Answer the following questions.

1. What happens when you laugh?
2. What happens when you weep?
3. Why does the earth borrow its mirth?
4. How much trouble does the earth have?
5. What do the hills do when you sing?
6. What happens to a sigh?
7. What kind of sound do echoes bound to?
8. From what does a voice of care shrink?
9. Who will seek you when you rejoice?
10. What do people do when you grieve?
11. What do they want full measure of?
12. What do they not need?
13. How many friends do you have when you are glad?
14. What happens when you are sad?
15. Who will not decline your nectar’d wine?
16. What must you drink alone?
17. How are your halls when you feast?
18. What happens when you fast?
19. What helps you live?
20. What can no man help you do?
21. Where is there room for a large and lordly train?
22. How must we all file on?
23. Through what must we all file on?
24. What is the poem’s central theme?
25. Who wrote the poem?
26. What is the poem’s title?
27. When does the world laugh with you?
28. When do you weep alone?
29. Why must the sad old earth borrow its mirth?
30. Where does a sigh get lost?
31. How do echoes respond to a joyful sound?
32. What causes echoes to shrink?
33. When do men seek you?
34. When do they turn and go?
35. What is the full measure of pleasure that they want?
36. What is the woe that they do not need?
37. How do you get many friends?
38. How do you lose all your friends?
39. What is it that none will decline?
40. What is it that you must drink alone?
41. What makes your halls crowded?
42. What makes the world go by?
43. What is the action that helps you live?
44. What is the action that no man can help you with?
45. Where is there room for a large train?
46. What kind of train is it?
47. How do we file on through the narrow aisles of pain?
48. What is the mood of the poem?
49. What is the rhyming scheme of the first stanza?
50. What is the rhyming scheme of the second stanza?
51. What is the rhyming scheme of the third stanza?
52. How many stanzas are in the poem?
53. How many lines are in each stanza?
54. What is the figurative meaning of “nectar’d wine”?
55. What is the figurative meaning of “life’s gall”?
56. What does “borrow its mirth” imply about the earth?
57. What does “succeed and give” help you do?
58. What does “no man can help you die” mean?
59. What are the “narrow aisles of pain”?
60. What is the purpose of the personification in “the sad old earth must borrow its mirth”?
61. What are the main contrasting ideas in the first stanza?
62. What are the main contrasting ideas in the second stanza?
63. What are the main contrasting ideas in the third stanza?
64. What is the world’s attitude towards sadness according to the poem?
65. What is the world’s attitude towards joy according to the poem?
66. How does the poem describe human relationships?
67. What is the poet’s perspective on human nature?
68. What is the poet’s message about joy and sorrow?
69. What is the poet’s message about friendship?
70. What is the poet’s message about life and death?
71. What does the metaphor of “narrow aisles of pain” suggest?
72. How is the concept of solitude presented in the poem?
73. What is the tone of the poem?
74. How does the poem use repetition?
75. What is the effect of the contrasting pairs of words like “laugh” and “weep”?
76. What is the main paradox presented in the poem?
77. How does the poem use imagery?
78. What is the literal meaning of “feast” and “fast”?
79. What do “feast” and “fast” represent metaphorically?
80. What is the “large and lordly train”?
81. Why do people turn and go when you grieve?
82. Why do they want your pleasure but not your woe?
83. What is the significance of the word “alone” in the first stanza?
84. What is the significance of the word “alone” in the second stanza?
85. What does the poem say about material success?
86. What is the central question the poem seems to ask about human connection?
87. How does the poem’s structure contribute to its meaning?
88. What is the difference between “borrow its mirth” and having “trouble enough of its own”?
89. What is the role of the natural world (hills, air, echoes) in the poem?
90. What is the meaning of “nectar’d wine” in the context of the poem?
91. What does “alone you must drink life’s gall” imply about facing hardships?
92. Why are the halls crowded when you feast?
93. Why does the world go by when you fast?
94. What is the difference between living and dying in the context of the poem?
95. What does “one by one we must all file on” suggest about the human condition?
96. How is the theme of loneliness developed throughout the poem?
97. What is the connection between the title “Solitude” and the content of the poem?
