Eden Rock - Charles Causley Flashcards
Eden Rock
The poem illustrates the longing people have for their lost ones. It reassures the reader that they will be reunited with their loved ones and death is nothing to be afraid of.
Arguably, Causley wrote this poem to illustrates an image of what he wanted to believe following the loss of his parents, which is comforting. As death and afterlife are ultimately unknowledgeable because the poet cannot return from death and describe it. His poem is an attempt to control something he has no control over.
General Context
- Causley’s father died when he was seven in 1924 from lung problems caused by the First World War. He was brought up by his mother.
- His mother had a strong christian belief and was a warden at the local church.
‘they are waiting for me somewhere beyond eden rock’
Eden Rock is a biblical reference as Eden is associated with an idyllic paradise. Causley chooses this name because it would be paradise to reunite with his parents in heaven.
L - plural pronoun
This engages the readers as they wonder to whom the speaker is referring to. It also perceives them as a strong couple and perhaps the poet idealises his parents’ relationship.
‘her hair, colour of wheat, takes on the light’
L - symbolism
The speaker describes his mother’s hair becomes illuminated by the light. His mother seems to gain a spiritual aura, like an angel or madonna, symbolising the speaker worships her.
‘the same three plates’
L - adjective
The speaker’s parents set out three plates implying that they are preparing for him to join. This makes the speaker feels comforted, welcomed, and secured.
‘stream.’
L - metaphor
It represents the liminal space between life and death like the River Styx in Greek mythology.
L - caesura
It represents the separation between the life and afterlife.
‘Leisurely’
‘not as hard’
L - adverb
It implies crossing the river, dying or moving into the afterlife, is not frightening or difficult. They are trying to reassure him.
‘I had not thought that it would be like this’
L - past tense
The tense changes from present to past implies the speaker has crossed into the afterlife.
I -
1. The speaker is referring to dying
2. The speaker is referring to afterlife
L - ambiguous pronoun
The use of ‘it’ is mysterious as people cannot know in life what death or afterlife is like. It is beyond linguistic representation.
‘sky whitens as if lit by three suns’
The change in light is the catalyst for the speaker’s parents to see him. The extremely bright light is a spiritual light suggesting that they will be reunited in the afterlife. The three suns also represent each one of them, and the fact that they are reunited spiritually.
The regular quatrain structure breaks in the fifth stanza
The structural break shifts the focus from describing his parents to his parents beckoning him to afterlife.
The poem concludes with a single line stanza
The stanzaic break before the final line emphasises the boundary between life and afterlife.
Written in free verse
Represents the journey from life to afterlife is a free and unstructured one.
Reader Response
- reassured
- calm
- sad
