The Emigree Flashcards
What is the context of the émigrée
Rumens was born in london but also lived in Belfast and wales as well as travelling widely throughout Eastern Europe. This aspect of her life is reflected in her writing which is largely about foreign customs, cultures and language
“There once was a country”
The opening line established a fantastical tone to highlight the fact that the place described is a memory rather than a reality. This shows how the place the speaker remembers is romanticised by the idealism of youth and was never perfect as the way it is depicted
The unreliability of the memory is further presented through rumens use of ellipsis which creates the pause nessacary for the narrator to gather their thoughts and continue
The title itself is indicative of the content of the poem. There’s a contrast between the English “the” and the french “émigrée”. This established the idea of two conflicting cultures and identités
What is the structure of “the émigrée”
The repetition of “they” creates an aggressive and accusatory tone to make the city seem threatening and hostile
This reflects the agression aimed at her from the citizens of her new city sue to their racism seen in “they accuse me of being dark”
Shows that she’s experiencing a new threat which is no longer physical conflict but social rejection
Feels she doesn’t belong in her new city as she doesn’t share their culture or identity
Structure of the émigrée (2)
However she can’t return to her native country leaving her in a precarious position
Last stanza interpreted to be a description of the narrators new city. Rumens uses enjambment in “through the city of walls” to separate “ of walls” from the rest of the text. Causes the reader to see walls as an isolated idea creating connotations of entrapment.
Final stars contains caesura and free verse fo create a sense of chaos which could conversely be interpreted as indicative of freedom
What is the form of “the émigrée”
Predominantly in free verse with no rhyme or rhythm. Could be seen to represent the chaos and lack of control over a country with no stable government
Juxtaposed with the positive imagery in the poem so the form could be presenting freedom
Limited order to the poem which could be seen to represent the attempt at order inflicted upon her life through emigration
How is how is an epistrophe used in “the émigrée”
Every stanza ends with the reference to sunlight. Rumens juxtaposes the positive connotations of “sunlight” with the negative connotations of “branded”
“Branded” connotations of ownership shows how her love for her country will overrule any feelings of pain caused by it
Gustatory imagery in “it tastes of sunlight” is positive as is the juxtaposition between darkness and light “my shadow falls as evidence of sunlight”. Rumens use of epistrophe demonstrates that no matter what she hears in the news she will always have a positive view towards her city
How is a subjunctive case shown in “the émigrée”
When referring to the negative attributes to the city the speaker uses the subjunctive case of “it may be at war it may be sick with tyrants”
Shows parasitic connotation
Flaws seem hypothetical to her as she doesn’t have a new perspective of her city besides what she gained before she left as a child
Extended metaphor for lost childhood. Narrator being depicted to have naive childlike tendencies her relationship with her former city is also shown to be maternal. The metaphor “I comb it’s hair and love it’s shining eyes” implies she acts like a mother to the city in the way through her unconditional love and protective tendencies. Impression is reinforced by “my city hides behind me” implying she’s attempting to defend it from the criticism of the outside world
