A Song (Absent From Thee)

Question 1

John Wilmot

Answer 1

1647-1680
Restoration poet
“Widest man in England”
“Best English satirist”
Died of venereal disease and alcoholism
Recanted atheism on death bed
Drunkard
Deeply religious and aristocratic upbringing
Wrote about sex more frankly than anyone else
Lacked father figure
Embodiment of new era
Infamous for wild behaviour

Question 2

Typicality

Answer 2

Restoration poet - reacted against harsh spiritual authoritarianism of period
Reflective of life
Scandalous
Male desire and ability to explore it
Females are pure, obedient and faithful
Women described with religious overtones as perfect - the female expectation
Famous satirist

Question 3

Structure

Answer 3

Satirical humour mainly about religion
Short lyric poem
Intended to be melodic and put to music
Regular iambic tetrameter

Question 4

Types of love

Answer 4

Love
Security
Separation
Betrayal
Insincere

Question 5

Gatsby

Answer 5

Tom, Daisy and Myrtle
Tom sleeps around with lower class, less respectable women but still returns to Daisy
Daisy - angelic depiction