Sunday Dip - John Clare (1800s) Flashcards
Who was John Clare?
Romantic poet in which his poems celebrate the beauty and power of nature and is described as the ‘quintessential Romantic poet’
How did the simplicity of rural life affect Clare’s poem?
Clare’s poems focus on the joys of nature and the simplicity of living in the country as apposed to life in the city
Title of the poem ‘ Sunday Dip’ shows how Sunday was reserved for swimming in the local lake
What is the form and structure of the poem?
It is a sonnet as it has 16 lines. Traditionally used as a love poetry - which reflects not only Clare’s style of writing but also his feelings about the subject matter.
8 sets of rhyming couplets - regular rhyming scheme allows the reader to enjoy the summer scene uninterrupted by any changes in the rhythm to the speech.
What is the tone of the poem?
Overall tone of the poem is fun and enjoyment. It is told in the third person and we get a sense that Clare is recounting something he sees on a regular basis
What are some quotes in the poem?
Laugh to hear the thunder in their ears
They run to seek the shallow pit and wade/ And dance about the water in the shade
What are some annotations of ‘Laugh to hear the thunder in their ears’
Clare uses the natural frightening metaphor - to emphasise the carefree nature of the activity.
This is not real thunder but perhaps the swirl of water or the beating of their hearts as they enjoy their day which dismisses how the boys are nervous about going too deep. Shows the enjoyment of nature
What are some annotations about ‘They run to seek the shallow pit and wade’
Claire uses a lot of verbs to express the innocence of the swimmers. The boys ‘run to seek the shallow pit and wade’. The verbs ‘run’ and ‘wade’ are all joyful words and show the innocence of the swimmers
What are some key themes of the poem?
Happiness
Natural world
