Peter Grimes Flashcards
(40 cards)
Themes and Quotes
7
Cruelty and Abuse
“pinn’d, beaten, cold, pinch’d, threatned and abused”
Guilt and Psychological Torment
“then flung red hot liquor at my face”
The Supernatural
“burning hot….
“was burning hot, and cruel was my pain, then come this father-foe / with his two boys”
Religion
“he growled an oath”
Social Isolation
“so he was hated, could he now command”
Justice and Punishment
“a broken voice he cried, ‘again they come!’ and muttered as he died”
Struggles of the Working Class
“the truth was clear - his parish paid the bill”
Society
“much they suspected, yet little they proved”
Context
14
Who was the author of PG?
George Crabbe
-English poet and clergyman
-(1754-1832)
What was he known for?
Known for his realistic and bleak portrayals of life .
What did his work contrast/contain?
-His work stood in contrast to the romanticism of contemporaries like Coleridge
-It contained strong moral and social concerns, often highlighting poverty, hypocrisy and cruelty
What was PG poem a part of?
-Part of a collection of poems named ‘The Borough
-The borough was a collection of verse letters, each describing a different character or aspect of life in a fictionalised English coastal town
-All based on Aldeburgh in Suffolk
When was it written?
1810
What does the poem reflect about society?
Georgian England’s social issues:
-poverty
-child labour
-lack of protection for the vulnerable
What does the poem draw on?
The poem draws on real stories inspired by folklore or local news to depict gritty realism
How does the poem contrast Romantic poets?
-It’s a reaction against the idealised view of rural life portrayed by Romantic poets.
-Crabbe is known for his harsh realism. He depicts poverty, cruelty, and moral decay in a bleak coastal town, giving readers harsh social truths without romanticising them.
What did the poem inspire?
Benjamin Britten’s opera Peter Grimes in 1945
Which was a more sympathetic and complex version of the character
What was the poem known for?
-its psychological depth
-early portrayal of working class society
What is child labour? How popular was it?
-During Crabbe’s time child labour was widespread
-Apprenticeships were often exploitive especially for orphans or workhouse children who had no protection
-The poor laws pushed destitute children into the care of tradesmen like Grimes, where abuse went unreported
How does Crabbe use child labour to critique in the poem?
Peter Grimes repeated abuse of the boy reflects a critique of a system that placed vulnerable children in the hands of unregulated masters, exposing them to violence and neglect
How did religion influence the early 1800’s?
-England in the early 1800’s was steeped in Christian Morality with public behaviour judged against religious ideals
How did religion change towards the early 19th century?
-views on madness were beginning to shift
-from being seen as demonic punishment to a condition caused by trauma and guilt
