Requiem For The Croppies Flashcards
(RFTC) themes
- remembrance
- death
- non-combatants in conflict
(RFTC) structure
- sonnet form - traditional form to honour the Croppies
- cyclical structure - barley emphasises the unending nature of Irish Resistance
- ABAB Rhyme - shows the difference between the Croppies and British soldiers
- half-rhymes - Croppies were unprepared and ill-equipped
- imperfect Iambic Pentameter - shows the imperfect nature of the Croppies
(RFTC) author background
- anti-war
- wrote to commemorate the deaths of the Croppies
- wrote the poem on the 50th anniversary of 1916
- stopped reading the poem publicly after the IRA used it in 1969 - start of the troubles
(RFTC) ”the pockets of or greatcoats full of barley”
Imagery of farming
The crappies are shown to be deeply connected to the land
Immediately this shows them to be inexperienced and weak, but also human
(RFTC) ”we moved quick and sudden in our own country”
Alliteration and indignant tone
Illustrates how the croppies feel resentment at having to move stealthily in their own country
Also the sense of patriotic pride they share
(RFTC) ”the priest lay behind ditches with the tramp”
Juxtaposition and imagery of togetherness
Demonstrates the mixing of social classes during times of conflict
Shows how suffering is shared by all of society - also how the Croppies were united
(RFTC) ”marching - on the hike -”, ”each day:” and ”until … on Vinegar Hill …”
Frequent caesura, a contemplative tone and a slow pace
Allows the reader to reflect on the loss of life
Also demonstrates the lack of progress made by the Croppies
