explanation of the poem full line by line .[Lord Ullin’s Daughter]

As Shreya Kundu says its impossible for me too... But i will try to give you the summary..!

Lord Ullin's daughter  describes how a Scottish Cheiftain and his beloved flee her wrathful father, but their defiance leads to their death in a surging, stormy sea. The Cheiftain and his beloved elope to the Highlands. They were chased by Lord Ullin's horsemen who wanted to kill the chieftain. The lovers reached Lochgyle. The weather was stormy but they had to cross it to escape the anger of the lord. they requested a boatman to ferry them to the shore. The cheiftain offered him a silver coin to help them cross to the other side. The boatman agreed and told them not to wait for the fierce storm to clear.

The weather turned worse. The sea wavesrose very high making it difficult to cross it. Then they heard the horses coming near. The lady was afraid that her father would catch hold of her. she requested the boatman to hurry. The boatman put his boat in the wild sea. When they were in the middle of the se, Lord Ullin reached the shore. He pleaded her daughter to come back. He said that he would forgiveboth of them. But it was too late.

The daughter put her arm around her lover and stretched one for help. The storm drowned both the chieftain & Lord Ullin's daughter. Lord Ullin found himself helpless and lamented over the tragedy. He had to pay dearly for his thoughtlessness.

This is the summary.. i think that this would help you.

 Lord ullin's daughter is a simple poem of a girl and a boy who are running from their homes to marry each other as the girl's father is rich and dont want her daughter to marry a boy not as rich as them.The sky is cloudy, there is wind blowing all around but the boy and girl still chooses the way of sea to escape the city .As they are going by boat ,storm comes and the boat sank taking both of them with it. The father regrets and also agree for their marraige if they return but it's too late......AND THEY BOTH ARE DEAD

Inspired by the Scottish tradition of chivalry and romance, Thomas Campbells ballad Lord Ullins Daughter centers around the theme of love and sacrifice portrayed through a narrative involving a chieftain, his beloved, the king and others. Considered to be one of the most popular romantic poems of Campbell, the poem unfolds the story of the attempted elopement resulting in the death of the couple. Well structured and set in a lyrical tone with a regular rhyme scheme, the poem has a curious beginning, a terrifying middle and a tragic end.

In the beginning, the poem portrays that a chieftain is appealing to a boatman to ferry him and his beloved despite stormy weather. The chieftain, chief of Ulvas island, promises to reward the boatman with a silver pound on helping him and his beloved, Lord Ullins daughter, to elope to a distant land.

The chieftain in order to persuade the boatman to help them elope narrates that he and his beloved have been fleeing for three days. To win over the heart of the boatman, the chieftain reiterates that in case he and his beloved are caught by the Kings men, they will kill him leaving his beloved to sigh forever. Giving up his reluctance, the boatman agrees to ferry them to a distant land.

The middle part of the poem brings out the terror and tension in the hearts of the chieftain and his beloved as they anticipate the arrival of the Kings men. They appeal to the boatman to speed up to evade arrest. The internal tension and terror of the characters simulate with the storm and the raging waves of the sea. At this juncture, in tune with the ethos of Scottish culture, Lord Ullins daughter expresses her unwillingness to confront her angry father who has turned down her proposal to marry the chieftain. She prefers to embrace death for the sake of love than confront a wrathful father who will oppose her choice to marry the chieftain.

The poem reaches the climax when the boat carrying the chieftain and his beloved, i.e., Lord Ullins daughter capsizes amidst heavy storm. Lord Ullin at this point reaches the shore only to see that his daughter is drowning. At once his wrath transforms into wailing. He cries in grief persuading his daughter to come back. He can witness his daughter waving her hand for rescue but in vain. He even promises to grant amnesty to his daughter and the chieftain for violating the social ethos of marriage prevalent in the Scottish society. But unfortunately, tragedy dwells upon Lord Ullins daughter and her lover as both of them are drowned leaving Lord Ullin completely shattered.

HOPE THE ABOVE HELPS

A chieftain, to the Highlands bound, Cries,

"Boatman, do not tarry!And I'll give thee a silver poundTo row us o'er the ferry!''--

Paraphrase

A chieftain shouts at a hill-bound man,Hey, boatman, do not delay!I will give you a silver poundFor rowing us in your boat to the other side of this lake.

"Now, who be ye, would cross Lochgyle,This dark and stormy weather?''"O, I'm the chief of Ulva's isle,And this, Lord Ullin's daughter.--

Paraphrase

Well, gentleman, tell me who you are to cross this Lochgyle,In this dark and stormy weather?O, Im the chief of Ulvas island, beyond this lake,And, well, this lady is Lord Ullins daughter.

