HAUNTED HOUSE: STANZA-WISE SUMMARY AND QUESTION ANSWERS

Stanza 1

All houses wherein men have lived and died 

Are haunted houses. Through the open doors 

The harmless phantoms on their errands glide, 

With feet that make no sound upon the floors.

Every house has a history and a lingering presence of those who lived and died there. Unseen spirits move through the rooms, stairs, and hallways, leaving faint impressions.

Stanza 2

We meet them at the doorway, on the stair,

Along the passages they come and go. 

Impalpable impressions on the air, 

A sense of something moving to and fro.

When we gather with others, we're not alone; there are unseen guests present too. These silent observers are like the quiet pictures on the walls.

Stanza 3

There are more guests at the table than the hosts 

Invited; the illuminated hall 

Is thronged with quiet, inoffensive ghosts 

As silent as the pictures on the wall.

Only some people can sense these spirits, while others are unaware. We may think we own our homes and land, but the memories and presence of past occupants still linger, reminding us that we're not the only ones with a claim to these spaces.

Stanza 4

The stranger at my fireside cannot see 

The forms I see, nor hear the sounds I hear; 

He but perceives what is, while unto me 

All that has been is visible and clear. 

We don't really own our homes or land. The memories and presence of those who lived here before us still remain, and in a way, they continue to possess these spaces.

The poet is highlighting the idea that our connection to a place is not just physical, but also emotional and spiritual. The "owners and occupants of earlier dates" refer to the people who lived in the house before the current inhabitants. The phrase "From graves forgotten stretch their dusty hands" is a powerful metaphor that suggests that even though these people are gone, their presence still lingers.

The line "And hold in mortmain still their old estates" is a reference to the legal concept of mortmain, which refers to the holding of property by a corporation or organization. In this context, the poet is suggesting that the memories and presence of those who came before us continue to hold a kind of spiritual ownership over the place.

Overall, the poet is emphasizing the idea that our relationship with a place is complex and multifaceted, and that we are not the only ones who have a claim to it.

Stanza 5

We have no title deeds to house to house or lands, Owners and occupants of earlier dates From graves forgotten stretch their dusty hands, 

And hold in mortmain still their old estates.

We don't have permanent ownership of our homes or lands. Instead, the people who lived here before us, even those who have long been buried and forgotten, still seem to have a claim on these properties.

Stanza 6

The spirit-world around this world of sense 

Floats like an atmosphere, and everywhere

Wafts through these earthly mists and vapours dense 

A vital breath of more ethereal air.

There's a spiritual realm that surrounds our physical world, like a thin layer of air. This spiritual atmosphere is everywhere, and it brings a hint of something more profound and eternal, even in the midst of our everyday lives.

Stanza 7

Our little lives are kept in equipoise 

By opposite attractions and desires; 

The struggle of the instinct that enjoys, 

And the more noble instinct that aspires.

Our lives are balanced between conflicting desires and aspirations. We're torn between the instinct to indulge in life's pleasures and the nobler instinct to strive for something greater.

Stanza 8

These perturbations, this perpetual jar 

Of earthly wants and aspirations high, 

Come from the influence of an unseen star, An undiscovered planet in our sky.

These conflicting desires create tension within us, a constant struggle between our earthly wants and our loftier aspirations. This turmoil is influenced by an unseen force, a mysterious power that shapes our lives.

Stanza 9

And as the moon from some dark gate of cloud 

Throws o'er the sea a floating bridge of light, Across whose trembling planks our fancies crowd 

Into the realm of mystery and night, -

Just as the moon casts a path of light across the sea, connecting the world of reality to the realm of mystery, so too does a bridge of light connect our world to the world of spirits. Our thoughts and imaginations traverse this bridge, venturing into the unknown.

Or,

Just as the moon's light shines across the sea, connecting the world we know to the mysterious unknown, a bridge of light connects our world to the spiritual realm. Our thoughts and imaginations can cross this bridge, exploring the mysteries of the unknown.

Stanza 10

So from the world of spirits there descends 

A bridge of light, connecting it with this, 

O'er whose unsteady floor, that sways and bends, 

Wander our thoughts above the dark abyss.

Analysis: This bridge of light is unsteady, swaying and bending beneath the weight of our thoughts. Yet, it allows us to wander through the realm of mystery, exploring the depths of the unknown.

The poet wants to convey that our thoughts and imaginations have the power to transcend the boundaries of the physical world. Despite the uncertainty and fragility of this connection (the unsteady bridge), we can still explore the mysteries of the unknown, and gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world.