Form & Background Flashcards
Which form of poetry is the poem written in, and how does it benefit the poem?
Free verse is used throughout, which reflects the poet’s confusion and suits the narrative style of the text. There is an exposition (introduction to the character and setting), followed by rising action, climax (ward 7), and falling action and resolution (fruitless fruits).
Each verse reveals more of the poet’s emotions.
The poem is described as a ‘stream of consciousness’, what does this mean, and how does it benefit the poem?
‘Stream of consciousness’, also known as ‘interior monologue’, is a narrative mode that depicts the numerous thoughts and feelings which pass through the mind.
The poem takes place in a first-person stance and the Stream of consciousness allows us to experience the emotions of the speaker as he is feeling them.
Describe the situation of the poem.
The poet is visiting a dying patient in the hospital and tries to avoid his emotions on his way to the ward.
When he arrives, he is overcome by grief and anguish and leaves feeling the visit has been pointless.
Describe how the theme of fear is used in the poem.
Fear is one of the central concerns of MacCaig’s poem. From the opening stanzas, it is obvious the speaker fears his inability to control his emotions. He knows the patient he visits is in a poor condition but also recognises how powerful and unpredictable emotions can be.
The speaker is not so much unwilling to feel upset, as he is anxious as to whether or not he will be able to cope with the feelings. This is a natural human reaction and one which most readers will recognise.
Describe how the theme of death/loss is used in the poem.
MacCaig’s poem explores the inevitability of death as the speaker is forced to confront his own mortality as well as that of the patient.
Describe how the theme of isolation surrounding death/emotion is used in the poem.
The speaker visits someone who seems particularly ill and, as a consequence, death dominates their thoughts. Even when walking along a corridor or arriving at the patient’s bedside, the speaker cannot avoid interpreting images in a negative way.
This shows us that part of the human condition is recognising the transitory nature of our existence, though MacCaig’s poem is a painful reminder of the fragility of life, it should encourage a greater appreciation of life.
