Patrick Kavanagh Flashcards
(25 cards)
What themes does Kavanagh cover?
- The Role of the Poet
- Innocence & Experience
- Celebration of the Everyday
In “Shancoduff” what quotes touch on Role of the poet?
- “My black hills have never seen the sun rising”
- “A poet, then by heavens he must be poor”
- “I hear, and is my heart not badly shaken?”
In “Shancoduff” Kavanagh writes “My black hills have never seen the sun rising”. Explain this quote
This quote tackles the theme of The Role of the Poet
These lines reflect the bleakness and obscurity of the poet’s rural world symbolic of how his work and identity are overlooked
In “Shancoduff” Kavanagh writes “A poet, then by heavens he must be poor”. Explain this quote
This quote tackles the theme of The Role of the Poet
This is a rhetorical question indicating that the world perceives poets by nature to be worth pity or scorn.
In “Shancoduff” Kavanagh writes “I hear, and is my heart not badly shaken?”. Explain this quote.
This quote tackles the theme of The Role of the Poet
This follow up rhetorical question shows how upsetting Kavanagh found this comment while also achknowledging his admission of his impracticality and ineffectivity as a person.
In “Epic” What quotes touch on the theme of Role of the Poet?
- “Epic”
- “Gods make their own importance”
- “And old McCabe stripped to the waist”.
In “Epic” Kavanagh writes, “Epic” Explain this quote.
This quote tackles the theme of The Role of the Poet
The word Epic is used in an ironic tone as the land is seemingly petty and insignificant upon first glance. However upon further investigation these lands are rather “epic” indeed akin to a poet.
In “Epic” Kavanagh writes, “Gods make their own importance” Explain this quote.
This quote tackles the theme of The Role of the Poet
This quote elludes to the fact even minor events can take on epic qualities if they are glamourised and well-written which is what a poet does.
In “Epic” Kavanagh writes, “And old McCabe stripped to the waist” Explain this quote.
This quote tackles the theme of The Role of the Poet
This war-like imagery illustrates the ancient scene and consequences of previous conflict once again highlighting the role of the poet in bringing the mundane to life (which links in with “the Celebration of the Everyday”)
In “A Christmas Childhood” What quotes touch on the theme of Innocence & Experience?
- “How wonderful that was, how wonderful”
- “O you, Eve, were the world that tempted me”
- “And I was six Christmasses of age”
In “A Christmas Childhood” Kavanagh writes, “How wonderful that was, how wonderful!” Explain this quote.
This quote tackles the theme of Innocence & Experience
The repetition and use of an exclamation mark help paint the picture of a happy, innocent child.
In “A Christmas Childhood” Kavanagh writes, “O you, Eve, were the world that tempted me” Explain this quote.
This quote tackles the theme of Innocence & Experience
This biblical reference to Eve depicts the loss of inocence with the beginning of sexuality.
In “A Christmas Childhood” Kavanagh writes, “And I was six Christmasses of age” Explain this quote.
This quote tackles the theme of Innocence & Experience
This quote is symbolic of loss of innocence as traditionally 7 years old is held as the age of reason.
In “Advent” What quotes touch on the theme of Innocence & Experience?
- “Through a chink too wide there comes no wonder”
- “Dry black bread and sugarless tea”
- “Clay-minted wages”
In “Advent” Kavanagh writes, “Through a chink too wide there comes no wonder” Explain this quote.
This quote tackles the theme of Innocence & Experience
This is a metaphor highlighting the parallel between retaining your innocence as you are sheltered but losing it as you go out and experience the world.
In “Advent” Kavanagh writes, “Dry black bread and sugarless tea” Explain this quote.
This quote tackles the theme of Innocence & Experience
This quote is symbolic meant to represent self-denial and the bleakness brought about by new-found responsability from being older.
In “Advent” Kavanagh writes, “Clay-minted wages” Explain this quote.
This quote tackles the theme of Innocence & Experience
This quote is a metaphor representing the worthlessness of knowledge in the eyes of an innocent child.
In “Canal Bank Walk” What quotes touch on the theme of Celebration of the Everyday?
- “Leafy-with-love banks and the green waters of the canal”.
- “The bright stick trapped”.
- “O unworn world enrapture me, encapture me in a web of fabulous grass and eternal voices”.
In “Canal Bank Walk” Kavanagh writes, “Leafy-with-love banks and the green waters of the canal” Explain this quote.
This quote tackles the theme of Celebration of the Everyday
Kavanagh finds beauty and love in the simple, everyday setting of the canal
In “Canal Bank Walk” Kavanagh writes, “The bright stick trapped” Explain this quote.
This quote tackles the theme of Celebration of the Everyday
This is a metaphor for the waters ability to cleanse the poet’s psyche, enabling him to start afresh.
In “Canal Bank Walk” Kavanagh writes, “O unworn world enrapture me, encapture me in a web of fabulous grass and eternal voices” Explain this quote.
This quote tackles the theme of Celebration of the Everyday
The poet expresses a desire to be enchanted by the everyday, to see the world with fresh, childlike wonder utilizing Religious and Grandios language to illustrate his delight.
In “Lines Written on a Seat on the Grand Canal” What quotes touch on the theme of Celebration of the Everyday?
- “O commemorate me where there is water”.
- “Where by a lock niagorously roars / the falls for those who sit in the tremendous silence”.
- “O commemorate me with no hero-courageous Tomb - just a canal-bank seat for the passer-by”.
In “Lines Written on a Seat on the Grand Canal” Kavanagh writes, “O commemorate me where there is water” Explain this quote.
This quote tackles the theme of Celebration of the Everyday
This opener employs Religious language and alliteration to present a very appealing image and viewpoint of this everyday canal.
In “Lines Written on a Seat on the Grand Canal” Kavanagh writes, “Where by a lock niagorously roars / the falls for those who sit in the tremendous silence” Explain this quote.
This quote tackles the theme of Celebration of the Everyday
Here Kavanagh makes a hyperbolic comparison of this every day canal to a great personified waterfall and then declares paradoxically a “tremendous silence” further bolstering this image.
