Request to a Year - Judith Wright Flashcards
What is the speaker asking the year for?
The speaker is asking the year for the gift of her great-great-grandmother’s strength, devotion, and artistic spirit.
What does the speaker want from the year?
The speaker desires the firmness and creative strength that her great-great-grandmother exhibited, particularly in her ability to balance motherhood and artistry.
How does the speaker describe the great-great-grandmother?
The great-great-grandmother is described as a dedicated artist who sketched a perilous moment with her son on an ice floe, showing her strength and unwavering devotion to her art.
What does the great-great-grandmother’s sketch symbolize in the poem?
The sketch symbolizes the enduring power of art to capture and preserve significant moments for eternity, despite the passage of time.
What role does motherhood play in the poem?
Motherhood is portrayed as a challenging yet integral part of the speaker’s great-great-grandmother’s life, but it does not hinder her artistic pursuits. It reflects the tension between societal expectations and personal fulfillment.
How does the speaker reflect on the great-great-grandmother’s legacy?
The speaker admires the legacy left by her great-great-grandmother, particularly the lasting impact of her artwork and the strength it symbolizes.
What is the significance of the ‘petticoats’ and ‘Alpenstock’?
These objects symbolize the societal restrictions placed on women during the great-great-grandmother’s time, highlighting the challenges she faced in pursuing art while being a mother.
How does the poem comment on the passage of time?
The speaker acknowledges the passage of time by longing for the strength and artistic determination of the past, suggesting that certain qualities can transcend generations.
What does the ‘year’ represent in the poem?
The ‘year’ represents the passage of time and the speaker’s desire for it to deliver a gift—something lasting and strong from the past.
What is the central theme of the poem?
The central theme revolves around the strength and legacy of an artist, the complexity of motherhood, and the desire for qualities from the past to endure through time.
What is the significance of the speaker’s desire for ‘firmness of hand’?
The ‘firmness of hand’ symbolizes the steady resolve and dedication that the speaker wishes to inherit, both in terms of artistic skill and personal strength.
What does the speaker wish to learn from the year?
The speaker wishes to learn how to embody the same strength and commitment as her great-great-grandmother, finding a balance between personal ambitions and societal roles.
How is the speaker’s perspective on time expressed in the poem?
Time is depicted as something that can offer wisdom and strength, with the speaker hoping that the ‘year’ can provide what is missing or desired from the past.
What does the speaker hope to gain from the great-great-grandmother’s example?
The speaker hopes to gain resilience, determination, and the courage to pursue art, despite any obstacles life may present.
How does the poem explore the tension between societal expectations and personal fulfillment?
Through the great-great-grandmother’s example, the poem explores how societal roles, such as motherhood, can be restrictive, yet personal fulfillment, such as artistic expression, can still persist.
What role does memory play in the poem?
Memory plays a crucial role, as the speaker reflects on her great-great-grandmother’s life, wishing to inherit qualities that have endured through time and memory.
