How we cite our quotes: (Line)
Quote #4
In a mad expostulation with the deaf and frantic fire, (line 45)
A raging fire is a perfect example of the dark side of nature. Up until this point in the poem, the natural world has been harmless, all cooing birds and twinkling stars. Now it has taken a turn for the worse. It's frantic, and people and their bells can't do a thing to stop it. The fire doesn't have any ears (it's "deaf"), so it can't be reasoned with. It's completely wild and completely independent from the world of mankind.