The Castle by the Sea
from The German Of Uhland
The Castle by the Sea - meaning Summary
Distant Mournful Vision
A narrator asks another about a splendid seaside castle whose outward beauty—golden clouds, moonlight, and crimson glow—contrasts with an inner sadness. Though one expects music and a bridal celebration, the reply reveals silence, a plaintive sound on the wind, and elderly parents mourning without a bride. The poem registers the gap between majestic appearance and private grief, evoking loss and the unfulfilled promise behind a glittering façade.
Read Complete Analyses"Hast thou seen that lordly castle, That Castle by the Sea? Golden and red above it The clouds float gorgeously. "And fain it would stoop downward To the mirrored wave below; And fain it would soar upward In the evening's crimson glow." "Well have I seen that castle, That Castle by the Sea, And the moon above it standing, And the mist rise solemnly." "The winds and the waves of ocean, Had they a merry chime? Didst thou hear, from those lofty chambers, The harp and the minstrel's rhyme?" "The winds and the waves of ocean, They rested quietly, But I heard on the gale a sound of wail, And tears came to mine eye." "And sawest thou on the turrets The King and his royal bride? And the wave of their crimson mantles? And the golden crown of pride? "Led they not forth, in rapture, A beauteous maiden there? Resplendent as the morning sun, Beaming with golden hair?" "Well saw I the ancient parents, Without the crown of pride; They were moving slow, in weeds of woe, No maiden was by their side!"
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