ENGL 2210 World Literature II

Heine: Study Guide

"A pine is standing lonely"
  1. How is nature personified in this poem?
  2. Why is the pine lonely?
  3. How is the poem an example of an archetypal tragedy?
  4. How well do you think the poem describes the romantic concept of desire for the unattainable love-object? Why can't the two trees ever meet?
"A young man loves a maiden"
  1. Describe the complicated relationship among the various characters in the poem.
  2. Where does the undertone of sadness derive from in this poem?
  3. How is the fate of the lovers in this poem similar to those in "A pine stands lonely."
  4. Comment on the poet's assertion that this story is "old," and "Yet somehow always new."
"Ah, death is like the long cool night"
  1. Describe the concept of death and longing for death implied in this poem.
  2. How is death contrasted with life? Which seems to be preferable?
  3. Compare the vision of death in this poem to Leopardi's "To Himslef."