[POEM] Nostalgia

Question 1

How are poetic voices used in the poem?

What’s the effect?

Answer 1

3rd person. Allows for portrayal of a timeless concept through poetic form, that can apply to any historical war.

Vocal shift to 1st person? “They had an ache here, Doctor”.

2nd person (end of Stanza 2) “Where maybe you met a girl, or searched for a yellow ball in the long grass, found it just as your mother called you in.” Brings relevance to your life / creates an emotional poem.

Question 2

Context of nostalgia as a term. Explain it, and how it links to the poem?

Answer 2

J. Hofer introduced the term for the condition also known as mal du suisse (Or Swiss Illness), because of its frequent occurrence in Swiss Mercenaries, who in France/Italy at battle, were pining for their native mountain landscapes.

Symptoms included: stomach pain, even death!!

Question 3

What is the poem about in a nutshell?

Answer 3

In this poem, Duffy explores feelings of nostalgia in a narrative format reimagining the lives of the soldiers leaving their mountain homes. The soldiers become afflicted by a strange emotional sickness.

Question 4

Spot oxymorons in the text.

Where are they and what is their effect/why were they used?

Develop a point.

Answer 4

In Nostalgia, Duffy utilises a plethora of figurative language through the use of oxymorons. For example, “Sweet Pain” - helps to convey the disorientation caused by nostalgia, as the juxtaposition evident in the phrase is indicative of confusion/indecisiveness (one thing at war with another - sweet vs pain). Additionally portrays the past as something warm/soothing (through use of sweet), yet longed for, and unable to obtain (through use of “pain”).