98. What is the primary emotion evoked by the poem?
99. What are the key lessons the poem teaches?
100. How does the poem’s message resonate with contemporary society?

Answers:

1. When you laugh, the world laughs with you. The world participates in your joy and shares your happiness.
2. When you weep, you weep alone. Your sorrow is a solitary experience not shared by others.
3. The earth must borrow its mirth because it is a sad old planet. It has enough troubles of its own, so it cannot generate its own joy.
4. The earth has enough trouble of its own. This implies it is burdened with its own problems and cannot take on more from others.
5. When you sing, the hills will answer. They reflect and echo your joyful sound back to you.
6. A sigh is lost on the air. It is not met with an echo or a response.
7. Echoes bound to a joyful sound. They respond with energy and enthusiasm.
8. A voice of care shrinks from echoes. It is a sound that does not get a response.
9. When you rejoice, men will seek you. They are drawn to your happiness and want to be a part of it.
10. When you grieve, men turn and go. They do not want to be around your sorrow.
11. They want the full measure of all your pleasure. They are interested only in the positive aspects of your life.
12. They do not need your woe. They have no desire to share or participate in your sorrow.
13. When you are glad, your friends are many. Joy attracts people and builds a large social circle.
14. When you are sad, you lose all your friends. Sorrow pushes people away and leaves you isolated.
15. None will decline your nectar’d wine. Everyone is willing to share in your good fortune and happiness.
16. You must drink life’s gall alone. You must face the bitter and difficult moments of life by yourself.
17. When you feast, your halls are crowded. People are eager to join you in celebration and abundance.
18. When you fast, the world goes by. People ignore you when you are in a state of want or lack.
19. To succeed and give helps you live. Being prosperous and generous attracts support and enables your life.
20. No man can help you die. The ultimate journey of death is a solitary one that no one can accompany you on.
21. There is room for a large and lordly train in the halls of pleasure. Joyful and luxurious settings can accommodate many people.
22. We must all file on one by one. Our journey through pain is an individual and solitary experience.
23. We must file on through the narrow aisles of pain. This suggests that suffering is a confining and personal journey.
24. The poem’s central theme is the solitary nature of sorrow and the shared nature of joy. It explores how people are drawn to happiness but avoid pain.
25. The poem was written by Ella Wheeler Wilcox. She was an American author and poet.
26. The poem’s title is “Solitude.” This title immediately introduces the central theme of loneliness and isolation.
27. The world laughs with you when you laugh. It mirrors your happiness and joins in your merriment.
28. You weep alone when you weep. The world does not share in your sorrow and leaves you to your own devices.
29. The sad old earth must borrow its mirth because it is already filled with its own troubles. It has no joy to spare and must take it from others.
30. A sigh gets lost on the air. It is a sound that is not returned or echoed.
31. Echoes respond to a joyful sound by bounding. They actively and enthusiastically reflect the sound back.
32. Echoes shrink from a voice of care. They retreat from a sound that is full of sorrow or trouble.
33. Men seek you when you rejoice. They are attracted to your happiness and success.
34. They turn and go when you grieve. They do not want to be associated with your sadness.
35. The full measure of pleasure they want is all your happiness. They are only interested in the positive parts of your life.
36. The woe they do not need is your sorrow and pain. They have no use for your negative experiences.
37. You get many friends by being glad. Your joy and positivity attract a large social circle.
38. You lose all your friends by being sad. Your sorrow and negativity drive people away.
39. The thing that none will decline is your nectar’d wine. This represents your good fortune and happiness.
40. The thing you must drink alone is life’s gall. This represents the bitter and difficult experiences of life.
41. Your halls are crowded when you feast. This symbolizes that people gather around you during times of prosperity.
42. The world goes by when you fast. This means people ignore you when you are in a state of hardship or need.
43. The action that helps you live is to succeed and give. This suggests that prosperity and generosity are key to a fulfilling life with others.
