Understanding The Poems Flashcards
What was ‘Originally’ about?
It is about the loss of identity due to moving from country to country, but it also mentions the journey from childhood to adulthood.
What is ‘Deportation’ about?
It is about the loss of hope. Moving from ones country was what gave hope but being deported loses hope - Duffy goes over the feelings of this process.
What is ‘Shooting Stars’ about?
It is a woman recollecting her horrific memories during WW2 and her experience with the Nazi’s as a Jewish.
What is ‘Standing Female Nude’ about?
It is about a strong, confident woman who is a prostitute and models for a famous artist called ‘Georges’. She doesn’t understand art and does not like the final product that Georges creates of her.
What is ‘Blackberry-Picking’ about?
It is about Heaney reflecting on his memories when he used to do Blackberry-Picking. It alludes to the journey from childhood to adulthood and how this involves the loss of innocence.
What is ‘Digging’ about?
It is about Heaney’s traditions and heritage. He reflects on his memories of his father and grandfather farming and how much hard work they did. However, even though he was expected to continue with the route of his grandfather and father, Heaney chose a different one. He wanted to use the same hard work he saw his grandfather and father do, but through writing instead.
What was ‘Personal Helicon’ about?
It is about Heaney’s memories of wells and his fascination with them. It is a search for the meaning in life and uses his childhood experience to find it. He finds that adults do not appreciate curiosity and discovery, losing their sense of adventure. They become despondent and forget the very essence of life - you lose personal helicon.
What is ‘Requiem for the Croppies’ about?
It is about the massacre in 1798 of 20000 Catholic rebels on Vinegar Hill. Heaney writes this in respect for those who died, paying homage for Ireland.
What is ‘This Lime-Tree Bower My Prison’ about?
It is about Coleridge being stuck at home because his wife hurt his foot making him unable to go on his walk with Charles. He is upset because he wanted to embrace and enjoy nature like them. However, he eventually realises that he is surrounded by nature in his own garden and is then satisfied.
What is ‘Frost at Midnight’ about?
Coleridge reflects on his present (being with his wife and child) and his past (being stuck in the city without nature). He thinks that since his child will grow up in the country, he will not suffer the same isolation that he feels now and has felt in the past.
What is ‘The Eolian Harp’ about?
The central image of the poem is a metaphor - the comparison of the human soul with the harp. The soul can be touched by inspiration as the harp strings are touched by the wind. Coleridge sees both the inspiration and the wind as being agents of God. This is a conversation between Coleridge, the imaginative, emotional poet, and Coleridge the timid lover who gladly submits to his beloved’s orthodox views and his own fears of chaos in a world without God.
