Poem Anthology Flashcards
What is the context behind The Manhunt?
Written for a documentary
Fought in Bosnia and suffered from PTSD
What quotes could be used for The Manhunt? (10)
“only then”
“frozen river”
“blown hinge of his lower jaw”
“porcelain”
“his broken ribs”
“grazed heart”
“picture the scan”
“unexploded mine buried deep”
“every nerve in his body had tightened and closed”
“then, and only then, did I come close”
What does the quote “only then” show about The Manhunt?
Repetition
Shows long process and patience
What does the quote “frozen river” show about The Manhunt?
Cold, uncomfortable
It can melt
Shows unwillingness to open up
Tears
An obstacle
What does the quote “blown hinge of his lower jaw” show about The Manhunt?
No voice -> no jaw
Can’t express emotions or trauma
What does the quote “porcelain” show about The Manhunt?
Precious and delicate
Will never be the same even if fixed/stuck back together
What does the quote “his broken ribs” show about The Manhunt?
Climb is difficult (to his memories/feelings)
Delicate body
What does the quote “grazed heart” show about The Manhunt?
Optimistic
Not too badly damaged, can be repaired
What does the quote “picture the scan” show about the manhunt?
Empathetic
Trying to duplicate what he’s feeling
What does the quote “unexploded mine buried deep” show about The Manhunt?
Eventually has to explode
Unpredictable
Hard to reach feelings
What does the quote “every nerve in his body had tightened and closed” show about The Manhunt?
Every part of him is protecting his memories, making them hard to reach
Trauma
What does the quote “then, and only then, did I come close” show about The Manhunt?
Determination
Difficulty
After everything, didn’t even reach end
What are the other important stuff to say about The Manhunt?
Verbs (gentle and soft) and adjectives (brutal and harsh) juxtapose each other (e.g. “handle” and “blown”)
Unpredictable nature of enjambment shows unpredictable journey
What is the context behind Sonnet 43?
Poet became reclusive after brother died
Married a poet
Strong religious upbringing
What quotes could be used for Sonnet 43? (8)
“how do I love thee?”
“depth and breadth”
“feeling out of sight”
“sun and candlelight”
“purely”
“with my lost saints”
“smiles, tears, of all my life!”
“better after death”
What does the quote “how do I love thee?” show about Sonnet 43?
Rhetorical question
Desperation to quantify how much she loves her partner
What does the quote “depth and breadth” show about Sonnet 43?
So desperate that she tries using physical measurement to measure her love
What does the quote “feeling out of sight” show about Sonnet 43?
Doesn’t need to see him to be in love
What does the quote “sun and candlelight” show about Sonnet 43?
Uses light measurements
Tries every possible way to measure her love
What does the quote “purely” show about Sonnet 43?
Pure, beautiful, genuine love
What does the quote “with my lost saints” show about Sonnet 43?
Man she loves saved her when she lost everything
Her hero
What does the quote “smiles, tears, of all my life!” show about Sonnet 43?
Emotions
Emphasises how important he is
! - passionate
What does the quote “better after death” show about Sonnet 43?
Love will transcend life
What are the other important stuff to say about Sonnet 43?
Enjambment + inconsistent rhyme scheme shows chaos and desperation to express love
Sonnet - love and passion
What is the context behind London?
Lived in London
Lost faith and religion and critisiced it
What quotes can be used for London? (9)
“chater’d”
“every face I meet”
“marks of weakness, marks of woe”
“every”
“mind-forg’d manacles I hear”
“black’ning church”
“runs in blood down palace walls”
“youthful harlot”
“marriage hearse”
What does the quote “charter’d” show about London?
Everything is controlled by Government
Criticism
What does the quote “every face I meet” show about London?
Everyone is suffering
No one can escape it
What does the quote “marks of weakness, marks of woe” show about London?
People have no power
Feel woe
What does the quote “every” show about London?
Repetition
Emphasises that it applies to all
What does the quote “mind-forg’d manacles I hear” show about London?
Metaphor
No freedom
Brain in chains
Trapped - nothing will improve
What does the quote “black’ning church” show about London?
Church should be holy + white but is now tainted and corrupted
Shows poet’s loss of faith
What does the quote “runs in blood down palace walls” show about London?
Criticism of Government
Responsible (have blood on their hands)
What does the quote “youthful harlot” show about London?
Emotive
Innocent children shouldn’t be suffering like this
What does the quote “marriage hearse” show about London?
Oxymoron
Shows that everything good ends quickly
What are the other important stuff to say about London?
Consistent structure and rhyme scheme just like situation in London is consistent
Dark imagery (e.g. “black’ning”, “midnight”)
What is the context behind The Soldier?
