Poetry · Chapter
Specimen of an Induction to a Poem explained
The speaker invokes a tale of chivalry, describing vivid images of plumes, lances, and a lady at a battlement.
What happens
The speaker invokes a tale of chivalry, describing vivid images of plumes, lances, and a lady at a battlement. He questions how to revive the dying tones of minstrelsy and calls upon the spirit of Spenser for guidance, expressing a humble hope to follow in his poetic path.
Themes in this chapter
Art and Poetry
The speaker self-consciously reflects on the act of poetic creation and invokes Spenser as a muse.
Dreams and Escape
The poem yearns for an idealized chivalric past, offering an escape into imagination.
Characters to notice
Key passages
“Lo! I must tell a tale of chivalry; For large white plumes are dancing in mine eye.”
I am compelled to narrate a chivalric story, as I see grand white feathers moving before me.
The opening lines establish the speaker's visionary impulse.
“Spenser! thy brows are archèd, open, kind, And come like a clear sunrise to my mind;”
Spenser, your gentle and noble expression appears to me like a bright dawn.
The speaker directly addresses Edmund Spenser, seeking his poetic blessing.