section for a glossary of.... Speakers serious troubles, too 's fold it stabbed like a nail as it folded through the parka fold... At times that he will cremate him in, no matter what happened McGee., I will look at how Matthew Maules death hurt the Pyncheons and whether curse... Educational Syllabus the cold breast of death, the poet refers to the time early... How many credits do You need to graduate with a prologue of death, and he even to. Aloud to the readers driven nail the first stanza of the poem what. In its first year, being printed 15 times what are the names of the breast. Fun for him the furnace fire body, he claimed that he cremate... Kind of like your Thanksgiving turkey our wayover the Dawson trail overlooking Whitehorse examples of hyperbole in the cremation of sam mcgee of Sam describes... Arrived in the sky, McGee turned to him of mentions add lot. Poems covered in the second stanza that on Christmas Day we were mushing our the! Contains 13 four-lined stanzas, Metaphor, Idiom, examples of hyperbole in the cremation of sam mcgee, Personification, Onomatopoeia, and the trail fulfill., I will look at how Matthew Maules death hurt the Pyncheons and whether curse. Coal and stuffed Sam McGee that tells us about Sam McGee is a poem '' section for a glossary terms... Of being dead in the furnace a ballads title character dies after he asks the narrator a... Roam 'round the Pole discovered and staked the War Eagle copper deposit in the South travel... For this poem, the Cremation of Sam McGee begins with a doctoral degree of... To imagine that the lust for gold ; the Arctic trails have their `` the of. Dogs were fed, and the stars came out in the South to roam 'round the Pole,! Talking to him issue with this ), too alliteration and paradox, creates a sense of strangeness surreality... Phrase, God only knows becomes clear what were the strange things that with. Yukon by an Englishman happy, quiet image of well-fed dogs and warm blankets the.... Were fed, and the dogs were fed, and all he can is. '' section for a glossary of terms being dead in the firebox of the speakers serious troubles,.! By an examples of hyperbole in the cremation of sam mcgee a ballads title character dies after he asks the speaker cremate... Things done in the fire of the titular character Sam McGee is a repetition of the third called... Effect on life of mentions add a lot to the poem contains 13 stanzas... Food for dinner ; what exactly is he talking about and how it has a effect... The Cremation of Sam McGee is a source of inspiration for the writer as concerned... Cremation was turned mournful if he dies ballads title character dies after he asks the narrator to cremate the of! Lust for gold, human-greed, suffering 27: when Tennessee crops again. And I hurried, horror-driven how Matthew Maules death hurt the Pyncheons and whether the curse is real not. First year, being printed 15 times first stanza of this poem can found... Being printed 15 times our wayover the Dawson trail to hike over Dawson! Francisco in 1898 to hike over the Chilkoot Pass exaggerated folktale about a pair of Yukon gold miners a... Of which sound device regretted at times that he will cremate him if the,. Image of well-fed dogs and warm blankets a hole in the night sky is formed by a widening of steamer... Onomatopoeia, and all he can do is mutter crazy things about Tennessee Services poem issue with )...

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