🌞 the emigrée

Question 1

Who is the poet of The Emigrée?

Answer 1

Carol Rumens

Question 2

Summary of The Emigrée

Answer 2

The narrator tells a story about her memories of the country she left as a child. She believes the memories to be infallible. The news now shows that there are tyrants and wars throughout the land and the narrator acknowledges this sad truth. But she goes on to present a positive perspective. As time goes on, she gains more clarity on the situation and it is revealed that her language is important in terms of who she is. Although she cannot return, she is reminded of her city and presents maternal emotions towards it. She either returns to how the city is today or compares the city to her new home. There is a threatening atmosphere from the citizens, which contrasts with the positivity of her old city.

Question 3

5 key quotes in The Emigrée

Answer 3

1) ‘but my memory of it is sunlight-clear’
- Repetition of ‘sunlight’
- She realized that its her memory and not real because can never be always in sunlight. But it is a precious memory eventhough it is not idealized and not real childhood past.

2) ‘the bright, filled paperweights’
- It stops paper from blowing away, is made of glass, and inside has precious things. It may be a fake memory that cannot be accessed.
- Or it represents stability and holds her still and steady
- Maybe a METAPHOR to connect to paper because she recreates this city on paper through the poem (a pun). Or memory has weight even if it’s on papr which is an OXYMORON and the poem encapsulates memories.

3) ‘as time rolls its tanks’
- METAPHOR: Time is like an enemy. The city is conquered and memories taken over and that process conquered reality -> identity
- ‘tanks’ Soviet (1956) Hungary and Budapest against Russia / 1968 Russia against Prague / 1989 Tiananmen

4) ‘I comb its hair and love its shining eyes’
- Treating it like a doll and cannot escape childhood.
- ‘shining’ may be joy and sunlight of the memory or it could be tears as this imagined memory cannot be recovered so their childhood is gone and disappeared

5) ‘They accuse me of absence’
- ‘accuse’ emphatic repetition shows the persecution endures in their new home by creating a violent tone
- No longer welcome in the city that shes left. Abandoned and is a threat.

Question 4

Context for The Emigrée

Answer 4

CAROL RUMENS
- She travelled a lot and this aspect of her life is reflected in her writing which is largely about foreign customs, cultures and languages

Question 5

Form and structure of The Emigrée

Answer 5

FREE VERSE & ENJAMBMENT & CAESURA & NO RHYME OR RHYTHM
- Reflect the chaos and lack of power the speaker has. Danger due to the disorganised structural features
- Juxtaposes with the positive imagery

REGULAR STANZA LENGTH (889)
- Speaker imposing order on the chaos
- Last stanza is longer as the speaker doesn’t want to leave

Question 6

Key themes in The Emigrée

Answer 6

• Power of place
• Identity

Question 7

Poems to compare with The Emigrée

Answer 7

CHECKING OUT ME HISTORY
- S: Both attach great emotional signifiance to their cultural identity. Both clinging to their language
- D: COMH uses angry tone and Emi positive imagery to create an idealized childhood