"And fast before her father's menThree days we've fled together,For should he find us in the glen,My blood would stain the heather.

Paraphrase

Her fathers soldiers have been chasing us forThe last three days and we have running from them.If he or his soldiers stop us in this flightThey will kill me and the leaves of these plants and trees will be red with my blood.

"His horsemen hard behind us ride;Should they our steps discover,Then who will cheer my bonny brideWhen they have slain her lover?''--

Paraphrase

His soldiers have been chasing us in close pursuit,If they find our steps and kill me,Tell me, who shall be there to make my beautiful bride happy?

Out spoke the hardy Highland wight,--I'll go, my chief--I'm ready:--It is not for your silver bright;But for your winsome lady:

Paraphrase

The brave, hillbound boatman replied,I will row the boat for you, my chief, I am ready;But do not think that I do for your bright silver;But for this innocent lady.

"And by my word! the bonny birdIn danger shall not tarry;So, though the waves are raging white,I'll row you o'er the ferry.''--

ParaphraseAnd I'll keep my words and not delay the innocent bridewho is in dangerSo, even though the waves are infuriated,I will ferry you both to the other side of the river.Sorry for I don't have time to complete it! I've done it for as far as Icould! I hope it helped! :)

LINES 1 to 8

These lines tells us how a Scottish Chieftain, who had eloped with Lord Ullins daughter requested the boatman to help them to cross the Lochgyle. He offered to pay him a silver pound for his help as they were being chased by the angry father of the girl. The boatman asked the Chieftain who he was. The Chieftain introduced himself as the Chieftain of Ulva isle and the beautiful girl with him was the daughter of Lord Ullin. They were in love with each other and had eloped against the will / consent of Lord Ullin. Angry Lord Ullin and his men were chasing them speedily. He wanted to cross Lochgyle before their arrival there.

LINES 9 to 16

The Chieftain said that they had been running for their life for the last three days and the horsemen were chasing them very wildly. If they came and cought them, they would kill him and his blood would stain the bushes nearby. After that who would take care of his beautiful bride and keep her happy and console her.

LINES 25 to 32

The weather had become dark and stormy. Suddenly a fierce storm gathered and a wild wind began to blow. The sea water took the shape of a ghost in that wild weather. It seemed to be shrieking like ghosts. The sky also looked frowning. Soon it grew dark and the faces of the three people too looked dark. But even in the dreadful stormy night, Lord Ullins armed horseman were chasing the two lovers. The sound of the horses feet was heard coming nearer.

LINES 33 to 40

When Lord Ullins daughter saw her fathers horseman approaching them, she cried to the boatman to row them away quickly. She was very much afraid of her fathers anger. She said that she would meet the anger of the skies (bad weather) but not her fathers anger. The boat left the stormy land and had started sailing in the stormy sea. Soon the storm became very furious and it seemed difficult to tackle it easily.

LINES 41 to 48

These lines tells us about the tragic end of the Lord Ullins daughter and the Chieftain of Ulva isle. The boat of the lovers was caught in the storm. They had to row in the middle of the roar of water which had covered them all over and it became very difficult to row. Soon Lord Ullin reached the shore with his men and saw his daughter struggling with the deadly waves. He saw her one hand stretching towards him for help and other hand holding her lover. His anger changed to love and wailing.

LINES 49 to 56

The wailing father- Lord Ullin cried in grief telling his daughter to come back out of the stormy water. He promised her that he would forgive her Highland Chieftain, but it was in vain , it was too late. He saw his daughter in the grip of angry storm and wild waves. The loud waves beat against the shore so hard that no help could be given to save his daughter. A wild wave washed away his daughter before his eyes and remained there helpless and left for home lamenting for his beautiful daughter.

The poem reaches the climax when the boat carrying the chieftain and his beloved, i.e., Lord Ullin's daughter capsizes amidst heavy storm. Lord Ullin at this point reaches the shore only to see that his daughter is drowning. At once his wrath transforms into wailing. He cries in grief persuading his daughter to come back. He can witness his daughter waving her hand for rescue but in vain. He even promises to grant amnesty to his daughter and the chieftain for violating the social ethos of marriage prevalent in the Scottish society. But unfortunately, tragedy dwells upon Lord Ullin's daughter and her lover as both of them are drowned leaving Lord Ullin completely shattered.

Stanza -1

A chieftain, to the Highlands bound, 

Cries, ``Boatman, do not tarry! 

And I'll give thee a silver pound 

To row us o'er the ferry!''—

 Paraphrase-

A chieftain who is going to the highlands cried and said to the boatman not to make late. If he takes him and his beloved (Lord Ullin’s daughter) across the Lochgyle, he will give him a silver pound. (Money)

Stanza- 2

``Now, who be ye, would cross Lochgyle, 

This dark and stormy weather?'' 

