Full Fathom Five Thy Father Lies
- William Shakespeare
"Full Fathom Five Thy Father Lies" is a poem from William Shakespeare's play "The Tempest," sung by the spirit Ariel to Ferdinand, the Prince of Naples. At the beginning of the play, Ferdinand's father is thought to be drowned, and the prince is understandably upset about this seemingly meaningless death. However, Ariel offers Ferdinand some comfort by describing the transformation of his father's body after death.
According to Ariel, Ferdinand's father lies thirty feet below the surface of the sea, his body unchanged and undecayed. Instead, every part of his body has been transformed into something beautiful and valuable, such as pearls for his eyes and coral for his bones. The sea nymphs even ring a death bell, "Ding-dong," every hour to welcome this transformation.
Through Ariel's artful and melodious description, death becomes a meaningful and precious event rather than a wasted and rotten one. Ariel asks Ferdinand to listen to the death bell and remember his father's beautiful transformation. The poem serves as a reminder that death is a natural part of life and can be viewed as a transition rather than an end.
Question Answers :
Who is the speaker of the poem?
Answer: The speaker of the poem is Ariel, a spirit of wind in Shakespeare's play "The Tempest."
Who is the poem addressed to?
Answer: The poem is addressed to Ferdinand, the Prince of Naples.
What is the subject of the poem?
Answer: The subject of the poem is the death of Ferdinand's father.
Why is Ferdinand upset at the beginning of the play?
Answer: Ferdinand is upset at the beginning of the play because he believes that his father has drowned, and he views this as a meaningless death.
How does Ariel offer Ferdinand comfort in the poem?
Answer: Ariel offers Ferdinand comfort by describing the transformation of his father's body after death into something beautiful and valuable, such as pearls and coral. He also mentions the sea nymphs ringing a death bell to welcome this transformation.
What message does the poem convey about death?
Answer: The poem conveys the message that death is a natural part of life and can be viewed as a transition rather than an end. It also suggests that death can be meaningful and precious if we choose to see it that way.
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