Themes Flashcards
Romantic love
Some people long for each other :
Loves philosophy:
-Narrator longs to be with the women he’s addressing in the poem.The whole poem is a passionate argument designed to persuade her that they should come together in the same way that nature does
-he believes that “nothing in the world is single” and is frustrated that all of nature is un harmony except for him and his lover.This lack of harmony is reflected in the disruption of the regular rhyme scheme by two half-rhymes -“river”/”ever” and “heaven”/forgiven”
The repetition of physical language such as “clasp”and “kiss” emphasises his desire for her
Sonnet 29:
The narrator can’t stop thinking about her lover when they’re not together -she compares her thoughts to “wild vines” which cover a tree until there’s “nought to see”
She isn’t satisfied with just thinking about her lover. She calls her thoughts the “straggling green” which “hides” him -she’s concerned that her thoughts will obscure the reality of him
In the nineteenth century , a women was expected to be reserved about her feeelings and to submit to her husbands will .instead the narrator expresses her desire and commands him to “renew” his presence in her life. The fact that she defies social convention emphasises the strength of her longing
…but this can be destructive:
Porphyria’s lover:
The cottage reflects the narrators feelings of loneliness and despair when he’s not with porphyria.He listens for her “with heart for to break”-longing has pushed him to breaking point
The narrator says that porphyria is too “weak” to overcome her “pride” and “vainer ties” to be with him.This reveals his frustration-he yearns for her and doesn’t seem to like her spending time elsewhere
His desperation to keep porphyria with him leads him to murder her-his life has became destructive
The farmers bride:
The farmer focus his brides physical features such as her “soft young down” shows that he longs for a physical relationship but she’s afraid of him
In the last stanza, his exclamation “oh! My God!” And the repetition “the brown,/the brown of her -her eyes, her hair, her hairs!” Suggest that he’s struggling to control his desire for her
This shows his building frustration, and hints that he may resort to force to get what he wants
Describe The theme of romantic love
What peoms are about longing each other
What poems are about destructive romantic love
Romantic love
Some people find fulfilment in their relationship:
Sonnet 29:
The narrator feels “deep joy”! When she’s with her lover, which suggests that their relationship is fulfilling. The “new air” she breathes implies that she feels revived when she’s with him
She celebrates her love for him-the use of exclamation marks emphasises her excitement
Singh song!
The narrator has a happy marriage. He and his wife enjoy spending time together -at night when the shop is empty they sit downstairs together and gaze at the moon
He seems to love everything about her , even aspects of her personality which seem unpleasant -he doesn’t mind that she swears at his mum, makes fun of his dad and had to the “tiny eyes ov a gun”
The couple are Romantic and affectionate -they together at night and they call each other “baby” . The phonetic spelling of their shared accent emphasises their closeness
Winter swans:
Although the couple are initially going through a tough time in their relationship , they overcome their difficulties , mirroring the swans who return to the waters surface “like boats righting in rough weather”
The use of direct speech signals a turning point - the statement the swans “mate for life” shows the couples realisation that their own relationship is permanent and can survive difficult times
The simile comparing the couples hands to “s pair of wings settling after flight” shows the couples relationship is permanent and can survive difficult times
The simile comparing the couples hand to “a pair of wings settling after flight” shows that they have reconnected physically and emotionally. The word “settling” creates a feeling if comfort and peace
While others experience loss:
When we two parted
Neutral tones
What poems are not people finding fulfilment in relationships
What poems experience loss
Family relationships
- relationships between parents and change as children grow up
- There’s sometimes tension in family relationships but also closeness and love
Some poems explore children becoming
Walking away:
Mother any distance:
..but others emphasise the strongbond between family members
Climbing my grandfather:
The image of a child physically climbing his grandfather implies closeness -the child’s trust is show by him climbing “without a rope or net”.The grandfathers patience as his grandson climbs shows his atachement to the child , and his “smiling mouth” indicated enjoyment at spending time with him
The poem could also be read as an adult narrators Egypt to get to know his grandfather. The physical exertion of climbing shows the effort the narrator puts into learning about him.Their physical proximity reflects their growing emotional closeness as he finds out more about his grandfather
Eden rock:
The narrator imagines that his parents are “waiting” for him and won’t move on until he joins them.This shows the strength of the bond between parents me children
The scene the narrator describes is peaceful and idyllic.The beautiful descriptions of his mother and specific everyday details show how fondly he remembers spending time with his parents
