Boland: The Famine Road Flashcards
What tragic events are highlighted in the text?
The tragic events of the Irish famine and the enduring struggles of women in a world marked by humiliation, oppression, and silence.
What attitudes are described in the text?
Dismissive and disparaging attitudes.
What phrase is used to describe a character’s idleness?
“Idle as trout in light, Colonel Jones.”
What concept is associated with the dehumanization of the Irish?
The likening of their desperation to cannibalistic intentions.
What cannibalistic imagery is used to describe the irish in the poem?
“Cunning as housewives, each eyed - as if at a corner butcher – the others’ buttocks.”
What shocking observation is said in the text?
“This Tuesday I saw bones.”
How are the workers described in the text?
Sick and directionless; they worked; fork and stick were iron years away.
What narrative is intertwined within the poem?
The humiliation of infertile women and the enduring struggle of women against oppressive systems.
What is noted about the presence of compassion?
There is no compassion.
What phrases reflect condescension in the text?
“Take it well woman” and “Keep house.”
What universal theme is presented?
The universal theme of suffering at the hands of heartless individuals.
What concept is emphasized regarding individual and shared experiences?
The interconnectedness of individual struggles and societal injustices.
5 quotes
“Idle as trout in light, colonel Jones”
“Cunning as housewives, each eyed- as if at a corner butcher – the others buttocks”
“This Tuesday I saw bones”
“Sick, directionless they worked; fork, stick were iron years away”
“Take it well woman, Keep house”
