Question - Discuss a play with a powerful theme. Show how the playwright introduces this theme and how they use techniques to bring it to life for the audience.
One of the themes explored in ‘A view from the bridge’ is that of jealousy. Eddie’s jealousy over his attractive young niece Catherine seems to be more powerful than his love for Beatrice and his sense of honour as a Sicilian American. Miller uses characterisation, symbolism and plot to show how Eddie’s dark side gradually causes his death.
Eddie is initially described as an ordinary, hard-working man. At the start of the play, he is fatherly towards Catherine, flattering her for her new skirt and encouraging her to find her own life. He gently scolds her for ‘walking wavy’ – aware that she is now a woman. However, there is a hint of overprotectiveness to this, and a tension with his wife Beatrice. As they sit chatting, he tells Catherine not to trust people but Beatrice tries to reassure her. He responds:
Eddie [strangely and quietly resentful] You lived in a house all your life, what do you know about it?
We can interpret this in several ways. Either he doesn’t love Beatrice and resents his ordinary life with her; or, he is in love with his niece and admires her aspirations; or perhaps enjoys his power over Beatrice, for the fact he is a working man and she is a housewife. Eddie is a complex character so all these emotions may be going on at once. This idle comment sets the scene for the change in their relationships caused by the entrance of Marco and Rudolpho.
The author uses the scene where Rudolpho sings to show the birth of Eddie’s intense jealousy. The change in Eddie is subtle immediate. He asks Catherine ‘What’s the high heels for, Garbo?’ He may feel jealousy at Rudolpho’s flamboyance; but at the same time, he compares Catherine to a vain movie actress. He is suddenly aware of the fact that her aspirations in life might succeed and seeks to pull her back down to their level. Having an attractive girl in his house might give him the extra status in life that he needs, so he is scared to lose her.
The author uses commonplace objects as symbols to show the unfolding drama. At the start of the play there is Eddie’s preoccupation with Catherine’s short skirt; then he mentions her heels in order to disparage her. When Eddie hits Rudolpho and Marco feels threatened, the latter raises a chair over Eddie’s head ‘like a weapon’. The play unfolds with the backdrop of Brooklyn bridge and the piers, which are symbols of working class life. Marco threatens Eddie with an everyday object, which shows how limited Eddie’s life is.
The playwright uses the scene where the two Sicilians are arrested to show the collapse in Eddie’s values. His jealousy ultimately causes him to go to the police, betraying the code of silence of his Sicilian community. After spitting in Eddie’s face, Marco delivers the ultimate insult to Eddie’s honour as he is led away –
That one stole the food from my children!
Eddie responds: ‘He’s gonna take that back or I’ll kill him!’ In their society, it is vital for a man to provide for their family. Eddie needs Catherine in order to feel like he is a provider, as well as to share the company of an attractive young woman. In this way, Eddie’s need to be someone special causes the fixation on his niece. This leads to his tragic end as Marco turns his own knife upon him.
Therefore I would argue that at the heart of ‘A view from the bridge’ is Eddie’s jealousy for his niece, and his frustration at the limited life he has led. These feelings make him an ambiguous character, and create a compelling drama for the audience.
Wednesday, 13 May 2009
Trio Essay Plan
‘Trio’ by Edwin Morgan explores the theme of everyday life. He gives a vivid description of the three party-goers and uses symbolism to suggest that ordinary lives can be full of beauty and meaning. In this essay I will show how the poet brings the Trio to life through a combination of setting, description, and allusions to history and the bible.
The title and setting of the poem are significant in themselves.
• ‘trio’ can simply be three people, or objects.
• also suggests people singing or playing together to create harmony - the three seem at one with each other and happy in the world.
• opens on Buchanan Street. Morgan is a poet based in Glasgow; this is a common shopping street which is busy at Christmas time.
• uses an everyday title and street to introduce the three.
• present tense emphasises that this is a snapshot of daily life.
