Read the poem.
To Winter
by William Blake
“O Winter! bar thine adamantine doors:
The north is thine; there hast thou built thy dark
Deep-founded habitation. Shake not thy roofs,
Nor bend thy pillars with thine iron car.”
He hears me not, but o’er the yawning deep
Rides heavy; his storms are unchain’d, sheathed
In ribbed steel; I dare not lift mine eyes,
For he hath rear’d his sceptre o’er the world.
Lo! now the direful monster, whose skin clings
To his strong bones, strides o’er the groaning rocks:
He withers all in silence, and his hand
Unclothes the earth, and freezes up frail life.
He takes his seat upon the cliffs; the mariner
Cries in vain. Poor little wretch! that deal’st
With storms, till heaven smiles, and the monster
Is driv’n yelling to his caves beneath mount Hecla.
adamantine: unbreakable
sheathed: encased
sceptre: a staff symbolizing power
withers: shrinks; enfeebles
mount Hecla: an Icelandic volcano that was believed to be a gateway to hell
How does the personification of winter affect the meaning of this poem?
It portrays winter as a victim of the cruel pranks of the other seasons.
It suggests that winter can be convinced to transform into spring.
It reveals winter as a powerful and formidable foe that is difficult to vanquish.
It implies that winter deserves more respect than it is given.