1
Introduction
“the Indian burying ground” is a tribute ‘The Indian Burying Ground’
Stanza 1. The argument Philip Freneau
(written in the form of an elegy or ode) to the
provided by the poet here.
customs of 18th -century Native Americans 1. In spite of all the learned have said,
The poet differs from many
who buries their dead in sitting position. This 2. I still my old opinion keep;
other educated people in
burial custom highlights their beliefs in their belief that the way we 3. The posture, that we give the dead,
bury our dead lying down 4. Points out the soul’s eternal sleep.
simplicity in life and eternity.
suggests they are
embarking on a long sleep. 5. Not so the ancients of these lands—
SACAI JUN 2021 6. The Indian, when from life released,
7. Again is seated with his friends,
8. And shares again the joyous feast.
“His” refers to the 9. His imaged birds, and painted bowl,
“Indian” 10. And venison, for a journey dressed,
11. Bespeak the nature of the soul,
12. Activity, that knows no rest.
Stanza 4. the aspect of American
Indian philosophy.
13. His bow, for action ready bent,
The fact that the American Indian
14. And arrows, with a head of stone,
people bury their dead together
15. Can only mean that life is spent,
with their bows and
16. And not the old ideas gone.
arrows indicates a belief that while
the person is mortal and their
physical body has 17. Thou, stranger, that shalt come this way,
succumbed to death, the soul lives 18. No fraud upon the dead commit—
on in the afterlife equipped with 19. Observe the swelling turf, and say
those necessities they 20. They do not lie, but here they sit.
had during life which suggests
continuity from life after death. SACAI 21. Here still a lofty rock remains,
JUN 2021 22. On which the curious eye may trace
, 2
23. (Now wasted, half, by wearing rains)
24. The fancies of a ruder race.
Stanza 7 MOOD:
There is a sense of peace and tranquillity 25. Here still an aged elm aspires,
in this pastoral setting where shepherds 26. Beneath whose far-projecting shade
come 27. (And which the shepherd still admires)
to rest and children to play in the shade 28. The children of the forest played!
of the beautiful old tree. SACAI JUN 2021
29. There oft a restless Indian queen
30. (Pale Shebah, with her braided hair)
31. And many a barbarous form is seen
32. To chide the man that lingers there.
Buried with the Native American dead:
Birds, painted bowls, venison and his bow 33. By midnight moons, o’er moistening dews;
and arrows. 34. In habit for the chase arrayed,
35. The hunter still the deer pursues,
36. The hunter and the deer, a shade!
The speaker refers to the “Indian” race in
a positive light – appreciating and 37. And long shall timorous fancy see
admiring the customs of being buried 38. The painted chief, and pointed spear,
with “friends” or that a burial is a “joyous 39. And Reason’s self shall bow the knee
feast” 40. To shadows and delusions here.
“learned” line 1, is linked to “Reason” line 39. The thinkers in the poet’s time had come to
believe that the old religious beliefs could not be true, only facts and science could be taken
as true. The speaker is saying he knows this, but he doesn’t agree with it. He illustrates this by
showing the difference in the way the two cultures bury their dead.
Introduction
“the Indian burying ground” is a tribute ‘The Indian Burying Ground’
Stanza 1. The argument Philip Freneau
(written in the form of an elegy or ode) to the
provided by the poet here.
customs of 18th -century Native Americans 1. In spite of all the learned have said,
The poet differs from many
who buries their dead in sitting position. This 2. I still my old opinion keep;
other educated people in
burial custom highlights their beliefs in their belief that the way we 3. The posture, that we give the dead,
bury our dead lying down 4. Points out the soul’s eternal sleep.
simplicity in life and eternity.
suggests they are
embarking on a long sleep. 5. Not so the ancients of these lands—
SACAI JUN 2021 6. The Indian, when from life released,
7. Again is seated with his friends,
8. And shares again the joyous feast.
“His” refers to the 9. His imaged birds, and painted bowl,
“Indian” 10. And venison, for a journey dressed,
11. Bespeak the nature of the soul,
12. Activity, that knows no rest.
Stanza 4. the aspect of American
Indian philosophy.
13. His bow, for action ready bent,
The fact that the American Indian
14. And arrows, with a head of stone,
people bury their dead together
15. Can only mean that life is spent,
with their bows and
16. And not the old ideas gone.
arrows indicates a belief that while
the person is mortal and their
physical body has 17. Thou, stranger, that shalt come this way,
succumbed to death, the soul lives 18. No fraud upon the dead commit—
on in the afterlife equipped with 19. Observe the swelling turf, and say
those necessities they 20. They do not lie, but here they sit.
had during life which suggests
continuity from life after death. SACAI 21. Here still a lofty rock remains,
JUN 2021 22. On which the curious eye may trace
, 2
23. (Now wasted, half, by wearing rains)
24. The fancies of a ruder race.
Stanza 7 MOOD:
There is a sense of peace and tranquillity 25. Here still an aged elm aspires,
in this pastoral setting where shepherds 26. Beneath whose far-projecting shade
come 27. (And which the shepherd still admires)
to rest and children to play in the shade 28. The children of the forest played!
of the beautiful old tree. SACAI JUN 2021
29. There oft a restless Indian queen
30. (Pale Shebah, with her braided hair)
31. And many a barbarous form is seen
32. To chide the man that lingers there.
Buried with the Native American dead:
Birds, painted bowls, venison and his bow 33. By midnight moons, o’er moistening dews;
and arrows. 34. In habit for the chase arrayed,
35. The hunter still the deer pursues,
36. The hunter and the deer, a shade!
The speaker refers to the “Indian” race in
a positive light – appreciating and 37. And long shall timorous fancy see
admiring the customs of being buried 38. The painted chief, and pointed spear,
with “friends” or that a burial is a “joyous 39. And Reason’s self shall bow the knee
feast” 40. To shadows and delusions here.
“learned” line 1, is linked to “Reason” line 39. The thinkers in the poet’s time had come to
believe that the old religious beliefs could not be true, only facts and science could be taken
as true. The speaker is saying he knows this, but he doesn’t agree with it. He illustrates this by
showing the difference in the way the two cultures bury their dead.
