🌙 Oft, In The Stilly Night

Thomas Moore (1779–1852)

📚 Explanation • Odia Meaning • Themes • Literary Devices • Questions & Answers

👨‍🎨 About the Poet

Thomas Moore (1779–1852) was an Irish poet, singer, songwriter and lyricist. “Stilly Night” expresses his nostalgia, loneliness and sadness when he remembers the people and happy days of his past.

📖 Title Meaning

Stilly Night = a very quiet and peaceful night

Odia: ନିରବ / ଶାନ୍ତ ରାତି

Scotch Air = a melody associated with Scotland

Odia: ସ୍କଟଲ୍ୟାଣ୍ଡର ଏକ ସୁର / ଧୁନ

📝 Stanza 1 – Simple Explanation

Oft, in the stilly night,
Ere slumber’s chain has bound me,
Fond memory brings the light
Of other days around me;

The poet often lies awake during the quiet night before falling asleep. At that time, his fond memories of the past return to him.

ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଅର୍ଥ:
କବି ଅନେକ ସମୟରେ ଶାନ୍ତ ରାତିରେ ଶୋଇବା ପୂର୍ବରୁ ନିଜ ପୁରୁଣା ଦିନଗୁଡ଼ିକୁ ମନେ ପକାନ୍ତି। ସେହି ସ୍ମୃତିଗୁଡ଼ିକ ତାଙ୍କ ମନରେ ଅତୀତର ଆଲୋକ ଆଣିଥାଏ।

📚 Important Words

Word	English Meaning	Odia Meaning
Oft	Often	ପ୍ରାୟତଃ
Stilly	Quiet, silent	ନିରବ, ଶାନ୍ତ
Ere	Before	ପୂର୍ବରୁ
Slumber	Sleep	ନିଦ୍ରା
Fond memory	Loving / sweet memory	ସ୍ନେହଭରା ସ୍ମୃତି
Other days	Past days	ଅତୀତ ଦିନଗୁଡ଼ିକ

💭 What Does the Poet Remember?

The smiles, the tears,
Of boyhood’s years,
The words of love then spoken;

He remembers his childhood happiness and sadness, as well as the loving words spoken to him in those days.

ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଅର୍ଥ:
ସେ ନିଜର ବାଲ୍ୟକାଳର ହସ, ଲୁହ ଓ ସେ ସମୟରେ କୁହାଯାଇଥିବା ପ୍ରେମଭରା କଥାଗୁଡ଼ିକୁ ମନେ ପକାନ୍ତି।

The eyes that shone,
Now dimm’d and gone,
The cheerful hearts now broken!

He remembers people whose eyes once shone with happiness, but who are now gone. The cheerful people he once knew are no longer with him.

ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଅର୍ଥ:
ଯେଉଁ ଲୋକମାନଙ୍କ ଆଖି ଦିନେ ଆନନ୍ଦରେ ଚମକୁଥିଲା, ସେମାନେ ଏବେ ନାହାନ୍ତି। ଅତୀତର ଆନନ୍ଦମୟ ହୃଦୟଗୁଡ଼ିକ ଏବେ ଭାଙ୍ଗିଯାଇଛି।

🌧️ Stanza 2 – Sad Memories

Thus, in the stilly night,
Ere slumber’s chain hath bound me,
Sad memory brings the light
Of other days around me.

Now the poet calls his memories “sad memory.” His memories bring back the past, but instead of making him happy, they make him sad and lonely.

ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଅର୍ଥ:
ଶାନ୍ତ ରାତିରେ ଶୋଇବା ପୂର୍ବରୁ କବିଙ୍କ ଦୁଃଖଭରା ସ୍ମୃତି ତାଙ୍କୁ ଅତୀତର ଦିନଗୁଡ଼ିକୁ ମନେ ପକାଇଦିଏ। ଏହି ସ୍ମୃତି ତାଙ୍କ ମନରେ ଦୁଃଖ ଓ ଏକାକୀତ୍ୱ ସୃଷ୍ଟି କରେ।

🍂 Stanza 3 – Friends Lost

When I remember all
The friends, so link’d together,
I’ve seen around me fall,
Like leaves in wintry weather;

The poet remembers his old friends. One by one, he has seen them disappear from his life, just as leaves fall from trees during winter.

ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଅର୍ଥ:
କବି ଯେତେବେଳେ ତାଙ୍କର ପୁରୁଣା ବନ୍ଧୁମାନଙ୍କୁ ମନେ ପକାନ୍ତି, ସେ ଦେଖନ୍ତି ଯେ ସେମାନେ ଜଣେ ଜଣେ କରି ତାଙ୍କ ଜୀବନରୁ ଚାଲିଯାଇଛନ୍ତି। ଶୀତ ଋତୁରେ ଗଛରୁ ପତ୍ର ଝଡ଼ିବା ସହିତ କବି ଏହାର ତୁଳନା କରିଛନ୍ତି।

🍁 Important Comparison

Friends falling away → Leaves falling in winter

This is a Simile.

