Emigree Flashcards
Analyse quote ‘it may be at war, it may be sick with tyrants
-Highlights the conflict between the speakers idealised perception of their homeland and the harsh reality of its political instability
-“phrase sick with tyrants” attributes to human qualities to the city as if it’s is physically suffering due to the presence of oppressive rulers individual have been displaced by authoritarian rule this personification emphasises the speakers deep emotional connection to their homeland but also that tyranny is unnatural affliction imposed rather than an inherent characteristic
-metaphor “sick with tyrants” compares dictatorship to an illness, it has infected the city portraying rulers as a corrupting force that has damaged its once pure state
Analyse quote “I am branded by an impression of sunlight “
-the work “branded” has connotations of it being permanent and inescapable as if the speaker is physically marked by their memories of their homeland, the speakers memories though beautiful also cause them suffering because they contrast with the reality of exile
-the phrase “impression of sunlight “ is also metaphorical, representing the speakers idealised and romanticised perception, it is also associated with warmth, hope and positivity
Who wrote the émigrée
Carols rumens
Summary of poem the émigrée
Poem about a speaker who reflects on a city from their childhood that they are forced to leave
Key themes in the poem
Memory, exile and identity
Analyse quote “that child’s vocabulary I carried here like a hollow doll opens and spills grammar”
-the phrase “a hollow doll” introduces connotations of emptiness, fragility and detachment suggesting that the language has lost its full meaning over time. The phrase implies that speakers words feel foreign or inadequate highlighting the dislocation and alienation that has come with exile
-“that child” creates a distance between the speaker and their younger self, their past self is a separate identity form their current one
Structure and form of the poem the émigrée
-employs a free verse throughout the poem, Rumens does not adhere to a consistent rhyme scheme or meter. This lack of a fixed structure mirrors the fluidity of the speakers emotions and disordered nature of exile, allows the poem to feel conversational and introspective
-by writing in first person the speakers experiences of displacement are seen as intensely personal making the poem feel like a private reflection,rather than generalising the experience of being an émigrée the poem becomes a personal testimony to the emotional and psychological effects of being forced to leave one’s homeland
Context for the émigrée
Poems themes are deeply influenced by the political context of the prime with significant global political shifts including the fall of the Soviet Union. This saw widespread ethnically conflict and forced displacement, therefore this topic is a universal experience that many can resonate with.
What are the key quotes of the émigrée
“It may be at war, it may be sick with tyrants”
“I comb its hair and love its shining eye. My city takes me dancing”
“I am branded by an impression of sunlight”
“That child’s vocabulary I carried here like a hollow doll opens, and spills a grammar”
Analyse quote “I comb its hair and love its shining eyes. My city takes me dancing”
-personification is used to suggest a deeply intimate and affectionate bond as she “combs it’s hair” which evokes the imagery of tender care, as if the speaker is grooming the city like one would do for a beloved or a child. This act of combing is not simply one of routine but rather one of emotional investment, as if the city’s well-being is bound up with the speaker’s own sense of identity and loss.
-The verb “love” suggests an enduring attachment and an idealized vision of the city—one that is cherished and deeply admired. This idealization reflects the tendency of memory to distort the past, often elevating it to a place of unattainable perfection.
-Dance is often a metaphor for liberation, a release from constraints, and in this context, it can symbolize the speaker’s desire to escape the harsh realities of exile and return to a time when the city represented safety, belonging, and vitality. The image of the city “taking” the speaker dancing could also suggest that the speaker is helplessly swept away by the memory of the city, as if the city itself dictates the terms of their relationship. The city is not simply a passive memory but an active participant in the speaker’s emotional world.