At the start of the poem, they are depicted using simple descriptions of what they look like and their appearance. Yet the scene also carries a sense of religious iconography:
… under the Christmas lights -
The young man carries a new guitar in his arms,
the girl on the inside carries a very young baby,
and the girl on the outside carries a Chihuahua.
• simple description.
• ‘under’ the lights suggests they are being protected or watched over; and carrying presents, which belong under the lights of a Christmas tree.
• Guitar - which adds to the idea of a musical Trio
However, on a deeper level, this might be an allusion to the three wise men carrying presents for the baby Jesus.
• ‘very young baby’ supports this idea.
• ‘Christmas lights’ can also be seen as the star they followed.
• the three people have a sacred significance about them.
The poet continues to use sublime imagery as he describes the trio, enjoying their joyful moment:
And the three of them are laughing,
Their breath rises on a cloud of happiness
• A cloud is something in which there are no individuals.
• their breath has metaphorically become one thing: ‘cloud of happiness’.
idea of heaven, as being composed of clouds
emphasises warmth, as if their unity is in contrast to the cold weather.
As the poet describes the gifts, each of the details has a subtle importance, even though they are mainly commonplace things.
• Chihuahua - unusual in this context as it belongs to a foreign country.
• ‘Royal Stewart tartan coat like a teapot-holder’. - subtle allusion, to the Stewarts, who were kings of Scotland.
• teapot - suggests something cute and pleasant; qualities of furriness and warmth.
• the author combines important, sublime things with the small, wholesome and ordinary.
In the middle of the poem, Morgan uses a declamatory tone to highlight the significance of the details -
Orphean sprig! Melting baby! Warm chihuahua!
• alludes to Orpheus, the poet who rescued his lover from Hell in Greek legend.
• This is ironic because in this context he is describing ordinary things.
• sentence structure and exclamation marks suggest the poet is like a ‘bard’ from ancient times
From alluding to the bible and Greek legend, the poet goes on to use military imagery to describe how the Trio defeat the ‘Monsters of the year’ –
Go blank, are scattered back
Can’t bear this march of three
• bad feelings and misfortune of the year are powerless, and are ‘scattered’ like a defeated army.
• At the end the Trio leave the scene with laughter ‘ringing round them like a guard’
• fate ‘abdicates’, like a King in olden days.
If there is a meaning at the heart of this poem, it is that living our life is sacred. You can believe in the birth of Christ at Christmas or not, but you should celebrate the happy time of year no matter what your faith. The poet uses the ordinary scene with its exquisite details to suggest that we can truly be happy if only we live in the moment.
The title and setting of the poem are significant in themselves.
• ‘trio’ can simply be three people, or objects.
• also suggests people singing or playing together to create harmony - the three seem at one with each other and happy in the world.
• opens on Buchanan Street. Morgan is a poet based in Glasgow; this is a common shopping street which is busy at Christmas time.
• uses an everyday title and street to introduce the three.
• present tense emphasises that this is a snapshot of daily life.
At the start of the poem, they are depicted using simple descriptions of what they look like and their appearance. Yet the scene also carries a sense of religious iconography:
… under the Christmas lights -
The young man carries a new guitar in his arms,
the girl on the inside carries a very young baby,
and the girl on the outside carries a Chihuahua.
• simple description.
• ‘under’ the lights suggests they are being protected or watched over; and carrying presents, which belong under the lights of a Christmas tree.
• Guitar - which adds to the idea of a musical Trio
However, on a deeper level, this might be an allusion to the three wise men carrying presents for the baby Jesus.
• ‘very young baby’ supports this idea.
• ‘Christmas lights’ can also be seen as the star they followed.
• the three people have a sacred significance about them.
The poet continues to use sublime imagery as he describes the trio, enjoying their joyful moment:
And the three of them are laughing,
Their breath rises on a cloud of happiness
• A cloud is something in which there are no individuals.
