Who shall call me ungentle, unfair, I long'd so heartily then and there To give him the grasp of fellowship; But while I past he was humming an air, Stopt, and then with a riding whip, Leisurely tapping a glossy boot, And curving a contumelious lip, Gorgonised me from head to foot With a stony British stare.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The speaker feels rejected by a man who ignores them and responds with cold disdain.
- In plain terms
- I wanted to be friendly but someone looked down on me.
- What can you take from it?
- Coldness can reject warmth instantly.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do you handle snobbery?
- Why does status matter?
Another view
It focuses heavily on class snobbery.
More from Alfred (Lord) Tennyson
And ah for a man to arise in me, That the man I am may cease to be!
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