Hawk Roosting Flashcards
How is the Hawk described as Egocentric in the first line
‘I sit in the top of the wood, my eyes closed’
Analysis: ‘I sit in the top of the wood, my eyes closed’
Personal pronoun
Shows egocentric nature - believes everything revolves around him
Symbolic - hawk is at the top of the hierarch of nature - feels safe
How is the Hawks adaptations shown
‘hooked head and hooked feet:’
Analysis: ‘hooked head and hooked feet:’
Stanza 1
Alliteration suggests that he believes it was all created for a reason for his job at the top of the food chain -
a predator.
Focus on own body - shows vanity
Suggests an idea of having been created just to kill Colon at the end suggests that the Hawk will now explain how it was all created for this purpose
Analysis: ‘air’s buoancy and the sun’s rays / Are of advantage to me’
Idea of floating and being supported by the rest of nature - hierarchy
All conditions are perfect for him because he deserves it.
Personal pronouns shows vanity
How is hierarchy shown in stanza 2
‘earth’s face upward for my inspection’
Analysis: ‘earth’s face upward for my inspection’
Personification of earth
Earth is ‘looking up’ to him as though it is admiring - shows the obvious idea of hierarchy in the Hawks ideology
Analysis: ‘took the whole of Creation’
Gods creation - psalm 95
Presents the idea that the Hawk believes he thinks himself as just as powerful as God.
An illusion of grandeur
Analysis: ‘I kill where I please because it is all mine’
Suggest the Hawk thinks everything revolves around him
Possessive pronoun of ‘mine’ shows this
Blunt language ‘kill’ shows he believes it is alright to do that.
How does Hughes present the idea that the Hawk believes he has power to do all what he wants
‘I kill where I please because it is all mine’
How does the Hawk make his actions seem business like after killing all other animals
‘The allotment of Death’
Analysis: ‘The allotment of Death’
Sound business like
