The Spirit is too blunt an instrument Flashcards
What is the main theme of the poem? (The Spirit is too Blunt an Instrument)
The poet describes the experience of meeting a baby, wondering at the physical perfection and marvelling at the power of the chaotic mind
Paragraph 1? (The Spirit is too Blunt an Instrument)
Stevenson initially introduces the contrast between the intricate and the chaotic mind, whilst looking at a baby
Quotes for paragraph 1? (The Spirit is too Blunt an Instrument)
‘the spirit is too blunt an instrument’
‘nothing so unskilful as human passions could have managed the intricate exacting particulars’
‘blind bones […] manipulating tendons […] knee and the knucklebones’
‘the spirit is too blunt an instrument’
Line holds weight because it’s the first line and the title
The word instrument is a particularly concrete noun to describe a baby which is shocking to the reader and, despite what one may think, describes the ‘spirit’ using a concrete noun and rendering it useless
‘nothing so unskilful as human passions could have managed the intricate exacting particulars’
human passions —> soft sounds
vs
exacting particulars —> hard sounds
Cannot believe that messy human passion could create perfect intricacies but at the same time acknowledges the role that passion plays in
‘blind bones […] manipulating tendons […] knee and the knucklebones’
blind bones —> alliteration, emphasises the flow of the body
knee and knucklebones —> “
manipulating tendons —> “
concrete nouns, unemotional connection with the baby emphasises disbelief
Paragraph 2? (The Spirit is Too Blunt an Instrument)
The poet’s focus shifts to the inner body parts that are much smaller to emphasise the intricacies of human physical form.
Quotes for paragraph 2? (The Spirit is Too Blunt an Instrument)
‘miniature to minute’
‘Observe the distinct eyelashes and sharp crescent fingernails, the shell like complexity of the ear’
‘through which the completed body already answers to the brain’
‘miniature to minute’
alliteration emphasises the flow of the body and the shift
marks the shift from visible to invisible
shows the small and intricate details
‘Observe the distinct eyelashes and sharp crescent fingernails, the shell like complexity of the ear’
asyndetic list, enjambement, imperative —> shows the poet’s passion by creating momentum which is ironic and draws upon the main theme of the poem which depicts the contrast between the body and the mind
‘the completed body already answers to the brain’
despite the brain’s ‘bluntness’, the poet acknowledges it’s role in humanity and within the body
marks the shift towards the focus on emotions
Paragraph 3? (The Spirit is Too Blunt an Instrument)
Stevenson shifts her focus to her more emotional side addressing the importance of the soul and what it means to be alive.
Quotes for paragraph 3? (The Spirit is Too Blunt an Instrument)
‘body’s ignorant precision’
‘name any passion or sentiment possessed of the simplest accuracy’
‘no, no desire or affection could have done with practice what habit has done perfectly’
‘body’s ignorant precision’
oxymoronic
precision without conciousness
the brain is unpredictable and chaotic
‘no, no desire or affection could have done with practice what habit has done perfectly’
ironic because that is what happens
emotion lacks skill yet holds such weight
habit is unconscious yet responsible for so much intricacy
‘name any passion or sentiment possessed of the simplest accuracy’
imperative —> shows her passion
shift to abstract nouns
conclusion? (The Spirit is Too blunt an Instrument)
burden of the mind but also the depth of it
