Analysis

Stanza 1:

The first line of the poem is: “Are they shadows that we see.” I think that this line means “are the things we see real?” since the narrator is pondering whether or not he sees something from his imagination. Also, figments of imagination are things that are not real, and cause you to wander whether you actually saw something or not. The next line is: “And can shadows pleasure give?” I would interpret the basic meaning of this line to be “Can shadows give pleasure?” As symbolized in the first line, the “shadows” are things that aren’t real. So, this line can be interpreted to mean “Can we feel emotion from nothing at all?” The third line is “Pleasures only shadows be.” I think that an interpretation of this line would be “Things that aren't real somehow give us pleasure.” The next line is “cast by bodies we conceive.” These “bodies” that the line speaks of are casting shadow that aren’t real. This may mean that the people aren’t real either. I beleive that this line means that we imagine, or form an idea in our minds, of people or things that we want to see. The next two lines form the sentence “And are made the things we deem in those figures which they seem.” This is a reference to the above line, which shows that we imagine things that we want. I think that this line means that when we imagine things that we want to see in the figures that appear only in our imagination.

Stanza 2:

The first line in this stanza is: “But these pleasures vanish fast.” This line can be interpreted to the basic meaning that pleasures are temporary. These pleasures, as mentioned in the previous paragraph, are things that we make up in our minds. So, I beleive that this line means that after a little while, we realize that we do not actually see what we think we see. The second line in the stanza is “Which by shadows are expressed.” In addition to the link above, I think that this line means that the shadows that our minds create only further prove that pleasure does not last long. The third line and the fourth line in the stanza is “Pleasures are not, if they last; In their passing is their best.” I think that these two lines can be perceived to mean that even though pleasure does not last for long, when it begins to fade, sometimes that is best. The next line, “Glory is most bright and gay” is very straightforward, with an overall meaning of “Glory is great.” he last line in the stanza is “In a flash and so away.” This line in conjunction to the previous line, means that glory does not last for long.

Stanza 3:
The first line in the stanza is “Feed apace then, greedy eyes.” I think that this line can be interpreted to mean that if you want to see something badly enough, then you will imagine it, and see it through your “greedy eyes.” The next line runs in conjunction with the previous line. This line is: “On the wonder you behold.” This means that if you want to see something badly, your mind will show you it, and you will behold something wonderful. The next two lines form a continuous phrase, which is “Take it sudden as it flies, though you take it not to hold.” I think that this sentence means that you should appreciate beautiful things when you have them, but be able to let them go when needed and not take advantage of them.

Figurative Language:

Personification: "Glory is most bright and gay. In a flash, and so away."

I think that this example of personification shows that glory is good, but that it idoes not last long. It is personification becuase it gives human-like qualities (emotion) to an idea (glory). This is becuase the terms "bright" and "gay" are being used to signify the good that glory beholds. However, this quote also says "In a flash and so away." This means that the glory disapears very quickly. 

Personification: " Feed apace then, greedy eyes." 

This is an example of personification becuase the human-like quality of eating is being given to eyes, which cannot eat. This example of personification means that everybody wants to see everything that they can. In this quote, the author is giving permission to the reader to see whatever they want. This adds to the tone and mood becuase it shows that the author is attempting to make the reader feel free and happy. 

Tone:

I think that the tone of this poem is happy and free. This is becuase there are many quotes in the text that prove this, including the personification example "Feed apace then, greedy eyes," "Pleasures are not, if they last; in their passing is their best," "Take it sudden as it flies, though you take it not to hold" and "When your eyes have done their part, thought must length it in the heart."

Mood:

I think that the mood of this poem is happy and free. This is because when I read the poem, the main message that I perceived was to be happy and free while you can, and I think that this was the main message that the author was attempting to convey. There are also several quotes in the text that support this answer, including "Feed apace then, greedy eyes," "Pleasures are not, if they last; in their passing is their best," "Take it sudden as it flies, though you take it not to hold" and "When your eyes have done their part, thought must length it in the heart."