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XiaoDeng
one alone jeopardizes itself
Fate succumbs many a species: one alone jeopardizes itself. --idea H. Auden
What does it mean?
Someone says it should be,
Many a species succumbs Fate: one alone jeopardizes itself.
but I'm still very confused.
What's your understanding?
Any idea is welcome.
8 aug. 2019 15:18
Antwoorden · 6
2
The quote is honestly awkward to me as well, but WH Auden was a poet and you have to let go of traditional grammatical structure to read poetry in English.
As for your correction, you are perhaps missing "to": " Many a species succumbs to fate..."
To read it as two clauses of one idea:
"Fate succumbs many a species": many species go extinct.
"One alone jeopardizes itself": if someone is alone they're in danger.
The idea seems similar to a quote from Tecumseh (a famous American Indian in the United States): "A single twig breaks, but the bundle of twigs is strong."
But that's my take. Please don't try to learn English from quotes by poets.
8 augustus 2019
1
I'm not sure if you were asking about the meaning of "one alone jeopardizes itself", and as far as I can see, the other answer didn't answer that correctly.
I think it means "Only one species puts itself in danger". It is referring to man, and I think it is referring to the way that we are destroying our planet and risking extinction.
9 augustus 2019
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XiaoDeng
Taalvaardigheden
Chinees (overige), Engels
Taal die wordt geleerd
Engels
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