4 - Vitaï Lampada Flashcards
What is the context of the poem ‘Vitaï Lampada’?
Written in 1892 by Henry Newbolt.
Newbolt was a devout Christian and firm believer in value of tradition.
Appointed controller of telecommunication in WW1.
Felt strongly that chivalry, honour and sportsmanship taught at public schools like his own should be to fore in service of British Empire.
Written during patriotic fervour in Britain at height of British Empire.
Reflects values and sentiments of late Victorian and Edwardian England.
Set against backdrop of Boer War, served as rallying cry for British soldiers and boosted morale during conflict.
Used as pro-war propaganda in UK at start of WW1, but went out of fashion when grim reality of WW1 became known back home.
What is the structure and form of the poem ‘Vitaï Lampada’?
3, 8 line stanzas, each representing different moment in life of Clifton College schoolboy. Only thing same is repeated refrain at end of each stanza. Demonstrates how life lessons from school will go through life and individual’s changing circumstances with them.
Loose Iambic Pentameter, traditional rhythmic pattern reinforces focus that Newbolt puts on tradition and importance of maintaining traditional values.
ABAB Alternaitng Rhyme Scheme, rhyming pattern always move back and forth between A and B. Reflects how schoolboys will always return back to their heritage and upbringing in times of need.
Consistent rhythm reflecting ordered hierarchy of school life, military duty and sporting activities.
What are the main themes of the poem ‘Vitaï Lampada’?
Duty / motivations
Survival
What poems can be used to compare with the poem ‘Vitaï Lampada’ for the theme of duty / motivations?
The Charge of the Light Brigade
The Man He Killed
An Irish Airman Foresees His Death
Whole for the Game?
What poems can be used to compare with the poem ‘Vitaï Lampada’ for the theme of survival?
Bayonet Charge
Out of the Blue
Last Post
What is the analysis for the title in the poem ‘Vitaï Lampada’?
Latin for “Torch of Life”, taken from epic Latin poem by Lucretius, where refers to torch being handed off in relay race.
Symbolic of poet’s intentions, wishes to pass on set of guiding moral principles to next generation to live by.
Light acts as guiding beacon of morality for boys to live by throughout their life.
What is the analysis for stanza 1 of the poem ‘Vitaï Lampada’?
Speaker suggests throughout poem that learning to be team player better than thinking of personal gain.
‘There’s a breathless hush in the Close tonight’ - sibilance helps reinforce tension and excitement felt by schoolboys in their cricket match.
‘…in the Close tonight’ - situates poem in cricket field in Bristol’s Clifton College where he himself attended.
‘Ten to make and the match to win’ - alliterative phrase alludes to difficult circumstances young students have to overcome in order to win match.
‘A bumping pitch…’ - adjective suggests how uneven playing field is and difficult to manoeuvre through.
‘…a blinding light’ - as sun setting, light in batsman’s eyes makes hard to hit ball.
‘An hour to play…’ - pathetic fallacy- fading light has potential to create sense of hopelessness, batsman able to work through it.
‘…and the last man in’ - tense- difficult circumstances faced by team heightened as success depends on only individual left to play.
‘And it’s not for the sake of the ribboned coat’ - player isn’t motivated by fame or individual glory, draws upon sense of camaraderie.
‘Or the selfish hope of a season’s fame’ - harsh sibilance reinforces how platers are encouraged to forsake vanity and self concern, suggests fleeting nature of such self-centred achievements, they should woke for good of all.
‘But his Captain’s hand on his shoulder smote’ - sibilants reinforces connection and camaraderie’s between team mates, wants to honour them all.
‘Play up! Play up!’ - repetition reinforces determination, grit and willingness to maintain high standards of moral excellence and strength.
‘Play up! Play up! And play the game!’ - repeated refrain reinforces their approach to life, conflict or any difficulties they face is unwavering and will remain the same, will tackle life with dignity, respect and fight life’s battles with sprint of sportsmanship.
What is the analysis for stanza 2 of the poem ‘Vitaï Lampada’?
‘The sand of the Desert is sodden red’ - poem moves to Battle of Abu Klea in desert of Sudan in January 1885.
‘The sand if the Desert is sodden red’ - shifting here reinforces poem’s message, trials of school act as training for real world and challenges can be faced.
‘The sand of the Desert is sodden red’ - harsh sibilance reinforces how desert saturated in blood of fallen soldiers.
‘…sodden red - Red with the wreck…’ - repetition illustrates death and chaos soldiers faced with.
‘…wreck of a square that broke’ - soldiers have Ben overrun by enemy and military formation has been compromised.
‘…soddem red - … that broke - ‘ - caesura slows pace, reinforces how soldiers aren’t succumbing to fear and panic, remain calm and defiant.
‘The Gatling’s jammed…’ - ensures soldiers are defenceless, unable to protect themselves or defeat enemy.
‘…the Colonel’s dead’ - soldiers have no leader to offer guidance and issue orders, instead turn to schoolboy upbringing and values instilled by school and playing cricket together.
‘And the regiment’s blind with dust and smoke’ - bleak circumstances of soldiers made more apparent as unable to locate enemy or communicate with one another.
‘The river of death…’ - metaphor, torrent of gushing blood.
‘…has brimmed his banks’ - alliteration reinforces how soldiers becoming overwhelmed by death.
‘And England’s far…’ - suggests ideals of chivalry and sportsmanship can transcend time and place to offer moral guidance.
‘…and Honour a name’ - reputation not important when fighting for survival.
‘But the voice of a schoolboy rallies the ranks’ - alliteration reinforces how they are given hope, courage and motivation to continue fighting.
‘But the voice of a schoolboy…’ - demonstrates how principles of selflessness learnt on school cricket pitch sill hold good.
What is the analysis for stanza 3 of the poem ‘Vitaï Lampada’?
‘…year by year’ - repetition illustrates how tradition of dealing with conflict passed down for generations.
‘…school is set’ - alliteration creates firm sounds which reinforces how school firmly steeped in this tradition.
‘Every one of her sons must hear’ - personifying school presents life lessons taught to boys as something comforting.
‘…must hear, and none that hears it dare forget’ - repetition reinforces how saying is repeated through generations.
‘And none that hears it dare forget’ - enjambment reinforces idea of continuation of ideals and approach to life.
‘This they all with joyful mind’ - suggests men will be more able to cope with difficulties and challenges of life, approach them with optimism and grit.
‘Near through life…’ - verb reinforces how lessons instilled within them wont negate life’s difficulties but ease individuals through it.
‘…like a torch in flame’ - simile men always be in possession of inner strength, always part of something bigger than themselves.
‘…falling fling…’ - alliteration, soldiers may die but guiding moral principles will live on.
‘…to the host behind’ - like team eyes in relay race, pass sentiments on to next generation and have values live on for generations to come.
What is the content, meaning and purpose of the poem ‘Vitaï Lampada’?
Tells story of cricket match at English public school juxtaposed with horrors of war during Boer War in Africa.
Through vivid imagery and structured verse poem highlights contrast between youthful enthusiasm of cricket match and grim realities of war.
Conveys message of duty, sacrifice and enduring spirit of camaraderie in face of adversity.