It’s possible that the narrator is talking about crossing into death-he seems reassured by his parents’ promise that “crossing is nots as hard as you think”, suggesting that even death holds less fear if they are there
What poems explore children becoming independent
What poems emphasis the strong bond between family members
Family relationships
Some people look up to their parents…
Follower:
-nautical imagery shows the narrators admiration for his fathers strength and skill at ploughing.He compares his father to both the ship and the captain-his powerful shoulders are like a “full sail” and he’s “mapping the furrow exactly” , like a captain accurately navigating the sea
As a child the senator followed his father but he “stumbled” and “fell” .his literal struggle to follow his father symbolises his struggle to be like him
The half -rhymes in the poem , “plough” and “follow”, emphasise m the narrators sense of failure-he was unable to live up to his fathers example
Before you were mine
-the narrator admires her mothers beauty as a young women-she highlights it by comparing her to
“Maryilyn” and by referring to a “thousand eyes” , which suggests that she was the centre of attention
She also respects her rebellious nature -the short sentence , “you reckon it’s worth it” suggests that the narrators mother valued fun over rules or pleasing her own mother.the narrators want to know this “bold girl”
Appeals to the senses create a vivid picture of the young woman the narrator imagines .This emphasises her vibrancy and the appeal this holds for the narrator
The narrators admiration is tinged with regret-she tries to recreate her mother’s youth from objects such as her “high -heeled red shoes” and seemingly from photos and anecdotes , but it’s impossible for her to know her mother before she was born
…whereas others rebel against them:
Singh song!:
The narrator runs one of his “daddy’s shops”, which suggests that he’s dependent on his father.However , he rebels against his fathers strict attitude to work -although his father tells him “not to hav break” , he locks the door when the shop is empty and sneaks upstairs to see his wife
The narrators wife swears at his mother “in all so colours of Punjabi” and makes fun of his father.The narrator describes her behaviour in a light-hearted , humorous way which shows that he doesn’t mind her being disrespectful towards his parents
Respect for elders is an important part of traditional Indian culture-the narrator and his wife are rebelling against their Indian heritage as well against his parents
The narrators respect for and loyalty towards his wife seem to have replaced that for his parents. His preoccupation with her is emphasised by the repetition of “my bride”
What poems are about people looking up to their parents?
What poems are about rebelling against your parents?
Distance
- relationships can involve physical and emotional separation from the person you love
- this can be painful , but if the relationship is strong enough , the distance can be overcome
Distance can be emotional , physical or both :
Winter swans:
Although the couple are together , there’s no physical contact or communication -they walk “silent and apart”.This reflects the emotional distance between them
Walking away:
The physical distance between the father and son increases as the son of walks away . This marks the end of the sons infancy and total reliance on his parents m
The father initially sees this Distance as full of danger-he Compares it to a path less “Wilderness”.This reflects how powerless he feels to protect his son as he starts to find his own way on the world
The father gradually starts to see the jr distance more positively. He feels to protect his son as he starts to find his own way in the world
The father gradually starts to see the distance more positively.He recognises that “selfhood begins with a walking away” -by allowing this distance to form , he enables his son to grow and develop
Distance can be overcome:
Letters from Yorkshire:
The narrator emphasises the physical distance between herself and the letter writers by describing the “icy miles” between them
However their “souls tap out messages” to each other-communication allows them to bridge the distance and maintain a deep connection
Their communication enables them to share small everyday details, like the fact that they’re “watching the same news”- writing to each other almost allows them to feel like they’re together
Sonnet 29:
The narrator and her lover are separated physically.She describes her thoughts about him as “vines” which “twins and bud” around him. This reflects the physical closeness that she wants
She takes “joy” in the thought of overcoming this distance and her thoughts being “burst , shattered everywhere!” Her confidence that the distance will be overcome is emphasised by the present tense in the last line of the poem - she imagines it so clearly that it’s as if she’s actually with him
Describe the poems that show distance can be emotional, physical or both
Describe the poem that show distance can be overcome
Desire for another person can be overwhelming
Porphyria’s lover
-the narrators desire for Porphyria is shown through his physical descriptions of her “yellow hair” and “smooth white shoulder”.The repetition of “and “ in line 17-20 creates a trance-like effect , which reflects how he’s transfixed by her
