Hawk Roosting by Ted Hughes

Question 1

What does Hughes use Hawk Roosting as a vehicle to?

Answer 1

Hughes uses the poem as a way to praise the beauty of nature and to criticise the actions of 20th century dictators

Question 2

Initially point

Answer 2

Hughes personifies the Hawk and uses his first person dramatic monologue to criticise the viewpoints of 20th century dictators

Question 3

Initially… (qoute 1)

Answer 3

“I sit in the top of the wood, my eyes closed”

• The elevated status of the hawk calmly sitting at the top of the trees is shown through “sit” and “top”, which creates a self-absorbed tone, suggesting that the Hawk is blissfully ignorant.
• “eyes closed” creates a pompous and arrogant tone, suggesting he shows no appreciation for his position

Question 4

Initially… (qoute 2)

Answer 4

“Perfect kills”

-Through this juxtaposition, the Hawk is given an almost psychopathic persona which would be a direct criticism of 20th century dictators who found joy out of killing, such as Hitler and the Holocaust

Question 5

However as the text develops point

Answer 5

Hughes exposes the self absorbed and pompous viewpoints of the Hawk and by extension 20th century dictators

Question 6

As the text develops… (qoute 1)

Answer 6

“It took all of Creation to produce my foot, my each feather”

• Capitalisation of “Creation”implies that God designed the Hawk perfectly and with such care
• The specific mention of his foot shows that even the worst part of the hawk is made absolutely perfect, again portraying the hawk’s arrogance.

Question 7

As the text develops… (quote 2)

Answer 7

“Now I hold Creation in my foot”

• The Hawk believes he is now more powerful than God as he is able to control creation and soar high above it.
• Hughes is critical of humans attempting to control others and view themselves as superior

Question 8

Ultimately point

Answer 8

The Hawk seems to show a distinct lack of remorse for the death that he causes

Question 9

Ultimately… (quote 1)

Answer 9

“No argument exert my right”

• This exposes the self proclaimed omnipotent nature of the Hawk, suggesting that the Hawk has complete control over everything so that no one can question him

Question 10

Ultimately… (quote 2)

Answer 10

“The sun is behind me”

• Implies that he is greater and more powerful than the sun
• The physical position of this reflects his power dynamic despite the obvious lack of morality of the hawk

Question 11

Ultimately… (quote 3)

Answer 11

“I am going to keep things like this”

• The pronoun ‘I’ produces a menacing tone and suggests that the speaker/ tyrants believe that their power is Transcendent.
• The use of the present tense emphasises that the hawk believes that he is at the top and will always be at the top of the foodchain, which of course is not true