What Were They Like- by Denise Levertov Flashcards
What were they like:
Who is this poem written by?
Denise Levertov
What were they like:
What is the meaning of this poem?
-Depicts the cultural, physical and emotional destruction caused by the Vietnam War through the form of an interview.
-It envisages a future after the genocide where the Vietnamese culture would die off.
What were they like:
What is the form here?
-Free Verse: no regularity in life due to destruction of culture.
What were they like:
“3) Were they inclined to quiet laughter?”
What is some analysis of this quote?
Anaphora of past tense- suggestive that although the time has passed the destructive nature of USA lingers.
-Contrast the horrible visual imagery of the use of Napalm
What were they like:
“When bombs smashed those mirrors there was time only to scream.”
What is some analysis of this quote?
-Enjambment distinguishes pace of attack and mass destruction.
What were they like:
“Who can say? It is silent now.”
What is some analysis of this quote?
-Monosyllable implies that devastation is beyond all emotional expression.
-End-Stop point depicts the loss of culture forever.
What were they like:
What is the context here?
-Criticises US involvement in Vietnam war.
-Destructive conflict between the communist government in the North of Vietnam and South Vietnam and their main ally, the US. Levertov’s activism during the Vietnam War directed a lot of her poetry.
