The speaker in Bryant's "The Yellow Violet" celebrates the onset of spring by observing a yellow violet, to which he adds an observation about humility and modesty.
William Cullen Bryant’s “The Yellow Violet” consists of eight rimed quatrains. Each quatrain adds a piece of the portrait of spring that the speaker is celebrating in his song of beauty, modesty, alertness, and humility.
First Quatrain: “When beechen buds begin to swell”
In the first quatrain, the speaker determines the time when the “yellow violet's modest bell” becomes visible in the woods; it is at the same time that the blue-bird may be heard, and all the buds on the trees are beginning to grow. The small bright flower then appears “peep[ing]” out from the leaves that had fallen two seasons earlier.
Second Quatrain: “Ere russet fields their green resume”
In the second quatrain, the speaker addresses the flower, telling it that he loves to encounter it and recognizes it by its “faint perfume” as the only fragrance on “the virgin air.” And this occurs before the fields that are still brown from winter’s rest have been plowed and made ready to sprout their green crops.
Third Quatrain: “Of all her train, the hands of Spring”
In the third quatrain, the speaker compliments the flower as being the earliest to bloom. He personifies spring saying “the hands of Spring / First plant thee in the watery mould.” And then he remarks that he has even seen the little flower showing its bright head by “snow-bank’s edges cold.” The speaker implies that the little flower is strong and adventurous to be able to withstand such weather.
Fourth Quatrain: “Thy parent sun, who bade thee view”
Then the speaker personifies the “sun” as the violet’s parent, who disciplined the little flower to endure the “Pale skies“ and “chilling moisture.” Such discipline has resulted in the flower’s taking on the same quality as her parent’s “own bright hue / And streaked with jet thy glowing lip.” The flower’s bright yellow color matches the sun’s and yet she also professes of streak of “jet” on her lip, declaring her individual existence.
Fifth Quatrain: “Yet slight thy form, and low thy seat”
Despite the strength and determination of this sturdy flower, it displays humble surroundings: “Yet slight thy form, and low thy seat, / And earthward bent thy gentle eye.” The flower is small and unobtrusive and grows low to the ground, as it appears to bow its head, not showing its “gentle eye.” It is unlikely that one passing by casually would even notice the little flower, and other flowers by comparison are “loftier,” and they “are flaunting nigh.” This little flower remains humble and unobtrusive.
Sixth Quatrain: “Oft, in the sunless April day”
In the sixth quatrain, the speaker supports further his claim that the little flower is humble as he chides his own failure to see it when other flowers were showing themselves: “Oft, in the sunless April day, / Thy early smile has stayed my walk; / But midst the gorgeous blooms of May, / I passed thee on thy humble stalk.” He admits that when it was early spring and easy to see a little yellow flower where no other flowers were blooming, he had willingly stopped his walk to peer at the “smile” from the yellow violet. But when the “gorgeous blooms of May” were displaying their splendor, he overlooked the little humble flower.
Seventh Quatrain: “So they, who climb to wealth, forget”
Thus, the speaker observes that it is human nature to forget the more humble beings as humans “climb to wealth.” But now he feels remorseful “That I should ape the ways of pride.”
Eighth Quatrain: “And when again the genial hour”
Therefore, the speaker makes a promise to the little yellow violet not to “o'erlook the modest flower / That made the woods of April bright.” He will forget his pride and remember that although the “gorgeous blooms of May” are deserving of his attention, so is the little humble flower that is so strong and that is the first to herald the beauty of the growing season.
Other article on William Cullen Bryant: Bryant’s “To a Water Fowl”
