Tuesday, May 12, 2015

What is the theme of the poem "The Little Dancers" by Robert Laurence Binyon?

The theme to "The Little Dancers" might be that
each person can make their own happiness, no matter what their circumstances.
In the poem, the two children are standing in an alley, at night, outside of
a tavern. Binyon sets a very lonely tone in the first lines: "Lonely, save for a few
faint stars, the sky/ Dreams; and lonely, below, the little street/ into its gloom
retires, secluded and shy." The only light that shines on the children is from the high
windows of the tavern. This makes us question why these children would be out in an
alley at night. The answer might be that their father, mother or both parents are in the
tavern. It seems they are too young to understand that this is wrong, as they "dance
sedately...Their eyes shining, grave with a perfect
pleasure."


Further, we can tell that they are poor by their
clothing, which is described as "tattered frocks." Going along with the idea described
above, their parents might be spending their money - the money that could be used on new
clothing for the children - on drink. This would help explain that the children are used
to this activity and that they are making their own fun, as described
above.

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