Died of blood poisoning so never actually saw conflict first-hand
What quotes can be used for The Soldier? (9)
“the soldier”
“if I should die”
“a richer dust concealed”
“England”
“bore, shaped, made aware”
“suns of home”
“eternal mind”
“her sights and sounds”
“English heaven”
What does the quote “the soldier” show about The Soldier?
Universal soldier experience
Supposed to be relatable
What does the quote “if I should die” show about The Soldier?
Soldiers knew they would probably die
This guy is fine with that (patriotic)
What does the quote “a richer dust concealed” show about The Soldier?
Egotistical
Thinks his dead bosy is richer than foreign soil
What does the quote “England” show about The Soldier?
Repetition emphasises patriotism
What does the quote “bore, shaped, made aware” show about The Soldier?
Love for England
Personification makes England seem like a mother
What does the quote “suns of home” show about The Soldier?
Exaggerates beauty of England
Patriotic
LOVES England
What does the quote “eternal mind” show about The Soldier?
Thinks that even in death he’ll be fine cause he’s English
What does the quote “her sights and sounds” show about The Soldier?
Very naive
Massively in love, describing England in a way you wouldn’t expect
What does the quote “English heaven” show about The Soldier?
Arrogant
Thinks he’s part of a superiority
Thinks his sacrifice is worthwile
What are the other important stuff to say about The Soldier?
14 lines - sonnet to England
VERY patriotic
What is the context behind She Walks in Beauty?
Byron was a romantic poet famous for his writing and who engaged in scandalous behaviour (something about young boys idk)
What quotes can be used for She Walks in Beauty? (7)
“she walks in beauty”
“like the night”
“best of dark and bright”
“that tender light”
“one shade the more, one ray the less”
“which waves in every raven tress”
“a heart whose love is innocent”
What does the quote “she walks in beauty” show about She Walks in Beauty?
Present tense
Beauty is permanent and continuous
What does the quote “like the night” show about She Walks in Beauty?
She’s like a perfect night - flawless
Different to usual comparisons, usually beauty compared to day
What does the quote “best of dark and bright” show about She Walks in Beauty?
Best of both worlds
She’s better than both day and night, a perfect balance
What does the quote “that tender light” show about She Walks in Beauty?
Emphasises softness and beauty of the woman
What does the quote “one shade the more, one ray the less” show about She Walks in Beauty?
Beauty perfectly balanced
One thing different would have completely ruined it
What does the quote “which waves in every raven tress” show about She Walks in Beauty?
Woman’s beauty is alive - has energy in her beautiful black hair
What does the quote “a heart whose love is innocent” show about She Walks in Beauty?
Dismisses physical appearance as being most important
Compliments her personality, not just her appearance
What are the other important stuff to say about She Walks in Beauty?
Enjambment - excitement, celebration of woman
Sibilance - soothing, relaxing effect just like woman has
Consistent ABABAB rhyme scheme is unwavering just like woman’s beauty
What is the context behind Living Space?
Writes about cultural displacement, freedom and conditions of shanty towns
Dharker born in Pakistan and grew up in Scotland
What quotes can be used for Living Space? (9)
“living space”
“balance crookedly on supports”
“nails clutch”
“leans dangerously towards the miraculous”
“someone has squeezed”
“eggs (in a wire basket)”
“white hung out over the dark edge”
“slanted universe”
“thin walls of faith”
What does the quote “living space” show about Living Space?
Title shows chaos
They’re just living spaces, not homes
What does the quote “balance crookedly on supports” show about Living Space?
Uneasy feeling
Could all break down at any moment
What does the quote “nails clutch” show about Living Space?
Personification - shows desperation
What does the quote “leans dangerously towards the miraculous” show about Liviing Space?
Leaning towards death
Miracle it’s even staying up
Faith and hope
What does the quote “someone has squeezed” show about Living Space?
Criticism of Government not caring
Cold and emotionless
What does the quote “eggs (in a wire basket)” show about Living Space?
Wire basket shows danger
Eggs signifies people - fragility, high quantity, life comes from eggs, can’t be repaired if broken
What does the quote “white hung out over the edge” show about Living Space?
Innocence, people
White = biblical
Dark edge = death
What does the quote “slanted universe” show about Living Space?
Whole universe is corrupted
Everything is wrong
Nothing will change
What does the quote “thin walls of faith” show about Living Space?
Still have faith albeit weak
Faith and hope keeps everything together
What are the other important stuff to say about Living Space?
Dark vs white imagery - innocent people vs darkness (death, devil)
Unstable structure of poem shows instability of people’s lives and houses
What is the context behind As Imperceptibly as Grief?