• their breath has metaphorically become one thing: ‘cloud of happiness’.
idea of heaven, as being composed of clouds
emphasises warmth, as if their unity is in contrast to the cold weather.
As the poet describes the gifts, each of the details has a subtle importance, even though they are mainly commonplace things.
• Chihuahua - unusual in this context as it belongs to a foreign country.
• ‘Royal Stewart tartan coat like a teapot-holder’. - subtle allusion, to the Stewarts, who were kings of Scotland.
• teapot - suggests something cute and pleasant; qualities of furriness and warmth.
• the author combines important, sublime things with the small, wholesome and ordinary.
In the middle of the poem, Morgan uses a declamatory tone to highlight the significance of the details -
Orphean sprig! Melting baby! Warm chihuahua!
• alludes to Orpheus, the poet who rescued his lover from Hell in Greek legend.
• This is ironic because in this context he is describing ordinary things.
• sentence structure and exclamation marks suggest the poet is like a ‘bard’ from ancient times
From alluding to the bible and Greek legend, the poet goes on to use military imagery to describe how the Trio defeat the ‘Monsters of the year’ –
Go blank, are scattered back
Can’t bear this march of three
• bad feelings and misfortune of the year are powerless, and are ‘scattered’ like a defeated army.
• At the end the Trio leave the scene with laughter ‘ringing round them like a guard’
• fate ‘abdicates’, like a King in olden days.
If there is a meaning at the heart of this poem, it is that living our life is sacred. You can believe in the birth of Christ at Christmas or not, but you should celebrate the happy time of year no matter what your faith. The poet uses the ordinary scene with its exquisite details to suggest that we can truly be happy if only we live in the moment.
Porphyria's Lover Essay Plan
At the start of the poem, the poet uses personification to create a furious, disturbing atmosphere:
* he thus prepares the reader for what is to come in the poem
* ‘Sullen’ and ‘spite’ suggest intense emotions - jilted lover destroying the countryside.
* contrast with the entrance of Porphyria -‘glided in’.
* raises the reader’s expectations that this will be a passionate love poem; makes her murder all the more shocking.
The poet uses understatement to create a sinister mood when the speaker kills his lover:
* ‘A thing to do’ rather than a cold blooded murder.
* ‘found’ this implies that he is not responsible.
* dispassionate language: he winds her hair three times around her little throat.
* either he fooled her by pretending this was a game; or, in reality, she struggled as he throttled her.
* ‘And strangled her.’ is the first sentence in the poem which ends in the middle of a line rather than at the end - creates a sense of shock for the reader; shows how the killer does not grasp what he has done.
The poet continues with an impassive tone when he reflects on her death, employing repetition for emphasis:
* follows ‘And strangled her.’ - as if he is justifying his actions
* Repetition of ‘pain’; and rephrases it as ‘I am quite sure …’ - in his heart, he has his doubts.
* he feels the need to try to persuade the reader he was sure
The poet uses romantic imagery to describe Porpyria after her death:
* the murder is not real to him.
* personifies her blue eyes as ‘laughing’ - a sweet image
* sees her as a living person despite what he has done.
Finally, the poet uses an ironically upbeat tone in the last line of the poem:
* you would not expect God to speak.
* using the present tense – leaves the reader guessing what will happen next.
* by ending the poem at this point, we are left with the speaker’s intense feelings at this moment in time.
* we are not confronted with the consequences of her death.
* implies that there may a punishment waiting for him in the afterlife.
Therefore, Browning’s ironic use of romantic, upbeat and understated tones show the strange state of mind of the speaker in ‘Porphyria’s Lover’. He uses repetition, structure and personification to reveals the strange, obsessive emotions which cause the murder.
The sullen wind was soon awake,
It tore the elm-tops down for spite
* he thus prepares the reader for what is to come in the poem
* ‘Sullen’ and ‘spite’ suggest intense emotions - jilted lover destroying the countryside.