``O, I'm the chief of Ulva's isle, 

And this, Lord Ullin's daughter.—

Paraphrase-

The boatman asked who he was willing to cross Lochgyle is this stormy and dark weather .The Chieftain answered that he was the chieftain of Ulva’s island and with him was Lord Ullin’s daughter, his beloved.

Stanza -3

``And fast before her father's men 

Three days we've fled together, 

For should he find us in the glen, 

My blood would stain the heather. 

Paraphrase-

And take us before her father’s men come and get them. We have fled together for three days. If her father (Lord Ullin) finds us, he would stain the heather plant with my blood.

Stanza -4

``His horsemen hard behind us ride; 

Should they our steps discover, 

Then who will cheer my bonny bride 

When they have slain her lover?''—

Paraphrase-

 Lord Ullin’s armed horsemen are chasing them close. If they find and get them, then who will make his beautiful beloved happy because he is sure that they will kill him.

Literary Device-

Alliteration –

1. His horsemen

2. bony bride

3. who will.

Stanza-5

Out spoke the hardy Highland wight,-- 

``I'll go, my chief--I'm ready:-- 

It is not for your silver bright; 

But for your winsome lady: 

Paraphrase-

The boatman who is the strong and brave one belonging to the high mountain region said that he would go taking them across the river. But not for money he would take for the beautiful lady.

Stanza-6

``And by my word! the bonny bird 

In danger shall not tarry; 

So, though the waves are raging white, 

I'll row you o'er the ferry.''—

Paraphrase-

The boatman says that he swears not to keep the lady, Lords Ullin’s daughter in danger any more. Though waves are getting violent and furious and foaming (white). He will take them across the Lochgyle.

Stanza -7

By this the storm grew loud apace, 

The water-wraith was shrieking; 

And in the scowl of heaven each face 

Grew dark as they were speaking. 

Paraphrase-

                     In the meantime the storm turned to be a rough and violent. It seemed as if the water ghost was shouting. The sky turned darkish and the turbulence of the sky looked as if of frowning look which brought darkish flush on the face of all three.

Stanza -8

But still as wilder blew the wind, 

And as the night grew drearer, 

Adown the glen rode armèd men, 

Their trampling sounded nearer.—

Paraphrase-

                The wind was blowing rough and violent, night started to grow darker and rough. . Suddenly from the glen sounds of the armed soldiers were heard coming  towards them.

Stanza -9

``O haste thee, haste!'' the lady cries, 

``Though tempests round us gather; 

I'll meet the raging of the skies, 

But not an angry father.''—

Paraphrase-

Lord Ullin’s daughter requests the boat man to move faster. Though wild windstorm is there she would prefer to face the anger of the sky than to face her angry father.

Stanza-10

The boat has left a stormy land, 

A stormy sea before her,-- 

When, O! too strong for human hand, 

The tempest gather'd o'er her. 

Paraphrase-

                    After they left the stormy land, they got the stormy sea before and storm was more powerful than them and ensured their defeat.

Stanza-11

And still they row'd amidst the roar 

Of waters fast prevailing: 

Lord Ullin reach'd that fatal shore,-- 

His wrath was changed to wailing. 

Paraphrase-

                   They fought hard against the deadly waves of water till their last breath. In the meantime Lord Ullin came to the fatal shore, - the anger he bore against them changed into mournful wailing.

Stanza-12

For, sore dismay'd through storm and shade, 

His child he did discover:-- 

One lovely hand she stretch'd for aid, 

And one was round her lover. 

Paraphrase-

Through the storm and shade, in pain and Shock he found his child. The beautiful girl stretched her one lovely hand towards her father meaning to save and the other was around the lover which was even very dear to her.

Stanza-13

``Come back! come back!'' he cried in grief 

``Across this stormy water: 

And I'll forgive your Highland chief, 

My daughter!--O my daughter!'' 

Paraphrase–

At this situation Lord Ullin understood his fault and requested his daughter to come and promised to forgive her lover. He was wailing at the shore.

 Stanza -14

'Twas vain: the loud waves lash'd the shore, 

Return or aid preventing: 

The waters wild went o'er his child, 

And he was left lamenting

Paraphrase-

As the big violent loud waves had made the lochgyle terrible, so no aid from outside on no return of them from water was possible. A big wave dashed o’ver his child and he was left mourning.

But, it is too late. He would see his daughter no more. He realizes how his senseless fury and obduracy have extracted a deadly toll. There was no way he could atone for his folly.