full moon and little Frieda - ted hughes

Question 1

what is the central assertion in ted Hughes poem?

Answer 1

poem is full moon and little Frieda

- express the speakers wonder at his daughter

Question 2

what are the themes in Hughes poem?

Answer 2

1. celestial, sky, stars, moon
2. paternalism
3. darkness
4. nature

Question 3

what are the quotes for theme 1?

Answer 3

theme 1 is the celestial

• “full moon”
• “a first star”
• “the moon has stepped back…”

Question 4

what are the quotes for theme 2?

Answer 4

theme 2 is being a father

• “and you listening”
• “like an artist gazing amazed at a work
• “moon! you cry suddenly”

Question 5

what is the quote for theme 3?

Answer 5

theme 3 is darkness

- “a dark river of blood, many boulders, balancing unspilled milk”

Question 6

what are the quotes for theme 4?

Answer 6

theme 4 is nature

• “a cool small evening shrunk”
• “a spiders web… dews touch”

Question 7

what does the quote “full moon” mean in reference to theme 1?

Answer 7

• moon is in reference to her dad, its a symbol for him

- celestial because it is literally a moon and a full moon creates a sense of beauty and wonder

Question 8

what does the quote “a first star” mean in reference to theme 1?

Answer 8

• the sun was the first star

- he views the child as the most important thing that keeps the universe alive

Question 9

what does the quote “the moon has stepped back” mean in reference to theme 1?

Answer 9

• he is stepping back to admire his daughter

- again the moon thing

Question 10

what does the quote “and you listening” mean in reference to theme 2?

Answer 10

• Freida is concentrating on the sounds, shes very little so they amaze her
• addressing Freida

Question 11

what does the quote “like an artist gazing amazed at a work” mean in reference to theme 2?

Answer 11

• literally staring at her in amazement, like anyone would do with art to get the full picture
• art is Frieda
• and its all just admiration for her

Question 12

what does the quote “moon! you cry suddenly” mean in reference to theme 2?

Answer 12

• moon is the dad
• the suddenness of this doesn’t even disturb the tranquility and tenderness in the poem
• emotional because she is calling him
• suggests that these were her first words

Question 13

what does the quote “a dark river of blood, many boulders, balancing unspilled milk” mean in reference to theme 3?

Answer 13

• not keeping the tone and meaning as the rest of the poem
• blood could be actually refering to blood as a life source
• boulders seem like an obstacle to being a good father and could be danger to the child
• unspilled milk could show the lack of motherly care
  he is trying to balance being a good father and not having her mother there

Question 14

what does the quote “a cool small evening shrunk to “ mean in reference to theme 4?

Answer 14

• small evening meaning chilled and quite
• it shrunk to small sounds
• cool being literal, set on a winters evening

Question 15

what does the quote “a spiders web… dews touch “ mean in reference to theme 4?

Answer 15

• fragility of the Childs mind
• spider wed is being tensed by dew drops which are delicate, so it shows the weakness
• a small little drop still influences the web and it would be the same for a child

Question 16

what does the title suggest in full moon and little Freida?

Answer 16

“full’ along with other lines in the poem shows his healthiness and fullness of his feelings toward Freida
alliteration with full and Freida, connection between them

Question 17

what is the structure like in ted Hughes poem?

Answer 17

written in free verse, no strict rhyme scheme

Question 18

what does the structure say about the poem full moon and little Freida?

Answer 18

• Freida has potential and can’t be restricted
• his wonder is so strong and free that it can’t be contained by a structure
• isolated lines seem like he is catching his breath or sighing as he watches Freida in amazement

Question 19

context on Hughes in relation to his poem?

Answer 19

• actual daughters name was Freida, so autobiographical element
• carries on with her mum, Sylvia Plath committing suicide and being mentally unstable
• very autobiographical