Notes on the poem - Sunrise on the Hills by H. W. Longfellow

SUNRISE ON THE HILLS                                                                                                                         H. W. Longfellow

The poem “Sunrise on the Hills” written by H.W. Longfellow describes the glory and beauty of Nature. Poets believe that Nature has a healing power over man and he is delighted in the presence of Nature. The musical quality of the poem is really praiseworthy. The poet has used beautiful figurative languages such as simile in order to make the poem sweet and effective. The poem gives us a great message that we should protect our Nature which contains flora and fauna. Unnecessary cutting of trees and deforestation will destroy our Nature. Finally Nature has a spiritual power with its rivers, trees, green carpeted meadows and sunlit valleys give us fresh energy and health and we must know that we are part of Nature and Nature is dead, human kind will be perished.

When the poet was standing upon the hills, the horizon looked like an arch with bright sunlight. It was the time of the returning march of the sun to the western horizon and the tall trees are shining brightly in the golden sunlight and the woods are dancing in the wind. The poet looks down to see the clouds bathed in the sunlight. It was a wonderful sight. Suddenly the bright light disappeared from the clouds and they are scattered like the defeated soldiers in the battle field. The top of the tall trees looked like shattered lance  and the pine trees looked dark in the mist.  Suddenly the veil of the cloud was removed and far below the poet sees the beautiful valley in bright golden light. There is a river flowing in the valley. It looked like a white cascade (waterfall) on the slope of the hills. The poet is overjoyed by the glorious sight of the Nature in front of him. He heard the music of a bird while flying over the valley.

The narrator heard the musical sound of the water fall in the distance. He also saw the blue like far away and its silver beach and the tall trees on the shore danced in the wind. He also heard the church bell in the village ringing in a musical tone and it echoes in all hills and valley. In tune with this beautiful sight and sound, the poet can see the smoke coming up from the village homes in silence through the branches of the trees. Thus the poet is immersed in the glorious beauty and music of Nature which the gift of God to man.

The poet tells us that if we are tired of work and sorrow of life, please come to the heart of Nature and stay with her enjoying the beauty and silence of Nature. Soon all your sorrows and pain will disappear and a fresh energy begin to flow in your blood and body and you are refreshed.

Quest for a Theory of Everything                                                                                                    Kitty Gail Ferguson

The profile of the great scientist Stephen William Hawking is a shining example for all of us to follow in our lives. His life history teaches us how to be unique in our own way fighting all difficulties and adversities and limitations. Now William Hawking is known as the ‘supernova’ of physics.

Stephen William Hawking was born of poor middle class parents in Oxford, England. Young Stephen was an ordinary English school boy. He was below average in his class. At the age of seventeen, Hawking went to Oxford to study natural science and to specialize in physics. He became popular among his class mates and he was lively, energetic and sociable. He wore his hair long and was famous for his wit. He enjoyed classical music, science fiction and took part in sports.  He applied to do a Ph.D. at Cambridge and was accepted on a condition that he got a ‘First’ from Oxford. But in the examination Hawking was on the borderline between a first and a second. But Hawking’s sharp wit helped him. He told the authorities at Oxford that ‘If I get a first, I shall go to Cambridge. If I receive a second, I remain at Oxford. So I expect you will give me a first”. They gave him his ‘First’ and he went to Cambridge. His first year at Cambridge was worse than that at Oxford. His poor mathematical back ground was the reason for it. He had fallen two times and he had difficulty in tying his shoes and talking. After his 21^st birth day, he contracted a rare disease ‘amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and there was no cure for it. It affected his nerve cells in the spinal cord and the brain. When he came out of hospital he dreamed that he was going to be killed. Another dream was that he must sacrifice his life to save others. His attitude shows that he is a philanthropist who loves his fellow beings and is willing to die helping others.

 At a New Year’s party at Saint Alban’s hospital, he met his future partner of life Jane Wilde, a teen aged shy, but serious minded girl who fell in love with the disheveled graduate student Hawking. She had strong faith in God and a belief that good can come out of any adversity which she inherited from her mother. Jane’s robust optimism deeply influenced the life of the young scientist. At the age of 23 Hawking received his research fellowship at Caius and they got married. At the university, Hawking was known as a genius, ‘another Einstein’. He wanted to study cosmology and quantum theory which had been begun by Einstein.

 In the 1960s, the young scientist Stephen William Hawking moved his way around the corridors with a cane, supporting himself against the wall. But he daringly asked unexpected and penetrating questions on cosmology and quantum theory while other great scientists from all over the world sat silently unable to answer his questions. Hawking’s book on the universe which contains answers to many interesting questions such as ‘where did the universe come from? If the universe infinite or has boundaries? And is there a beginning of Time? Could Time run back? The book begins with the theories of the cosmos from Newton to Einstein. This book is meant for the reading of common man who wants to know science. But misfortune continues to haunt the great scientist and he had undergone an operation on the throat to save his precious life. After many weeks of intensive care, Hawking came back to his home, wife and three children. “A Brief History of Time “ was published in the year 1988. The abridged version of the original book on the universe was published in 2005. There is a multitude of paradoxes in the book. You will learn that beginnings may be endings; cruel circumstances can lead to happiness and so on. It is a miracle that Stephen William Hawking has been able to achieve everything he has and he is still alive as the ‘ supernova’ of world physics.                                                               Kjt/22-08-2016