Giuseppe Flashcards
(7 cards)
Analyse the structure of the poem
Free verse with not much figurative language (perhaps its not needed as the whole poem is an extended metaphor) gives it a conversational, confessional tone.
Little embellishment of the poem with adjectives gives a gothic fairytale atmosphere, allegoric in tone like magical realism
Circular frame narrative structure hints at the perpetuality of conflict, but also how guilt is
generational- Giuseppe’s first-hand account is
wrapped in his nephew’s judgemental point of view
Puts a personal conscience under the poetic microscope.
“the only captive mermaid in the world was butchered on the dry and dusty ground by a doctor a fishmonger and certain other “
“Only captive mermaid” - could be humanity’s last hope –> violent verb “butchered” - dehumanizing, establishes a dark tone- reminiscent of the mass murder of Jews during the holocaust - hope + goodness is extinguished
“Dry dusty ground” may be a metaphor for the moral aridity (dryness) present in the poem and reinforces the mermaid is not in her normal habitat
Rhythmic flow of “doctor, a fishmonger” is contrasted against abrupt “certain others” - their identity is kept secret
“Doctor” - Josef Mengele - committed evil experiments in WW2
“She, it, had never learned to speak because she was simple, or so they said. But the priest who held one of her hands //while her throat was cut// said she was only a fish and fish can’t speak. But she screamed like a woman in terrible fear.”
Contrasting pronouns ( “she” and “it) creates tension as to weather she is a fish or human - they are placed side by side as if equivalent and synonymous in meaning and value –> could also be conflict between the speakers (nephew) and uncles voice
“fish cant speak” - in mythology, mermaids typically have beautiful voices - creates a sense of difference and “otherness” about her. Alternatively, she could still be speaking but its a language the men don’t understand, so they ignore her
Ironic use of spiritual figure -“priest” - reveals the corruption of the church - all moral values disintegrate in the face of starvation - the killing of 1 to feed hundreds
Enjambment to “while her throat was cut” allows the line to stand on its own, marking a sacrificial kind of murder - violence is justified because of her attributes
Only time poet uses a figurative simile - It removes her humanity (she screams like a woman - she is not a woman screaming) but her pitiful fear is a human one - creates a horrible damatic climax
“And when they took a ripe golden roe from her side, the doctor side this was proof she was just a fish and anyway an egg is not a child, but refused when some was offered to him”
“And” - continuation of cruelty
Ripe gold roe’ is symbolic, suggesting that there is something intrinsically rich and valuable and precious in her eggs
Doctor - meant to preserve life but actually discards it –> highlights the lengths men go to during starvation
“they put her head and her hands in a box for burial.. someone tried to take her wedding ring but the others stopped him”
Plosive b - the removal of human parts
recognises the mermaid’s human identity - men make themselves feel more human by recognizing her humanity
Enjambment - visual representation of the separation of “head and her hands in a box”
“Wedding ring” - jewellery was taken from jews in concentration camp. Here, its left on perhaps to give the men a false sense of moral superiority, they have a a vestige of compassion but its ironic - preventing this petty theft doesn’t detract from the sin of murder
“The rest they cooked and fed to the troops. They said a large fish had been found in the beach”
Raises questions of collective responsibility - the murder was done for the troops yet they took not part in it - are they to blame? No one benefits from Fascism (Sicily was a stronghold of Fascism)
Equivocation illustrates propaganda hiding terrible truth.
“Starvation forgives men many things… but couldn’t look me in the eye, for which I thank
God”
This euphemism highlights the lasting effect of atrocity on a community; since no-one intervened, they are all implicit.
Giuseppe couldn’t look his nephew in the eye - shred of hope as he knows what he did was wrong –> but this guilt is ultimately futile and selfish - it may relieve Giuseppe but he passes on this burden of truth to his nephew
