“To the Memory of Mr. Oldham” Summary

“To the Memory of Mr. Oldham” Themes

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  The Tragedy of a Young Poet's Death

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  Poetic Practice and Style

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Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis of “To the Memory of Mr. Oldham”

• Lines 1-6

  Farewell, too little and too lately known,
  Whom I began to think and call my own;
  For sure our souls were near ally'd; and thine
  Cast in the same poetic mould with mine.
  One common note on either lyre did strike,
  And knaves and fools we both abhorr'd alike:

  

  

  

  

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• Lines 7-10

  To the same goal did both our studies drive,
  The last set out the soonest did arrive.
  Thus Nisus fell upon the slippery place,
  While his young friend perform'd and won the race.

  

  

  

  

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• Lines 11-16

  O early ripe! to thy abundant store
  What could advancing age have added more?
  It might (what nature never gives the young)
  Have taught the numbers of thy native tongue.
  But satire needs not those, and wit will shine
  Through the harsh cadence of a rugged line.

  

  

  

  

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• Lines 17-21

  A noble error, and but seldom made,
  When poets are by too much force betray'd.
  Thy generous fruits, though gather'd ere their prime
  Still show'd a quickness; and maturing time
  But mellows what we write to the dull sweets of rhyme.

  

  

  

  

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• Lines 22-25

  Once more, hail and farewell; farewell thou young,
  But ah too short, Marcellus of our tongue;
  Thy brows with ivy, and with laurels bound;
  But fate and gloomy night encompass thee around.

  

  

  

  

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“To the Memory of Mr. Oldham” Symbols

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  Ivy and Laurels

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  The Lyre

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“To the Memory of Mr. Oldham” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language

• Allusion

  

  

  

  

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• Metaphor

  

  

  

  

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• Apostrophe

  

  

  

  

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• Repetition

  

  

  

  

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• Alliteration

  

  

  

  

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“To the Memory of Mr. Oldham” Vocabulary

Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.

• Ally'd
• Thine, thy
• Lyre
• Knaves
• Abhorr'd
• Nisus
• Numbers of thy native tongue
• Cadence
• Ere
• Mellows
• Hail and farewell
• Marcellus
• Ivy and laurels
• Encompass

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Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “To the Memory of Mr. Oldham”

• Form

• Meter

• Rhyme Scheme

“To the Memory of Mr. Oldham” Speaker

“To the Memory of Mr. Oldham” Setting

Literary and Historical Context of “To the Memory of Mr. Oldham”

More “To the Memory of Mr. Oldham” Resources

• External Resources

  • More on Dryden — Learn more about Dryden (and read more of his poetry) via the Poetry Foundation.

  • The Poem Aloud — Listen to a reading of the poem.

  • A Brief Biography — Learn more about Dryden's life and work via the British Library.

  • Mr. Oldham — Learn more about John Oldham, the poet this poem celebrates. Oldham and Dryden were both part of a lively circle of London-based writers in the 17th century.

  • Dryden as Laureate — Read a short history of British Poets Laureate, including the tale of how Dryden (the first to carry the title) was succeeded by one of his own rivals.

• LitCharts on Other Poems by John Dryden

  • Farewell, ungrateful traitor!