Question

Lines 1-8: How do the images in lines 1-8 depart from the pastoral tradition? Cite specific words and phrases and the feelings they evoke. "Spring and All" by William Carlos Williams

Answer 1

The first 8 lines make the poem sound like bad news, and the word "contagious" sets the mood for the poem. The pastoral tradition celebrates the beauty of the natural world and the simple pleasure of living in the countryside. However, the first 8 lines of the poem seem to claim the exact opposite, with words like "contagious" "surge" "cold", and "waste."