‘Piano’- D H Lawrence

Question 1

what is the general over view for ‘Piano’

Answer 1

Overall, Piano is a poignant exploration of the power of music to evoke memories and emotions.
Through vivid imagery and careful attention to detail, Lawrence creates a sensory experience that transports the reader back in time where he is left crying for the loss of his child hood and the death of his mother

Question 2

what are the Key themes in ‘Piano’

Answer 2

Remeniscent
Nostalgic
Memory
Reflective
Lementing
Adult life is full of complexity but childhood has security and freedom

Question 3

what are some language points in the poem ‘Piano’

Answer 3

‘a child’ ‘a mother’
The indefinite article creates a sense of distance between the speaker and his memory, which intensifies his feelings of longing
‘in spite of myself’
The phrase stressed how much the speaker tried to resist the memory suggesting it caused him too much pain.
‘a flood of remembrance’ the metaphor emphasises the sheer force of the memory and the overwhelming effect it has on the speaker
‘I weep like a child for the past’ the simile highlights how emasculating and infantilizing the experience of remembering is for the speaker.

Question 4

What are some form points in the poem ‘Piano’

Answer 4

Enjambment – fluidity and continuity between the lines similar to the piano
And the memories
3 quatrains and rhyming couplets give the poem rhythm and music quality.
Elegaic tone
First person- psychological dimension

Question 5

What other poems does ‘Piano’ link to ?

Answer 5

‘half past two’ memory and time
‘if’ parent and child relation