44. The action that no man can help you with is to die. This is the ultimate, solitary act.
45. There is room for a large train in the halls of pleasure. This symbolizes that many people can be present during happy times.
46. It is a large and lordly train. This suggests a group of people who are part of a celebratory and prosperous occasion.
47. We file on one by one through the narrow aisles of pain. This shows that the experience of suffering is individual and solitary.
48. The mood of the poem is somber and cynical. It reflects a pessimistic view of human relationships and the nature of life.
49. The rhyming scheme of the first stanza is AABB. It follows a simple, direct pattern.
50. The rhyming scheme of the second stanza is AABB. It maintains the simple pattern of the first stanza.
51. The rhyming scheme of the third stanza is AABB. This consistent pattern gives the poem a simple, ballad-like feel.
52. The poem has three stanzas. Each stanza explores a different facet of the same theme.
53. Each stanza has four lines. This uniform structure adds to the poem’s rhythmic and memorable quality.
54. “Nectar’d wine” is a metaphor for happiness, success, and the pleasant parts of life. It represents what people are attracted to.
55. “Life’s gall” is a metaphor for sorrow, hardship, and the bitter parts of life. It represents the burdens you must bear alone.
56. “Borrow its mirth” implies that the earth is fundamentally unhappy and must seek joy from outside sources. It cannot generate its own happiness.
57. “Succeed and give” helps you live. This suggests that a combination of personal success and generosity is a key to a supported life.
58. “No man can help you die” means that death is a final and solitary act. No one can accompany you on that journey.
59. “The narrow aisles of pain” are a metaphor for the individual and confining nature of suffering. It is a journey you must take alone.
60. The personification in “the sad old earth must borrow its mirth” emphasizes the idea that even the world itself is burdened. It mirrors the human tendency to seek happiness while avoiding sorrow.
61. The main contrasting ideas in the first stanza are laughing/weeping and singing/sighing. These pairs highlight the difference in how joy and sorrow are received.
62. The main contrasting ideas in the second stanza are rejoicing/grieving and glad/sad. These pairs focus on how people react to your emotional state.
63. The main contrasting ideas in the third stanza are feasting/fasting and living/dying. These pairs contrast prosperity and hardship, as well as life and its solitary end.
64. According to the poem, the world’s attitude towards sadness is avoidance. The world does not want to be a part of your sorrow.
65. The world’s attitude towards joy is one of participation. It is drawn to and shares in your happiness.
66. The poem describes human relationships as conditional and transactional. People are present for pleasure and prosperity, but absent during pain and sorrow.
67. The poet’s perspective on human nature is cynical and pessimistic. She believes that people are inherently self-interested and avoid the pain of others.
68. The poet’s message about joy and sorrow is that joy is a shared experience, while sorrow is a solitary one. You can only count on others for the good times.
69. The poet’s message about friendship is that it is often based on superficial conditions. True friends are rare, and many people are just “fair-weather” friends.
70. The poet’s message about life and death is that life can be a shared experience, but death is a journey that must be faced alone. Even in a crowded world, the end is solitary.
71. The metaphor of “narrow aisles of pain” suggests that suffering is a personal, isolated experience. It is a confining journey that cannot be shared with others.
72. Solitude is presented as the default state of sorrow. The poem argues that while joy is shared, loneliness is the inevitable companion of pain.
73. The tone of the poem is didactic and somewhat cynical. It instructs the reader on a harsh truth about human nature.
74. The poem uses repetition of contrasting ideas, such as “Laugh, and…/Weep, and…” and “Feast, and…/Fast, and…”. This structure reinforces the central theme of duality and conditionality.
