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flesh

Archaic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Flesh refers to the soft substance of the body, often symbolizing physicality and mortality in literature.

Detailed Definition
In literary contexts, flesh often symbolizes the physical body, human desires, and the transient nature of life. In this poem, 'the first dumb wonder at the flesh' suggests an awe of physical existence, reflecting on the interplay between body and spirit. This exploration of flesh connects to broader themes of life, growth, and the human experience.
Example
Example in poetry:
"From the first secret of the heart, the warning ghost, And to the first dumb wonder at the flesh" (human body, mortality); "The flesh is weak, but the spirit willing" (biblical); "He clothed his thoughts in living flesh" (incarnation); "The flesh of the ripe peach" (sensory); "Flesh and bone, yet touched by the divine" (paradox)
Additional Notes
The term 'flesh' is used to evoke a sense of wonder about physical existence, emphasizing the poem's themes of life and humanity.; Found in the poem, From love’s first fever to her plague by Dylan Thomas
Also Known As
carnal form mortal clay bodily substance human frame
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