Sunday Dip Flashcards
1
Q
Who is the poet?
A
John Clare
2
Q
When was it written?
A
1800s
3
Q
Context:
A
- As a Romantic poet, Clare’s work celebrates the beauty and power of nature, as well as the role of humankind within it
- ## Clare’s poems focus on the simplicity of rural life
4
Q
Poet’s Life:
A
Clare grew up in a small, rural village with little formal education
5
Q
Form and structure:
A
- a sonnet, as it has 16 lines
- traditionally used has love poetry, reflects Clare’s feelings about the subject matter
- Not a traditional sonnet however- its a couplet sonnet with 8 rhyming couplets
- The regular rhyme scheme allows the reader to enjoy the summer scene uninterrupted by any change in rhythm
- Petrarchan sonnet
- Octave, volta and sextet
6
Q
Polysyndeton
A
- repeats the word ‘and’ at the start of 6 lines within his poem
- use of repetition shows how events unfold naturally
- Highlights impulsive and hasty nature of the boy’s play
- Quick succession of events is highlighted by polysyndeton
7
Q
Tone:
A
- of fun and enjoyment
8
Q
Metaphor:
A
- uses a natural, and usually frightening metaphor to emphasise the carefree nature of the activity
- ’ laugh to hear the thunder in their ears’
9
Q
Imagery:
A
- Clare uses a lot of verbs to describe the swimmers actions
- joyful words that show the boys innocence
10
Q
Techniques used:
A
Imagery, metaphors, repetition, rhyming couplets
11
Q
Themes:
A
happiness
natural world
12
Q
Quotes:
A
‘and laugh to hear the thunder in their ears’
‘the others float away’
‘try to lose their fears’
‘the morning road is thronged with merry boys’
13
Q
Dynamic verbs:
A
wade, run, dance
- Clare creates a semantic field that reinforces the buoyancy and adulation the boys feel towards the river they’re visiting
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14
Q
How are octaves, voltas and sextets used?
A
- First octave is spent setting the scene
- Volta marks a shift in focus and events as the boys are now doing something different, and could be done to incite interest in the readers
- The subsequent sextet shows the potential dangers the boys may be in, however any sense of peril is quelled by an idyllic ending line