However , he doesn’t just want porphyria-he wants to possess her. This is emphasised by the repetition of “mine , mine”. By killing her. He’s able to posses her entirely
Sonnet 29
The Narrators thought are compares to “wild vines”-this image of rapid , unrestrained growth to strangle it.Violent language such as “burst, shattered” also hints that passion can become destructive
When the narrator is in her lovers presence , she feels that she can “breathe … a new air”-this suggests that her desire for him is so strong that she feels he’s necessary for life
Some people long for a different life:
Letters from Yorkshire:
The abroad compares her life to the letter writers life , asking whether his is “more real”.She seems to envy the simplicity of his life and his Connection with nature
She describes him “breaking ice in a waterbutt” , where she is “feeding words onto a blank screen”- his physical work is necessary for Day-to-day life , whereas her inactive job isn’t . As a result , she worries that her way of life is inferior
The alliteration and assonance in “word of that other world” hints at her regret that the “older world” is so distant, and at he yearning to be part of it
Follower:
As a child the narrator longs to “Grow up and plough” like his father , despite “falling” and “tripping”.this shows his determination to follow his fathers footsteps
The description of his fathers “broad shadow” shows what an imposing presence he was during the narrators childhood. It also implies that the narrators childhood admiration for his father will affect him for the rest of his life
Describe the poems that show desire for another person can be overwhelming
Describe the poems that how some people long for a different life
Getting older
-relationships change over time
Children’s love is often simple and unquestioning:
Climbing my grandfather:
The extended metaphor comparing the grand feather to a mountain Shows that the child sees his grandfather as something exciting to exolore.The way he watches a pupil “slowly open and close” shows a child-like fascination and curiosity
The mountain metaphor also suggests that the grandfather seems solid and unchanging to the child-this suggests the constant , enduring nature of their relationship
The narrator mentions details raj might seem unpleasant , but witch interst him , such as the “splintered” fingernails and “old stitches”-this shows that he only sees good in his grandfather
Follower:
As a child the narrator idolises his father-the nautical imagery comparing him to a ship and its captain shows that the father is everything to his son
The way he follows his father around “yapping always “ shows how much he enjoys spending time with his father and wants to connect with him
…but relationships became more complex as children grow up
Before you were mine:
As the narrator grows up , she comes to understand that her mother is no longer the “bold girl “ she used to be-while they have a close bond, the narrator still longs to know the girl her mother was
She realises that she’s responsible for the change in her mother-by becoming a patent , her other has lost freedom . As a result , the narrators love for her mother is mixed with guilt
Mother any distance:
The narrator and his mother have a close relationship. When she helps him measure things in his new house , he reports the measurements “back to base”- this shows that she’s the central to his life
However , he realises that “something/has to give” in their relationship if he’s to live an independent life
The narrators mother is desperate not let him go -she continues to hold the tape to “the last one - hundredth of an inch”. This suggests how painful is fir a parent to watch a child grow up
Describe poems that show children’s love is often simple and unquestioning
Describe poems that show relationships becoming more complex as children
Death
-some poems suggest that love carries on after death
-death can symbolise the end of a relationship
Love can endure beyond death:
Porphyria’s lover
-the narrator wants to preserve the “moment” when he feels porphyria’ love for him I “perfectly pure”-he
believes he can do his by killing her
-he seems to love her more once she’s dead.In life, he won’t even speak to her , but after he kills her, he plants a “burning kiss” on her cheek and hold her “all night long”
He believes that she loves more in death than in life -when alive , her “pride” and “Vainer ties” stop her from being with him , but in death he believes it’s her “one wish” to be with him forever
Eden rock:
The narrator believes his parents are “waiting” for him , possibly in the afterlife. The sky “lit by three suns” hints at heavenly setting , in which the family can be reunited by death
The narrators parents “beckon” and “call” to him -this shows their eagerness to be with him and demonstrates that their family bond remains strong
This scene is familiar to the narrator - he describes the “same suit” and “sane three plates” . Even though the family has been separated by the parents deaths. , nothing has changed-this suggests that they’re still as close as they were when he was a child
The end of a relationship can be compared to death
When we two parted:
The narrators description of his formal lover as “pale” and “cold” makes her sound like a corpse
Hearing her name in connection with other men is like a “knell”
