To A Snowdrop [Poem] Summary & Analysis

The poem To A Snowdrop is about nature and its transformations.  It says about the short life and temporary existence of nature. It describes an unexpected guest in the lyrical voice's garden where the final lines provide the possibility of reflection and thought. The main themes of To a Snowdrop are nature, its beauty, and the impermanence of life It has been personified as a snowdrop and as a guest.

The transformation of nature is expressed through the changes in the seasons.  The poet concludes that life too undergoes various changes. It describes an unexpected guest in the lyrical voice's garden where the final lines provide the possibility of reflection and thought. The main themes of To a Snowdrop are a nature, its beauty, and the impermanence of life.

Detail Analysis Of the Poem 

The poem has been divided for a proper understanding and deep analysis.  The first four lines describe the sufferings of nature.  The lonely flower suffers from the weather condition of the winter period.  The snow starts to bind with its harsh weather. The poet compares the flower to an uninvited guest who could not bear the weather.  The climate is not suitable for its survival.  Day by day the flower struggles to cope with the weather. 

The poet has a hidden message behind the suffering of the flower.  It may be conveyed as the hard life and struggle of people in the social system.  The poor people suffered immensely at the hands of the rich.  Every day they struggle with pain to survive. 

Here in the second part again, the poet feels for the suffering of the flower. He says the flower withstands all the harsh changes in the weather condition which is not favourable for the flower.  Nature has no capacity to tolerate its own changes till the arrival of the spring season.

The poet describes the movements carefully to bring out the quality of patience of the flower and the harshness of the winter. Even though it welcomes the flower as a friend, it longs for spring and tries to survive till spring. The hardship of the underprivileged is brought out by the description of the suffering of the flower. Social differences divide society into upper and lower classes.

In these few lines, the flower Jonquils which is similar to the daffodil flower is brought here. The thick border of winter is about to break to welcome spring.  The readers could sense the great nature changes.  Jonquils are warmly welcomed by the colourful nature with lavishing odours.  

The poet makes deep thinking over the chaste qualities of the Snowdrop and praises its worthiness and he could not get over its modest grace and its adventurous herald of spring.  The poem ends with the philosophical thought of transformation in nature and life.  Life moves on irrespective of its social difference and reaches its end.  The flower which undergoes various changes could be similar to live which also faces changes, challenges, and modifications.