🏛️ The Empty Banquet Hall

I feel like one
Who treads alone
Some banquet-hall deserted,

The poet compares himself to a person walking alone through an abandoned banquet hall. A banquet hall was once full of people, joy and celebration, but now it is empty.

ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଅର୍ଥ:
କବି ନିଜକୁ ଏପରି ଜଣେ ମଣିଷ ସହିତ ତୁଳନା କରିଛନ୍ତି, ଯିଏ ଏକ ପରିତ୍ୟକ୍ତ ଭୋଜିସଭା ଘର ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଏକାକୀ ଚାଲୁଛି।

Whose lights are fled,
Whose garlands dead,
And all but he departed!

ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଅର୍ଥ:
ସେହି ଭୋଜିସଭାର ଆଲୋକ ଲିଭିଯାଇଛି, ଫୁଲମାଳାଗୁଡ଼ିକ ଶୁଖିଯାଇଛି ଏବଂ କବିଙ୍କୁ ଛାଡ଼ି ସମସ୍ତେ ଚାଲିଯାଇଛନ୍ତି।

This image represents the poet's deep loneliness and loss.

🌟 Central Idea

The poem is about memory, nostalgia, loss and loneliness. The poet remembers his childhood, loved ones and old friends during the silent hours of night. At first, the memories seem like a light from the past, but gradually they become painful because many of the people he remembers are gone.

In Simple Words:
The poem shows how memories of happy past days can become painful when the people who shared those days with us are no longer alive or present.

ଓଡ଼ିଆ:
ଏହି କବିତାରେ ଅତୀତର ସୁଖଦ ସ୍ମୃତି କିପରି ପ୍ରିୟଜନ ଓ ବନ୍ଧୁମାନଙ୍କୁ ହରାଇବା ପରେ ଦୁଃଖଦାୟକ ହୋଇଯାଏ, ତାହା ପ୍ରକାଶ ପାଇଛି।

🎭 Major Themes

💭 Memory
Remembering the past

🌅 Nostalgia
Longing for the past

😔 Loneliness
Being alone

🍂 Loss
Separation from loved ones

⏳ Passage of Time
Past days disappear

🔑 Important Literary Devices

1. Simile:
Friends fall “Like leaves in wintry weather.”

2. Metaphor:
Memory is presented as a light that brings the past back.

3. Imagery:
“banquet-hall deserted,” “lights,” “garlands” create a picture of emptiness and loneliness.

4. Repetition:
“In the stilly night” emphasizes the quiet setting.

5. Contrast:
Fond memory → Sad memory

6. Symbolism:
The deserted banquet hall symbolizes the poet's empty and lonely life.

📚 Important Questions & Answers

1. When do the past memories occur to the poet?

The past memories occur to the poet in the quiet night, before he falls asleep.

“Oft, in the stilly night,
Ere slumber’s chain has bound me.”

2. What does “other days” mean?

“Other days” means the past days of the poet’s life, especially his childhood and the days he spent with his friends and dear ones.

3. Are the memories of boyhood sweet or sad? Quote the line in support of your answer. How does the poet grieve for his dear ones who have passed away?

The memories of boyhood are both sweet and sad. They remind the poet of the smiles, tears and words of love of his childhood.

“The eyes that shone,
Now dimm’d and gone,
The cheerful hearts now broken!”

The poet grieves for his dear ones by remembering them sadly and feeling their absence and loss.

4. How does he recall his friends?

He recalls his friends as people who were once closely connected with him but have gradually disappeared from his life. He compares their disappearance to leaves falling in winter.

“I’ve seen around me fall,
Like leaves in wintry weather.”

5. Does the poet feel lonely in the absence of his near and dear ones? Quote the line in support of your answer.

Yes, the poet feels very lonely because his friends and dear ones have departed.

“I feel like one
Who treads alone
Some banquet-hall deserted.”

6. What figure of speech does the poet use to express his loneliness?

The poet uses a Simile to express his loneliness. He compares himself to a person walking alone in a deserted banquet hall.

“I feel like one
Who treads alone
Some banquet-hall deserted.”

The word “like” makes the comparison a simile.

7. Give the example of personification used in the poem.

An example of personification is:

“Slumber’s chain has bound me.”

Here, “slumber” (sleep) is treated as if it were a person capable of binding someone. Another example is:

“Sad memory brings the light
Of other days around me.”

Here, “memory” is presented as if it can bring light.

📌 One-Line Exam Answer

Q. What is the main message of “Stilly Night”?

The poem shows that memories of the past can bring both happiness and deep sorrow, especially when the people we loved are gone.

🌙 Stilly Night (Scotch Air)
Thomas Moore (1779–1852)
📚 English Literature Study Material