Dickinson was highly reclusive and considered an eccentric
Fascinated by nature
What quotes can be used for As Imperceptibly as Grief? (9)
“grief”
“summer lapsed away”
“imperceptible at last”
“Quietness distilled”
“herself”
“foreign shone”
“courteous, yet harrowing grace”
“without a wing”
“her light escape”
What does the quote “grief” show about As Imperceptibly as Grief?
Devestated about summer leaving
Mourning
Important to her
What does the quote “summer lapsed away” show about As Imperceptibly as Grief?
So slight and slick that she barely noticed it
What does the quote “imperceptible at last” show about As Imperceptibly as Grief?
Summer decived her
Sense of distrust and betrayal
What does the quote “Quiteness distilled” show about As Imperceptibly as Grief?
Sounds of summer gone
Capital “Q” emphasises silence and isolation
What does the quote “herself” show about As Imperceptibly as Grief?
Personification of summer
The summer doesn’t wanna be friends with her
What does the quote “foreign shone” show about As Impercepitbly as Grief?
Sun is foreign to her
No longer recognises it now that it’s gone
What does the quote “courteous, yet harrowing grace” show about As Imperceptibly as Grief?
Bittersweet to see sun
Nice but also distressing
What does the quote “without a wing” show about As Imperceptibly as Grief?
Reaching acceptance stage of the 5 stages of grief
Escpae inevitable so summer didn’t need anything to leave
What does the quote “her light escape” show about As Imperceptibly as Grief?
Summer got set free into a better place without Dickinson noticing
What are the other important stuff to say about As Imperceptibly as Grief?
Lack of full stops - passing of time can’t be stopped or slowed
Dashes - emphasises lengthy process for her, tries to control rapidly passing time
What is the context behind Cozy Apologia?
Auto-biographical poem
Takes time to reflect on her ordinary life during a hurricane
What quotes can be used for Cozy Apologia? (9)
“for Fred”
“this lamp”
“do-it-now-and-take-no-risks”
“worthless boys”
“sweet with a dark and hollow center”
“cussing up a storm”
“content, but fall short of the divine”
“when has the ordinary ever been news?”
“stolen time”
What does the quote “for Fred” show about Cozy Apologia?
Poem dedicated to him
Sees him as a hero
What does the quote “this lamp” show about Cozy Apologia?
Bright and warm
Provides a sense of comfort, safety, security
Guides hope
What does the quote “do-it-now-and-take-no-risks” show about Cozy Apologia?
Criticises modern age stopping creativity
What does the quote “worthless boys” show about Cozy Apologia?
Thinks Fred is better than everyone else
Massively admires him
What does the quote “sweet with a dark and hollow center” show about Cozy Apologia?
Emptiness of old relationships
What does the quote “cussing up a storm” show about Cozy Apologia?
Has to fight external influences (possibly in her relationship as well)
What does the quote “content, but fall short of the Divine” show about Cozy Apologia?
Her life is fine but not perfect
Divine - religious connotations?
What does the quote “when has the ordinary ever been news?” show about Cozy Apologia?
Apologising about being normal
Only needs Fred in her life - makes her feel safe
What does the quote “stolen time” show about Cozy Apologia?
Life is chaotic
Has no time - feels like she’s stealing it
What are the other important stuff to say about Cozy Apologia?
Ordinary structure = ordinary lifestyle
Rhyming couplets = perfection/normalcy
3rd stanza rhyme scheme lost = a bit of chaos in her otherwise normal life
Ornothological imagery = nesting, feelings of safety
Brackets throughout give a conversational tone - casual
When topic goes away from Fred, rhyme scheme stops = Fred necessary to keeping the normalcy and stability in her life
What is the context behind Valentine?
Reminiscent of metaphysical poets - approaching ordinary objects/subbjects in original ways
What quotes can be used for Valentine? (9)
“not a red rose”
“light”
“careful undressing”
“here”
“grief”
“I am trying to be truthful”
“for as long as we are”
“wedding-ring”
“lethal”
What does the quote “not a red rose” show about Valentine?
Deliberately negative
Shows she doesn’t measure love with ordinary items
What does the quote “light” show about Valentine?
Happiness, optimism
New beginnings
What does the quote “careful undressing” show about Valentine?
Love is fragile
Double meaning? Caring? Lustful? - undressing someone’s (clothes) layers to know them better
What does the quote “here” show about Valentine?
Controlling/aggressive tone
Lack of communication
What does the quote “grief” show about Valentine?
No longer recognises herself in the relationship
Not a good relationship
What does the quote “I am trying to be truthful” show about Valentine?
Reinforces lack of communication
Something isn’t right
What does the quote “for as long as we are” show about Valentine?
Love is temporary but effects stay with you
Pessimistic and negative