Visit the "Imagery"
page of The Victorian Web's section on In Memoriam.
You'll
find there a list of images that recur throughout the poem, with each
linked
to a list of the specific spots where it appears. Select one of these
images (do not use bell,
ring, or Christmas),
look at each example of it, and then, in a short essay, explain how
that
image functions in In Memoriam. Does the image remain
constant
throughout the poem, or is it used in different ways at different
times?
(A ringing bell, for example, can be an image of joy if associated with
a wedding or with Christmas, but of grief and sadness if associated
with a funeral, and if a speaker is feeling grief and sadness at
Christmas, the joyous wedding bell can serve to underscore the
speaker's lack of joy.) What is the relationship between the way the
image is used at a particular
point and the speaker's state of mind at that point? Be sure that for
each appearance of the image you discuss, you explain not merely the
line or stanza in which the image appears, but the line of thought for
the entire section.
Look at the student paper on "wind" for an example of the kind of thing I'm asking from you. Your essay needn't be quite so extensive and polished as this example, but it should offer, as this one does, an argument about the image's function rather than merely a list or catalogue. You don't need to discuss each occurrence of your image, especially if there are many; rather, focus on those you see as especially important or typical.
If you need access to sections of the poem not contained in the Norton, here is the full text of In Memoriam. Be patient, though, as it can take a while for the entire poem to load.