Visiting Hour Flashcards
What are the key quotes of stanza 1 visiting hour
“The hospital smells combs my nostrils”
“Green and yellow corridors”
.
Explain the quote “ the hospital smell combed my nostrils”
Personification
Compared the bad hospital smell, to going up his nose
Similarities are that the hospital smell is incredibly strong and is penetrating his nose
-shows experience of the hospital and suggests the smell is pongent to him
Explain the quote “green and yellow corridors”
W.c
Connotations of vomit and pus
Emphasising how unpleasant the visit is
Key quotes of second stanza visiting hour
“Seems a corpse is trundled”
“Vanishing heavenward”
Explain the quote “seems a corpse is trundled”
W.c
Corpse has connotations of death
This reveals his state of mind when he sees the trolley as he assumes the person is dead
Explain the quote “Vanishing heavenward”
Enjambent of heavenward
Shows his state of mind is giving much hope for his loved one and that the sick person going up the lift will die, which he believes is a reflection of his loved one
Key quote of the third stanza visiting hour
“I will not feel, I will not feel”
Explain the quote “ I will not feel”
Repetition
Talking to himself
He is avoiding his feelings as he is trying to avoid death and is trying to stay composed and detached
Soon he will have to face his feelings
Key quotes of the fourth stanza visiting hour
“ here and up and down and there”
“So many deaths”
“Maraclously carries the burden”
Explain the quote “ here and up and down and there”
Repetition of and
Highlights how well the nurses are at their job and shows a sense of business
Fast nature of the nurses
Explain the quote “so many deaths”
“So many farewells”
Repetition
“So many”
Highlights the number of patients they deal with and the amount of emotional pain the nurses have to deal with
explain the quote “miraculously carries the burden”
Wc VH
Connotations of magic
Shows how the nurses deal with death and shows what they face everyday
Key quotes of the 5th stanza visiting hour
“Ward 7.”
“White cave of forgetfulness”
“Withered hand”
Explain the quote “ward 7.”
Caesura
Reflect the pause the writer does before entering the room
Explain the quote “white cave of forgetfulness”
Metaphor
Compares the loved one to someone who has a ill memory
Similarities are that the forgetfulness is isolating her from the rest of the world
She is loosing the grasp of reality
Her recognition is fading out
Explain the quote “withered hand”
Wc
Connotations of dying
Suggests how fragile she is and is fading away
Key quotes of stanza 6 visiting hour
“Too heavy to raise”
“Glass fang is fixed, not guzzling but giving”
“Neither she nor I could cross”
Explain the quote “neither she nor I can cross”
Enjambent
Isolation emphasising with the ‘I”
Explain to quote ‘to heavy to raise’
Wc
Connotations of weighted
Shows heaviness of patients eyelids and shows how she is trying to communicate
Explain the quote ‘glass fang
is fixed, not guzzling but giving”
Metaphor
Compares the drip to a fang of a vampire
Similarities are that the fang extracts blood whereas the drip gives blood
Shows how un natural the poem feels about what is happening to the loved one
Key quotes of stanza 7 visiting hour
“She smiles a little at this”
“Who clumsily rises”
“Growing fainter”
“Books that will not be read and fruitless fruit”
Explain the quote “she smiles a little at this”
Wc “little” connotates to small amounts amd being brief
Shows how she doesn’t recognise her visitor and how she is now only existing, which dehumanises her and emphasises isoalation
Explain the quote “who clumsily raises”
Wc
Connotations of stumbling and uncoordinated
Shows how the speaker is leaving in a highly emotional state
His self control is collapsing and could suggest he is full of emotions from the experience
Explain the quote “growing fainter”
Pun
Trying to be funny and make light of the situation
The poet would grow fainter with the distance of the patient and he is so upset he feels faint
Explain the quote “books that will not be read and fruitless fruit”
Paradox and oxymoron Books will be read Fruit is fruit Two opposites side by side Shows the poets distress and confusion She is past eating and reading His presence no longer makes a difference in her outcome
