This poem is a Patriarchal sonnet that consists of two stanzas- the first one is an octet in which the thesis is explained and the second one is a sestet in which a solution for the thesis is explained. The poem is about the children in rich families that are overprotected and lead luxurious and extravagant lives. The comfort that they get isn't as good for them as it seems but plays a part in making them ignorant and making them unprepared to face whatever calamities that may befall them. The poem which has a sober and didactic tone is written in second person narrative so that the message has a greater impact on the reader and the reader feels like he's been addressed directly.
The poem begins with the children of wealth being addressed in their warm and comfy homes directly as in the first line of the poem which is also the title of the poem as in every sonnet. The children are seated in a warm place on "cushioned windows" which tells us that they are provided with so much comfort that even their window seated are cushioned .from the beginning we see that the poet exaggerates their riches. They are watching the snow falling that's falling continuously outside sitting from their windows as in the line "set in the window seat to watch the volleying snow guarded invisibly". There are two images formed here- one is of the comfortable and warm room in which the children are seated and the second image is of the cold and chilly and harsh winter outside.
The only barrier between the two is the clear window referred to as an invisible guard because you cant see it. It doesn't let any pain reach the children as in the line 'by the clear double pane through which no touch untimely penetrates". The children don't know what winter is because they have never felt it, just seen it and heard it. Winter is not something which is known just by seeing .. it has to be felt. In the same way, they [the children] have never experienced the hardships that some people face in this world.
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They have just heard about them. The pun pane describes the window and tells us that no pain can reach the children. If the window would have been single paned the children would still be able to feel the cold air that would seep in. thus we see that winter and "cold" symbolize harsh realities of the outside world. The glass does indeed keep the children away and well protected from the harsh winter but it also keeps them away from the pains of winter and makes them ignorant which can be painful for them. Their citadel keeps them away from feeling and knowledge which is essential for the survival of human beings in the world as in the line "your citadel is safe from feeling and from knowledge too".
In the second stanza the poet says that the only way these kids can get rid of their ignorance is if they are exposed to the harsh realities in the world from which they are kept away. In the line " go down go out to elemental wrong", the poet says that these children should be made to go out and seek the worldly problems out and solve them.
The children of wealth are visualized as fair and round so the poet tells them to shed their weight by working hard as in the line "waste you two round limbs , tan your skin too white". The poet also says that they should tan their skin which is too white that it looks pale and gives a feeling of something that's decaying by exposing it to the sun. the word "too" makes it negative. So, the poet is urging them in using a tone with urgency to seek the outside world and face its difficulties so that they may be able to shed their ignorance.
The second stanza shows the glass as not only a barrier that provides protection but also a dangerous object that is being identified with ignorance as in the line "the glass of comfort, ignorance seems strong".
In the next lines the poet warns them that of a possibility of a fire starting in their houses as in the line "today and yet perhaps this very night you'll wake to horrors wrecking fire your home is wired within for this in every room . The word "yet" in this line gives an effective warning sound. And if something like that does happen they wont be able to protect themselves and how ever will they escape? Their only way will be out of the window which unfortunately won't give way too easily because it's double paned. In the same way they won't be able to survive in the outside world because of their ignorance which is symbolized by glass.
The poem ends with a very clear warning to the children of wealth making it clear that unless they don't seek and expose themselves to reality and experience the difficulties of this world they are going to be vulnerable to this worlds dangers.
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