History - John Burnside Flashcards
What is History about? (3 points)
The poem is, significantly, dated soon after 9/11 - this historical event informs the deeper meaning of the whole poem
The large events of history, here symbolised by warplanes, can only be understood in context - how the past impacts upon the present, how it affects individuals
The present moment in this poem — the beach, parents playing with their child and the child’s absorption in the physical world — suggests that the beauty and transience of the world can counter hatred and violence
What is the structure of History? (3 points)
The first 22 lines are choppy, dealing with fleeting impressions - then the stanzas become more regular, as sense is made of the world
The poem is written in iambic pentameters and tetrametres
There is almost no punctuation, so the poem flows
What is the language and imagery of History? (2 points)
The voice is that of the speaker using the first person singular pronoun ‘I’, although he refers also to ‘we’, as if pulling in all humankind.
The poem deals with contrasts and opposites explored through strands of imagery:
+ The beach is sited between land and sea
+ The human world is contrasted with the natural world
+ Innocence pitted against guilt
+ Pessimism against hope