75. The contrasting pairs of words like “laugh” and “weep” serve to create a stark dichotomy. They highlight the fundamental difference in how the world responds to positive and negative emotions.
76. The main paradox is that while we live in a world filled with people, our most profound experiences—sorrow and death—are ultimately solitary. Crowds are for pleasure, not pain.
77. The poem uses imagery of crowded halls and narrow aisles. This imagery visually represents the contrast between shared joy and solitary pain.
78. The literal meaning of “feast” is to eat a large, celebratory meal, while “fast” is to abstain from eating. They represent moments of plenty and moments of want.
79. Metaphorically, “feast” represents times of prosperity and happiness, while “fast” represents times of hardship and sorrow. This highlights the conditional nature of social support.
80. The “large and lordly train” is a metaphor for a crowd of people. It represents the large entourage of friends and associates that one has during times of pleasure.
81. People turn and go when you grieve because they want “full measure of all your pleasure, but they do not need your woe.” They are selfishly motivated by their own desire for happiness.
82. They want your pleasure but not your woe because they are drawn to happiness but repelled by pain. Their relationships are transactional, based on what they can get from you.
83. The significance of “alone” in the first stanza is to immediately establish the poem’s theme of solitude. It highlights that sorrow is an experience without company.
84. The significance of “alone” in the second stanza is to reiterate the idea of isolation in a different context. It emphasizes that you must face life’s hardships without social support.
85. The poem says that material success (succeed and give) is a key to being supported in life. However, this support is conditional and does not extend to the final, solitary moments of existence.
86. The central question the poem seems to ask is: “Are human connections genuine and unconditional, or are they based on self-interest and convenience?” The poem suggests the latter.
87. The poem’s structure, with its clear, contrasting couplets in each stanza, reinforces the central theme. The aabb rhyme scheme and consistent meter create a simple, memorable, and powerful message.
88. “Borrow its mirth” suggests that the earth is taking happiness from outside, while having “trouble enough of its own” means it is already burdened. This distinction shows the earth is not a source of joy but a recipient of it.
89. The natural world (hills, air, echoes) acts as a mirror for human society. It responds to joy (singing) but is indifferent to sorrow (sighing), reflecting the behavior of people.
90. “Nectar’d wine” in the context of the poem symbolizes all the good things in life. It’s the pleasure, success, and joy that people are eager to partake in.
91. “Alone you must drink life’s gall” implies that facing bitter, difficult experiences is a solitary burden. No one will share or help you with your suffering.
92. The halls are crowded when you feast because people are attracted to abundance and good times. Feasting symbolizes prosperity, which draws a crowd.
93. The world goes by when you fast because people are not attracted to hardship or lack. Fasting symbolizes times of need, which pushes people away.
94. The difference between living and dying, in the context of the poem, is that living can be a social, shared experience. Dying, however, is a solitary act that no one can help you with.
95. “One by one we must all file on” suggests that suffering and death are individual journeys. Despite being part of a larger society, these ultimate experiences are faced in solitude.
96. The theme of loneliness is developed by presenting a series of contrasts between shared joy and solitary sorrow. The poem consistently shows that while joy attracts people, pain isolates us, culminating in the ultimate solitude of death.
97. The title “Solitude” directly summarizes the poem’s central message. The entire poem is an exploration of the various ways in which one is left alone, particularly during times of hardship and at the end of life.
98. The primary emotion evoked by the poem is a sense of melancholy or sadness. It is a sobering reflection on the conditional nature of human relationships and the loneliness that accompanies pain.
99. The poem teaches that joy and sorrow are experienced differently in the world. It teaches that friendship and support are often conditional, and that the ultimate burdens of life and death are borne alone.
100. The poem’s message resonates with contemporary society by highlighting the superficiality of many social relationships, particularly in an age of social media where “friends” are often fleeting and based on curated positive images. It speaks to the ongoing human experience of feeling alone in a crowd.