The Deserted Village by Oliver Goldsmith - Book Report/Review Example

The Deserted Village ‘The Deserted Village’, written by Oliver Goldsmith was published in 1770. The poem begins as he idealizes what his village Auburn used to be like. It is a ‘pastoral’ type of poem, where the poet captures the essence and beauty of the simple and peaceful life of the villagers, who have been happy and content with nature and the course of life. Soon he tells how it all comes to demise with an economical and political change in the area. The poem is a recollection of the author’s childhood memories spent in rural Ireland and England. Oliver Goldsmith chose not to disclose the location of his village. He however did indicate that it was situated fifty miles from London, and is believed to be in Nuneham Courtenay. This poem is dedicated to artist Sir Joshua Reynolds, a close friend of Oliver Goldsmith. Goldsmith’s aim however, was to condemn the rural depopulation and over indulgences of the riches. As a poet who was disturbed by the increasing British love for wealth instead of the goodness of the country that was marred at the hand of a few millionaires, Goldsmith mourns the loss of a paradise that he knew was his. If practically dissected however, ‘Sweet Auburn’ is a village of pure goodness in its people and in its topography. While the poet chooses to romanticize the beauty of the villagers, he completely ignores their hardships. The poem opens with lines that provide a description of the village Auburn – written in past tense – as the poet is recollecting the memories of the Irish village and fruits of his more than often travels to the villages in England. The poet dramatizes the plains of the villages and early visiting spring to allure peasants from migrating while inviting farmers and peasants from other countries. It is interesting to notice that the word ‘delayed’ adds wistfulness to the tone of the poem, as if the paradise in the form of village that Goldsmith has made up is going to get lost somehow. The poet then moves to describe how the village in its current state in the following lines "Sunk are thy bowers, in shapeless ruin all, And the long grass oertops the mouldering wall; And, trembling, shrinking from the spoilers hand, Far, far away, thy children leave the land. Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, Where wealth accumulates, and men decay: (lines 47 – 52)" With these lines, he tries to explain that the land has been abandoned by its people leading to its ruin. People have left their homes to collapse, and their farms to ruin all in the chase of wealth leading to a progressive decline in the nature’s way of life. The poet also directs firmly towards the restorative times when money-making was considered more important than a person’s health and moral responsibilities. The helplessness of the poet to change times is evident with words such as ‘mouldering’ and ‘trembling’. The poet has a strong attachment with his village which can be assessed when he writes "Here to return—and die at home at last. O blest retirement, friend to lifes decline, Retreats from care that never must be mine, How happy he who crowns, in shades like these A youth of labour with an age of ease; (lines 96 – 100)" The poet with his deep love states in this stanza that the quiet, simple life in one’s own farm is better than the city life. He values the love for his land, beauty of a farmer’s life, and a good friend more than the materials cities have to offer. The youth spent in harvesting and laboring gives not only satisfaction but a death of ease. This is because during the early times, ethics, morals and health were considered to be primary goals in life. The poet highlights the importance of these values, and the ease with which it can be achieved. After giving a description of "Auburn’s parson", "schoolmaster" and "alehouse", the poet begins to make a point that with the ongoing Industrial Revolution and greed for wealth, the usurpation of lands and agricultural is bound. He tries to describe the frenzy that all men are in, flying from one place to another to obtain the opportunities of making money and reminds people that the true wealth lies not in materials but the honesty and simplicity of life. On ending the poem, the poet describes the contrast between "then" and "now" that Auburn has turned into. This annihilation of the village is not a physical and objective loss but a moral and ethical one. With the fading rural landscapes, fades the culture and sense of tradition among people. Oliver Goldsmith, in this poem has been mourning the death of the rural life and along it the dying customs and traditions. This poem can also be viewed as a plea from the poet for restoration to the former ways of simple, country life, to spare the traditions and beauties of an English village against the growing aspirations of a wealthy community. Scansion "Sweet Au burn|| loveliestvillage of the plain, Where health and plenty cheared||the labouring swain, Where smiling spring || its earliest visit paid, And parting summers || lingering blooms || delayed, Dear lovelybowers|| of innocence and ease, Seats of my youth || when every sport could please, How often|| have I loitered || oer thy green, Where humble happiness || endeared|| each scene! The sheltered cot ||, the cultivated farm, The never-fai ling brook, || the busy mill, The decent church || that topt || the neighbouring hill, The hawthorn bush ||, with seats || beneath the shade, For talking age || and whispering lovers made! How often have I blest || the coming day, When toil remitting lent || its turn to play, And all the village train ||, from labour free, Led up their sports || beneath|| the spreading tree, While many a pastime ||circled|| in the shade, The young contending | as the old surveyed; And many a gambol ||frolicked oer the ground, And slights of art || and feats of strength || went round; And still || as each repeated || pleasure tired, Succeeding sports|| the mirthful band || inspired; The dancing pair || that simply || sought renown By holding out || to tire each otherdown; The swain || mistrustless || of his smutted face, While secret || laughter || titteredround the place; The bashfulvirgins|| side-long || looks of love, The matronsglance|| that would those looks|| reprove! These were thy charms ||, sweet village ||; sports like these, With sweet succession, ||taught eventoil || to please; These round thy bowers || their chearful influence || shed, These were thy charms—But all these charms are fled." The Deserted Village in all is a long poem. It follows the ab/ab rhyme scheme, and it follows the iambic pentameter, contrasting the ease of life with the difficult times that the industrial revolution has directed men towards. It is interesting to note that all the lines are given in couplets, emphasizing on how the poet laments the loss of simplicity of nature to give way to the mechanized life in America. In conclusion, it is the plight of a poet in love with nature to stick to the nature and not fall prey to money and the evils it brings with it. References Goldsmith, Oliver. The Deserted Village. Charlottesville, Va: University of Virginia Library, 1996. Internet resource. Read More