Student Question

Why didn't the speaker reveal his wrath to his foe in "A Poison Tree"?

Quick answer:

The speaker in "A Poison Tree" does not reveal his wrath to his foe because he lacks trust and fears his foe might mock or repeat the injury. Additionally, viewing the person as an enemy, the speaker may seek a reason to justify his dislike, preferring to nurture his resentment rather than resolve it. This allows him to maintain his animosity without feeling guilty.

Expert Answers

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The poem opens by telling how the speaker got angry at his friend. He told his friend about his anger, which got it out of his system. His wrath at his friend ended. However, he does not tell of his anger to his foe or enemy.

I think he does not tell his foe for two reasons. First, he might not trust him enough to reveal that he felt hurt or injured. He might believe that instead of sympathizing and apologizing, his enemy would laugh at him or repeat the injury. Second, since he apparently already sees this person as a foe or opponent, he might be looking for an excuse to be angry or offended at him. If you don't like a person, your tendency is to try to find rationales for your dislike. The speaker may have wanted to nurse his sense of injury rather than get over it so that he wouldn't feel guilty about his hatred.

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