The end of their relationship has affected him like a death- his long-lasting “sorrow” suggests that he’s grieving for her , while his “silence and tears” are suggestive of behaviour at a funeral
Neutral tones:
Hardy uses language to do with death to show the loss of love between the narrator and his lover . The narrator describes his lovers “smile” as “ the deadest thing/alive” - this oxymoron emphasises her complete lack of feeling for him
The lifeless and decaying winter landscapes reflects the death of their love - rather leaves are “grey” and even the sun is cold and “white” , offering no warmth or vitality.The “starving sod” lacks nourishment needed for life-this hints that their relationship didn’t have enough love to keep it alive
Describe what poems show how love can be endured beyond death
Describe what poems show the end of a relationship can be compared to death
Memory
- memories can stay with people for a long time
- people have vivid memories of times/events which had a big impact on them
Painful memories never go away:
Walking away:
The narrator watched his son walk away from him towards school “eighteen years ago almost to the day” .The narrator still remembers the exact day and details such as “touch-lines-new ruled” -this shows the lasting impact the experience had on him
Language about pain shows how difficult the parting was for the narrator.He says his son was “wrenched” from him-he feels as though they were forcibly parted
The memory continues to hurt him in the present day -it “Gnaws” at his mind
Neutral tones:
The narrator vividly remembers the end of his relationship and the setting in which it happened -he describes the expression on his lovers face and the pond “edged with greyish leavers “
This memory returns to him whenever he has another experience of love going “wrong”-for him, the memory has become a symbol of failed love
The memory is bitter and pessimistic. Even the sun , usually a symbol of warm and light., is “god/ curst!”-this hints that the narrator feels his life has Been cursed by the memory of the break up
Memories can be described vividly:
Eden rock:
The happy memory of a picnic with his parents occupies the narrators mind - this shows how important it is to him
The memory is described vividly-the ordinary details of “ paper for a cork” and “an old H.P sauce bottle” paint a rick , lifelike picture
Follower:
The first four stanzas describe the narrators memory of his father ploughing.Hw uses imagery such as “His shoulders globed like a full sail strung” and onomatopoeia(“clicking tongue”)to paint a powerful picture of his father-this emphasises how carefully he watched in work
The narrator vividly describes the “bright steel pointed sock” of the plough and the “sod” that “rolled over” . The inclusion of such details suggest that these memories are still clear in the narrators mind , showing how important they are to him
Describe what poems show painful memories never go
Describe what poems show memories can be described as vivdly
Nature
- postive natural imagery suggests that love is beautiful be natural
- negative natural imagery can be used to show the loss of love
Natural images are used to symbolise love :
Loves philosophy:
The narrator are natural imagery to argue that “nothing in the world is single”.He believes that he and his lover should follow natures example-they should be together in the same way that different parts of nature “mingle” and “mix”
He personifies nature claiming that “the mountains kiss high heaven” and “the waves clasp one another” .this emphasises his argument that humans are part of the natural world and behave in the same war as natural entities
Winter swans :
The swans symbolise the couple -the way they” halved themeselves” in the water reflects the couples disconnection . However the swans then returned to the surface “like boats righting in rough weather” -this suggests that the couple relationship will recover
The couple are positively influenced by nature .at the end of the poem , their hands him “ like a pair of wings settling after flight”-they’re following the example of the swans
.. but they can also reflect troubled relationships:
The farmers bride:
When the bride married the farmer she became afraid of “all things human”-the way she’s described as being part of nature throughout the poem shows how she’s withdrawn from. The human world
Her connection with nature attracts the narrator, shown by his description of her as “slight as a young larch tree” . However , his connection also creates distance between them she is a source of frustration for the farmer-she talks to the animals , but he says “I’ve hardly heard her speak at all
She’s frequently compared to small prey animals-“like hare”, “shy as a leveret”.The farmer “chased her” and “caught her “ which suggests that he’s a predator-this hints at a dangerous relationship
Neutral tones:
Descriptions of landscape drained of life and colour reflect how the love has drained from the couples relationship-the sun is “white” and the leaves are “grey”
The narrator compares his lovers his smile to an “ominous bird a-wing” .this could suggest that her smile is like a carrion bird-a bird that feeds dead animals .this predicts the death of their relationship
Describe poems used to show natural images used to symbolise love
Describe poems used to reflect any troubled relationship
