Snake - Video
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The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is an essential tool for any student or teacher of the English language. Developed in the 19th century, the IPA provides a standardized way to represent the sounds of speech in written form. The British English IPA chart includes 44 symbols that represent the monophthongs, diphthongs, and consonant sounds of spoken British English. The Britlish Library offers a wide range of activities to help you master the British English IPA symbols, improve your pronunciation, and take your English language skills to the next level. Whether you're a student or a teacher, our activities are designed to help you learn, remember, and effectively use the IPA in your English language studies.
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Literature
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Snake is one of D. H. Lawrence's most famous poems and was published in the poetry collection Birds, Beasts and Flowers. I use this poem in this lesson to help you with your pronunciation, your vocabulary, your understanding of the British English IPA chart symbols, and to introduce you to this most beautiful of poems. Poems are a great way to enrich many aspects of your English and I hope that you enjoy the poem and the exercises included in the lesson.
Popular Poetry CourseDavid Herbert Lawrence, known by his initials D.H. Lawrence, was an English novelist, poet, and literary critic. He is considered to be one of the most influential writers of the 20th century, known for his exploration of human sexuality, relationships, and modernism. One of his most famous poems, "Snake," is a complex and layered work that deals with themes of nature, temptation, and morality.
"Snake" was first published in 1923 as part of Lawrence's collection of poems, "The Snake and Other Poems." The poem tells the story of a man who encounters a snake at a water trough on a hot summer day. The man is initially afraid of the snake, but as he watches it drink from the trough, he is filled with a sense of awe and wonder at its beauty and grace. However, when the snake turns to leave, the man picks up a log and throws it at the snake, striking it on the back and causing it to flee. The man is immediately filled with a sense of guilt and regret, realizing that he has acted in a way that is cruel and immoral.
Lawrence's "Snake" is a rich and layered poem that explores a range of themes and emotions. At its heart, the poem is an exploration of the relationship between human beings and the natural world. The snake, a symbol of nature and instinct, represents a force that is both alluring and threatening, tempting the man with its beauty and power while also inspiring fear and caution. The man's response to the snake, throwing a log at it in a moment of fear and anger, reflects the ways in which humans often attempt to assert their dominance over the natural world, even as they are drawn to its beauty and power.
The poem is also a meditation on morality and the complexities of human behavior. The man's response to the snake is both instinctive and reflective of his own anxieties and insecurities, and the poem suggests that even our most seemingly natural actions are shaped by social and cultural forces. The man's sense of guilt and regret at his actions suggests a recognition of the ways in which we can act in ways that are harmful and cruel, even as we are drawn to beauty and wonder.
In conclusion, D.H. Lawrence's "Snake" is a powerful and complex work that explores a range of themes and emotions. Its depiction of the relationship between human beings and the natural world, as well as its meditation on morality and human behavior, has made it a beloved and enduring work of modern poetry. Today, "Snake" remains a testament to Lawrence's skill as a poet and his ability to capture the complexities and contradictions of the human experience.
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