“English” Notes Chapter 3.3 To a Butterfly Class 9 Maharashtra Board

Introduction to the Poem

• The poem “To a Butterfly” is written by William Wordsworth, a famous poet of nature and childhood memories.
• The poem expresses the poet’s feelings when he sees a butterfly.
• It brings back memories of his childhood, especially the time he spent with his sister Emmeline.
• The poet asks the butterfly to stay because it reminds him of his past and happy days.

Summary of the Poem

🔹 First Stanza: The Poet’s Request

• The poet pleads with the butterfly not to fly away and to stay near him for some more time.
• He finds comfort in watching the butterfly because it is like a historian of his childhood.
• The butterfly reminds him of the past (dead times) and makes him feel happy and nostalgic.
• Even though the butterfly is a cheerful creature, it brings a serious and deep emotion to the poet’s heart because it reminds him of his family and childhood days.

🔹 Second Stanza: Childhood Memories

• The poet remembers the happy days of childhood when he and his sister Emmeline used to play together.
• They chased butterflies, and the poet felt like a hunter running after his prey.
• He remembers jumping over bushes and running with excitement while chasing the butterfly.
• However, his sister was more gentle and was afraid to touch the butterfly, as she did not want to damage its delicate wings.

Important Themes in the Poem

Childhood Memories

• The poet remembers his childhood and the games he played with his sister.
• He feels that his childhood days were full of joy and innocence.

Nature and Its Beauty

• The butterfly is a symbol of nature’s beauty and freedom.
• The poet admires how a small butterfly can bring back big emotions and memories.

Nostalgia (Remembering the Past)

• The poet feels both happy and sad when he remembers his childhood.
• He wishes to relive those moments, but knows that time has passed and cannot return.

Love for Family

• The poem shows the strong bond between the poet and his sister Emmeline.
• It also expresses his love for his family and the special moments they shared.

Poetic Devices Used in the Poem

Inversion (Changing Word Order for Effect)

• Example: “A little longer stay in sight!”
• Normal Order: “Stay in sight a little longer!”
• Effect: It makes the poem sound more poetic and musical.

Personification (Giving Human Qualities to Non-Humans)

• The poet calls the butterfly a “historian”, which means it is keeping his childhood memories alive.

Imagery (Creating a Picture in the Reader’s Mind)

• Words like “leaps and springs”, “brake to bush” create a visual image of children running in nature.

Rhyme Scheme

• First Stanza: a a b b c b c c b
• Second Stanza: Follows a similar rhyming pattern.