Hawk Roosting Ted Hughes Flashcards
When was he poet laureate?
Until his death in 1984.
He said the poem wasn’t about cruelty, he just wanted to show a hawk’s ___________
Natural way of thinking
What does Hughes use animals as a metaphor for?
His views on life- they strive for ascendancy and success.
Who influenced Hughes’ poetry?
His father who was a WW1 veteran.
What form is Hawk roosting?
Dramatic monologue
“Between my hooked head…
and hooked feet”
“Or in sleep rehearse…
perfect kills and eat.”
“The air’s buoyancy and the…
suns rays are of advantage to me.”
“Now I hold creation…
in my foot.”
“I kill where I please…
because it is all mine.”
“My manners are…
tearing off heads”
“The sun is…
behind me”
“My eye has permitted…
no change.”
What is there a semantic field of in Hawk roosting?
Violence and power
What are possible readings of hawk roosting?
power of nature
exploring dictatorship
bird is a metaphor for the state of mind of a human killer
