prayer before birth Flashcards
Q: What is the main theme of Prayer Before Birth?
A: The poem explores themes of fear, power, free will, corruption, and the loss of innocence, presenting the unborn child’s plea for protection from the evils of the world.
Q: What is the poem’s structure?
A: The poem consists of eight stanzas of varying lengths, mimicking a litany or prayer. The final stanza is the shortest and most abrupt, reinforcing the speaker’s desperation.
Q: How does MacNeice create a sense of vulnerability in the poem?
A: The speaker, an unborn child, uses the repeated plea “I am not yet born” to highlight their helplessness and fear of entering a cruel world.
Q: What is the significance of the refrain “I am not yet born”?
A: The repetition emphasizes the child’s vulnerability and serves as a constant reminder of their fear of the world they are about to enter.
Q: How does MacNeice contrast nature and industrialization in the poem?
A: The poem personifies nature as nurturing and protective, while industrialization and war are portrayed as dehumanizing forces that threaten free will.
Q: What does the phrase “let them not make me a stone” suggest?
A: It symbolizes the speaker’s fear of losing their humanity and becoming emotionally numb due to the corruption of society.
Q: How does the poem use enjambment and caesura?
A: Enjambment reflects the speaker’s increasing panic, while caesura breaks up thoughts, mirroring the fragmented fears and uncertainty of the unborn child.
Q: What is the impact of the final line, “Otherwise kill me”?
A: It delivers a shocking conclusion, reinforcing the idea that the child would rather die than face the horrors of the world.
Q: How does MacNeice use religious imagery in the poem?
A: The structure mimics a prayer, and references to divine guidance suggest the speaker’s desperate plea for protection in a corrupt world.
Q: What does the metaphor of being a “cog in a machine” represent?
A: It symbolizes the fear of being stripped of individuality and forced into a mechanical, unthinking existence due to societal and political forces.
Q: How does the poem reflect the historical context of World War II?
A: Written during WWII, the poem conveys the horrors of war, loss of free will, and the dehumanizing impact of totalitarian regimes.
Q: How does Prayer Before Birth compare to If-?
A: Prayer Before Birth presents a pessimistic view of life, whereas If- is optimistic, providing guidance on how to navigate challenges successfully.
