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Literary notes about gentle (AI summary)

The word "gentle" is employed across literary works to evoke a variety of images—from the soft, tender physical sensations of nature to the refined qualities of character and behavior. It often conjures notions of kindness and moral fortitude, as when a character’s demeanor is described as compassionate or reserved ([1], [2], [3]). At the same time, it can be used to depict natural phenomena, such as a soft breeze or a smooth swell of land ([4], [5]), lending an air of serenity and subtle beauty to the scene. In dialogue and narration, the term may serve to temper a statement with delicacy or to underline the refinement of an individual’s actions, as in the measured and persuasive tones found in various passages ([6], [7], [8]). Overall, "gentle" functions as a versatile descriptor that enhances both the portrayal of character and the ambiance of the setting.
  1. The crouching servility of a slave, usually so acceptable a quality to the haughty slaveholder, was not understood nor desired by this gentle woman.
    — from My Bondage and My Freedom by Frederick Douglass
  2. He is easily moved to tears; is gentle, submissive, and broken-spirited.
    — from American Notes by Charles Dickens
  3. Gentle reader, I need not inform you what man I chose for my theme.
    — from Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda
  4. It had come into view as they topped a gentle swell of the ground.
    — from The Country of the Blind, and Other Stories by H. G. Wells
  5. First there came a gentle wind blowing; One by one the birds flew back to the tree.
    — from A Hundred and Seventy Chinese Poems
  6. On the ground Sleep sound; I'll apply To your eye, Gentle lover, remedy.
    — from The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by William Shakespeare
  7. I'll be as patient as a gentle stream, And make a pastime of each weary step, Till the last step have brought me to my love;
    — from The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by William Shakespeare
  8. I did not, gentle husband, lock thee forth.
    — from The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by William Shakespeare

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