Seasons-Spring and Winter in "whistling of Birds" by D. H. Lawrence

"Whistling of Birds" by David Herbert Lawrence is a depiction of the vividness of his writings and his own artistic vision and thought. In this essay he has elucidated the change of seasons- change from winter to spring- in an impressive way by the use of images, similes and metaphors..

Winter, as he narrates, brings woe and causes wreck. The intense frost that sustained for several weeks caused the death of birds. The remnants of the beautiful bevy of birds - lapwings, starlets, thrushes, lied scattered in the fields. The "invisible beasts of prey" had wolfed the birds. The winter had massacred the song birds and their blood-soaked skins were spread all around. The beings that could not shield themselves against its rigours shivered with cold and were exposed to the fury of biting cold winds. Winter thus had brought a host of hardships to the poor souls who found it hard to face the vagaries of the weather.

Oh, the long and dreary Winter!

Oh, the cold and cruel Winter! - LONGFELLOW, Hiawatha

Then sudden change appeared. The way wind began to blow depicted change of weather. The winds were warm and during the day shimmers sunlight could be seen. The birds began to chirp uncomfortably, without a pause. The doves were uttering strained coos as the influence of winter prevailed on them. Their attitude was queer. It was like a overlapping season. The surroundings were still snow carpeted. They kept on cooing with weakness. The breeze was still chilly enough to hurt. The subdued sunlight provoked the birds to chirrup in feeble tones. During the hard frost, deathly silence held sway. Then with the slight change of conditions, the whistling of birds appeared to be a peculiar act. It was extremely difficult to accept the change. The writer inquires for it, as the earth had been covered with the sheet of lacerated cadavers. The scene was quite frightening and alerting as the birds kept on tweeting and spreading their "silver" songs all around in the winter-effected surroundings. The joy and defiance of the birds amazes and inspires him; it is the image of all brave rebirths. The birds were reconciling to the death of the other birds. They were forgetting the dead world in order to join the new bright one.

"If winter comes, can spring be far behind." -Shelley, Ode to the West Wind.

If there comes a little thaw,

Still the air is chill and raw,

Here and there a patch of snow,

Dirtier than the ground below,

Dribbles down a marshy flood;

Ankle-deep you stick in mud

In the meadow while you sing,

"This is Spring." -C. P. Cranch, A Spring Growl

Winter had receded. It was the dawn of a new world, a world that was entirely different from the previous drab one. The advent of spring brought forward colour and vivacity. Balmy breeze was a clear sign of spring. But it was "premature" as the snow had not melted and the wings were thrown all over the place. Yet the birds were announcing the drastic change because they had no choice. The warble of the birds could be heard far and wide. The tiny, beautiful, vulnerable and brave birds are a symbol of everything Lawrence championed: the courage to affirm, the refusal to be cowed by the winter frosts of tragedy and death.

For lo! The winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of the birds is come, and the voice of turtle is heard in our land." -Song of Solomon

The writer is astounded at the sudden change and renewal of the surroundings. He wants to know whence the sound is coming. He was surprised at the restoration of harmony and the acceptance of change from the birds. The song emerges from deep inside their throats. The songs arouse like a spring from the fountains in their throats. Nature has endowed them with the quality to make the best of everything. They had to comply with the change. Life emanated from their souls as songs of joy.

During the winter, when the snow had obscured the earth, the birds were muted. They anticipated for the frosty obstruction to peter out and as the impediment dwindled, the lustrous land became visible and flowers blossomed. "Under the surge of ruin, unmitigated winter, lies the silver potentiality of all blossom." Beneath the mantle of snow existed the flourishing vigour that had been latent and then it apeared with full bloom. The renewal was natural.

Came the spring with all its splendour

All its birds and all its blossoms, All its flowers, leaves, and grasses. - LONGFELLOW, Hiawatha

"The order has changed, there is a new regime, sound of a new vive! vive"

It was vain to gaze at the horrible panorama of destruction; the dead birds. The havocs and the indignant frigidity must be forgotten. The harsh winter had abated. The writer comments that it is not our choice. We may persist to be under the influence of winter, but not for long. Ultimately we will yield and join the flow. It is out of our control. Anyhow we have to let bygones be bygones and sing and rejoice. Even if we kept on glaring at the devastation and observed the departure of winter, nevertheless the dulcet songs of the doves were audible as they exhilarate. The new change helped perpetuate their euphoria.

In the Spring a livelier iris changes on the burnish'd dove;

In the Spring a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love. -Tennyson, Locksley Hall

One may not accept the transition but one can not cease it either. Nothing happens according to our will. The landscape altered, the trees flourished, flowers burgeoned and the state of bliss extended.

"For it is in us, as well as without us." It affects us internally and externally. The surroundings abound with the joy of the spring and it also subsists in our souls. The weather affects our moods and styles. It compels us to be jubilant. The outer joy corresponds with

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