The Fool Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: A B C D E A F G A H I J F K L M| There lived a fool | A |
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| For a long time he lived in peace and contentment but by degrees rumours began to reach him that he was regarded on all sides as a vulgar idiot | B |
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| The fool was abashed and began to ponder gloomily how he might put an end to these unpleasant rumours | C |
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| A sudden idea at last illuminated his dull little brain And without the slightest delay he put it into practice | D |
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| A friend met him in the street and fell to praising a well known painter | E |
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| 'Upon my word ' cried the fool ' that painter was out of date long ago you didn't know it I should never have expected it of you you are quite behind the times ' | - |
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| The friend was alarmed and promptly agreed with the fool | A |
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| 'Such a splendid book I read yesterday ' said another friend to him | F |
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| 'Upon my word ' cried the fool 'I wonder you're not ashamed That book's good for nothing every one's seen through it long ago Didn't you know it | G |
| You're quite behind the times ' | - |
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| This friend too was alarmed and he agreed with the fool | A |
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| 'What a wonderful fellow my friend N N is ' said a third friend to the fool 'Now there's a really generous creature ' | - |
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| 'Upon my word ' cried the fool 'N N the notorious scoundrel He swindled all his relations Every one knows that You're quite behind the times ' | - |
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| The third friend too was alarmed and he agreed with the fool and deserted his friend And whoever and whatever was praised in the fool's presence he had the same retort for everything | H |
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| Sometimes he would add reproachfully 'And do you still believe in authorities ' | - |
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| 'Spiteful malignant ' his friends began to say of the fool 'But what a brain ' | - |
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| 'And what a tongue ' others would add 'Oh yes he has talent ' | - |
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| It ended in the editor of a journal proposing to the fool that he should undertake their reviewing column | I |
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| And the fool fell to criticising everything and every one without in the least changing his manner or his exclamations | J |
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| Now he who once declaimed against authorities is himself an authority and the young men venerate him and fear him | F |
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| And what else can they do poor young men Though one ought not as a general rule to venerate any one but in this case if one didn't venerate him one would find oneself quite behind the times | K |
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| Fools have a good time among cowards | L |
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| April | M |
Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev
(1)
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About The Fool
The Fool is a poem by Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
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