In Romney Marsh by John Davidson Flashcards
Context:
- Davidson was a poet, playwright, and essayist of the 19th century who struggled for success during his life.
- It focuses on Romney Marsh, a real place in the SE of England; the poem celebrates its divine beauty that touches the speaker so deeply, providing a feeling of solace.
- Davidson was inspired by the Romantic movement - the poem depicts nature as beautiful and powerful, as well as alluding to the idea of the sublime.
- Link to the IR as well; poem reflects the technological realities of Davidson’s time and arguably suggests a longing for a reversion to a simpler way of life.
Form and Structure:
- 7 quatrains, balladic form, steady iambic tetrameter, ABAB rhyme scheme
- Highly steady and regular form reflects the idyllic, awe-inspiring beauty of nature in Romney Marsh.
- Structurally, various shifts in focus, especially through “As I went down to/came up from Dymchurch Wall”, allude to the idea of the ephemerality of time.
KEY QUOTE: Vivid auditory imagery is used to depict the sweet sound of the wind; it is personified, exemplifying the beauty of nature and the connection the speaker feels towards it - elevation of the senses:
“I heard the South sing o’er the land”
KEY QUOTE: First example of colour imagery to describe the warm, comforting sunset, portraying the speaker’s solace invoked by the natural beauty:
“I saw the yellow sunlight fall”
KEY QUOTE: Perhaps one interpretation of “shrilly” to refer to infrastructure is that it creates an irritating tone to reflect the sense of resentment at development (Romantic idea):
“ringing shrilly […] the wire”
KEY QUOTE: Vibrant, sensual colour imagery combined with the mysterious sense of a “vapour”, exemplifies the mystical beauty of nature, its hypnotising effect, and its transcendental wonder that mesmerises the speaker to such a great extent - they truly feel the deep power of the place:
“A veil of purple vapour flowed”
KEY QUOTE: The colour imagery is extended through the use of the noun “sapphire”, a gem of beauty and value, exemplifying the mesmerising effect of nature on the speaker; “glowed” relates to a romantic feeling, establishing an enchanted atmosphere of divine love associated with nature:
“the upper air like sapphire glowed”
KEY QUOTE: “Roses” beautify and intensify the pink hue, alluding to the speaker’s love and connection to the place; “heaven’s central gates” allude to the clouds, further highlighting the divine nature of the sight:
“roses filled Heaven’s central gates”
KEY QUOTE: Semantic field of value and luxury through “saffron”, “diamond”, and “beads”; furthermore, “surge” and “roar” suggest aggressiveness and violence, portraying the imposing, terrifying side of nature, linking to the idea of the sublime (nature is both endlessly beautiful and frighteningly powerful):
“The saffron beach, all diamond drops and beads of surge, prolonged the roar”
KEY QUOTE: Rich colour imagery is used yet again to describe the sunset:
“crimson brands”
KEY QUOTE: Shift in tone to depict passing of time, and simile to compare the stars to “silver fire”, exemplifying the sense of eternal beauty and intimidating power that mesmerises the speaker; perhaps “fire” is a symbol of destruction, alluding to the sublime again:
“Night sank: like flakes of silver fire”
- “Night sank” is monosyllabic, further accentuating the rapid passing and ephemerality of time.
KEY QUOTE: “Darkly shining” is oxymoronic, perhaps alluding to the dual nature of the natural world, presented as both mesmerising and terrifying in the poem; the sibilance creates an ominous tone, supporting the exemplification of the latter description:
“darkly shining salt sea drops”
KEY QUOTE: “Clashed” implies violence and destruction, supported by the auditory imagery of the “roar” of the ocean, both contributing towards the powerful, intimidating depiction of nature; perhaps it is almost described as God-like, exemplifying the idea of the sublime:
- “the waves clashed on the shore”
- “prolonged the roar”
Summary:
This poem is a rich, sensual ballad that engages all the senses and transports the reader to Romney Marsh, enabling them to experience all the heightened emotions and mesmerisation felt by the speaker on his walk; the feeling of solace is clearly developed as the speaker marvels at nature’s mystical wonders and idyllic beauty, while also fearing its terrifying power, alluding to the Romantic idea of the sublime.
