Thursday 26 May 2011

The Drum - Getting down the basics

Chaps, you should have the following annotations at the very least...

‘The Drum’, and how war is presented in it:
The use of the drum as a symbol for war (throughout)
The (repeated) onomatopoeia to describe the drum as a bringer of discord (‘drum’s discordant sound’) 
The personal emotions: ‘I hate...’ 
‘Emotive’ language opposed to the effects of war: ‘lures’, ‘sell’, tawdry’ , ‘ravaged’, ‘catalogue of human woes’ 
Emphatic alliteration, ‘fight, and fall, in foreign lands’ (‘fall’: impression of an inevitable outcome) 
The ominous repetition (‘round, and round, and round’) 
The damage to the land (‘ravaged’) 
The focus on the families of those killed (‘widows’ tears, and orphans’ moans’) 
The personification of ‘Ambition’ and ‘Misery’

See you tomorrow! :)

Sunday 22 May 2011

O What Is That Sound?

This poem was written in 1936 - 3 years before WW2 began. Interestingly, the approach of the soldiers could reflect the approach of war. However, this could go deeper; at this point, Jews were already being persecuted by the Nazi party, and there are definite parallels between the couple being specifically pursued by the soldiers and the 'witch-hunt' for Jews during the Nazi rule.


The significance of the word "Sound" is important in the poem. Not only the sound of the "drumming, drumming" which creates a rythm throughout the poem and conveys the sense of a funeral march or a dirge. This slow and steady rhythm picks up pace and reflects a heart beating faster and faster as the soldiers draw nearer and nearer, "and now they are running". 
The wife's repeated, anxious questioning also conveys the idea that nobody is listening to Auden who in his poem is fore-shadowing the events of the Holocaust, particularly the round up of Jews who were often in hiding. The poem conveys the danger and paranoia at this time. The negative mood is furthered, "Only the sun on their weapons". The pathetic fallacy shows that the weapons only have some hope and prospect, not the millions of Jews. 

Of course, the 'Sound' also refers to the noise made by the Nazis - have you seen footage of their rallies or of Hitler's speeches?


Can you find quotes for the three points about the writer's ideas and attitudes?
  • Auden suggests that in times of war, when death is threatened, the need for self-preservation is stronger than personal loyalties.
  • He suggests that war makes people corrupt, and breaks even the strongest bonds (ie, marriage) - Indeed, it seems that the husband is keeping the wife calm and in place so that she can be captured but he can escape.
  • He suggests that people who create war or pursue the capture of others are evil/immoral.
The most immediately striking thing about the poem is the repetition. Combined with the strong, almost singsong metre, it gives the poem a 'nursery rhyme' effect strongly at odds with the increasingly chilling imagery, in a manner that merely reinforces the unsettling atmosphere. Extreme care that has to be taken over word choice when it comes to repetition. This is also true for the rhymed words, which are thrown into emphasis by the structure of the poem.


  • The soldiers are referred to as "scarlet" - what are the connotations of this?
  • Why does the speaker note that their "eyes are burning"? Perhaps this is something that only the speaker/Auden can see?
I hope this makes more sense!
Miss D :)

Thursday 19 May 2011

What's in a title?

"Cousin Kate" - Interestingly, the poem largely focuses on the feelings of the narrator, and the actions of the lecherous lord. So why single Cousin Kate out for the title? Perhaps the speaker wishes to 'name and shame' her cousin, remaining anonymous herself. Perhaps she is drawing attention to her cousin's working class roots - remember that Kate is a shortened form of Catherine. When married to a lord, Kate would not be an appropriate name for a lady. We could suggest that in using 'Kate', the narrator is reminding her cousin where she has come from.
  • How are other poem titles in the collection significant?

Wednesday 18 May 2011

Practise Exam Question - Give it a Go!

3 (a) Describe the writer’s attitudes to society in ‘Cousin Kate’.
Use
evidence from the poem to support your answer. (15)

Answer EITHER 2(b)(i) OR 2(b)(ii)
         (b) (i) Explain how the writer of ‘Cousin Kate’ presents different ideas about social conflict from those in ‘Hitcher’.
Use
evidence from the poems to support your answer.
You may include material you used to answer 3(a).
(15)
         (ii) Explain how the writer of one poem of your choice from the ‘Clashes and Collisions’ collection presents different ideas about conflict from those in ‘Cousin Kate’.
Use
evidence from the poems to support your answer.
You may include material you used to answer 3(a).
(15)

(Total for Question 3 = 30 marks)

Monday 16 May 2011

Half-Caste - John Agard

John Agard wrote Half-Caste as a response to people in England who referred to him using this term. His mother is Portuguese, and his father is black. Agard thinks that the term 'half-caste' is unfair as it implies that people of a mixed race are only half a person. Ironically, it could be argued that they are rich with diversity and often have experienced a wealth of cultural difference due to their mixed parentage.

Agard argues logically against the term 'half-caste' using several images:
  • He questions whether Picasso should be seen as second-rate because he mixed a variety of colours in his paintings. Interestingly, Picasso's use of abstract images made him a pioneer in the art world - perhaps John Agard is similarly trying to push boundaries? You could also argue that Agard is trying to show the 'fullness' of his knowledge or demonstrate how 'well-rounded' (not fat!) he is by making references to popular culture.
  • He questions whether the English weather should be scorned because it is full of light and shadow. Here, he lightly mocks the English weather, which encourages the listener to laugh at themself and their prejudices, much like the clouds are personified as stubborn and 'scornful'.
  • He asks whether the music of Tchaikovsky should be seen as inferior because he used both the black notes and the white notes on the piano. Again, Agard is demonstrating his cultural knowledge, extending it to show his understanding of European artistry. These images, mixed with his Guayanan accent, shows his mixed heritage clearly.
The poet ends 'Half-Caste' by asking the listener to begin to think in a more open-minded way.

The use of the strong Guayanan accent and presentation of his ideas in a colloquial language shows a pride in the speaker's origin. However, the use of colloquialisms could also be read as slightly aggressive - certainly, this tone is enforced by the confrontational language, as seen in short, sharp questions ("What yu mean") and imperatives ("Explain yuself").

  • What is the effect of the way that the poem is structured?
  • What is the effect of the opening line?
  • What is the effect of the poem's conclusion?

Sunday 15 May 2011

Invasion - Choman Hardy

The poem is read by an unknown speaker to an unknown listener.


The speaker does not refer to themself directly, instead focusing upon the ominous 'them' in the first half of the poem, and the inclusive 'we' in the second half. 


The use of 'them' is unsettling, especially in the first two lines. The idea of unknown people coming out of the 'mist' suggests that they are not open or clear about their intentions, but are instead shady characters. Therefore, we could read the 'mist' as a metaphor for the uncertainty that the townsfolk felt.


The use of 'we', on the other hand, appeals to the reader as they are put into the position of the unknown listener. Therefore, we react as the listener would, with uncertainty, worry and pessimism. This pessimism is built up by a knowing tone in lines such as 'We will lose this war'.

  • Can you find any other metaphors?
  • How else does the writer portray the approaching soldiers in a negative light?

Roll up! Roll up!

Dear students,


If you wish to ask any questions about the Anthology Poetry, please do so as a comment on this thread.


Thanks,


Miss D :)