* contrast with the entrance of Porphyria -‘glided in’.
* raises the reader’s expectations that this will be a passionate love poem; makes her murder all the more shocking.
The poet uses understatement to create a sinister mood when the speaker kills his lover:
I found
A thing to do … And strangled her.
* ‘A thing to do’ rather than a cold blooded murder.
* ‘found’ this implies that he is not responsible.
* dispassionate language: he winds her hair three times around her little throat.
* either he fooled her by pretending this was a game; or, in reality, she struggled as he throttled her.
* ‘And strangled her.’ is the first sentence in the poem which ends in the middle of a line rather than at the end - creates a sense of shock for the reader; shows how the killer does not grasp what he has done.
The poet continues with an impassive tone when he reflects on her death, employing repetition for emphasis:
No pain felt she;
I am quite sure she felt no pain.
* follows ‘And strangled her.’ - as if he is justifying his actions
* Repetition of ‘pain’; and rephrases it as ‘I am quite sure …’ - in his heart, he has his doubts.
* he feels the need to try to persuade the reader he was sure
The poet uses romantic imagery to describe Porpyria after her death:
again / Laugh’d the blue eyes without a stain
* the murder is not real to him.
* personifies her blue eyes as ‘laughing’ - a sweet image
* sees her as a living person despite what he has done.
Finally, the poet uses an ironically upbeat tone in the last line of the poem:
And yet God has not said a word!
* you would not expect God to speak.
* using the present tense – leaves the reader guessing what will happen next.
* by ending the poem at this point, we are left with the speaker’s intense feelings at this moment in time.
* we are not confronted with the consequences of her death.
* implies that there may a punishment waiting for him in the afterlife.
Therefore, Browning’s ironic use of romantic, upbeat and understated tones show the strange state of mind of the speaker in ‘Porphyria’s Lover’. He uses repetition, structure and personification to reveals the strange, obsessive emotions which cause the murder.
Tuesday, 12 May 2009
Trio Essay
Question
Choose a poem where the poet made you think about a particular theme. Show how the poet develops this theme over the course of the poem
Structure
‘Trio’ by Edwin Morgan explores the theme of everyday life. He gives a vivid description of the three party-goers and uses symbolism to suggest that ordinary lives can be full of beauty and meaning. In this essay I will show how the poet brings the Trio to life through a combination of setting, description, and allusions to history and the bible.
The title and setting of the poem are significant in themselves. In keeping with the theme of everyday life, a ‘trio’ can simply be three people, or objects. However, it also suggests people singing or playing together to create harmony. In this way, the three seem at one with each other and happy in the world. The poem opens on Buchanan Street. Morgan is a poet based in Glasgow, and his local readers would know that this is a common shopping street which is busy at Christmas time. He therefore uses an everyday title and street to introduce the three. The poet’s use of present tense emphasises that this is a snapshot of daily life.
At the start of the poem, they are depicted using simple descriptions of what they look like and their appearance. Yet the scene also carries a sense of religious iconography:
This is a very simple description. The fact they are ‘under’ the lights suggests they are being protected or watched over. They are also carrying presents, which belong under the lights of a Christmas tree. The young man has a guitar, which adds to the idea of a musical Trio, while the dog adds an exotic element to the scene.
However, on a deeper level, this might be an allusion to the three wise men carrying presents for the baby Jesus. The ‘very young baby’ supports this idea. The ‘Christmas lights’ can also be seen as the star they followed. So, for the poet, these three people have a sacred significance about them.
The poet continues to use sublime imagery as he describes the trio, enjoying their joyful moment:
A cloud is something in which there are no individuals. In this moment, their breath has metaphorically become one thing. It has turned into a ‘cloud of happiness’. This alludes to a slightly quaint idea of heaven, as being composed of clouds, and continues to add a religious dimension to the ordinary scene. The cloud also emphasises warmth, as if their unity is in contrast to the cold weather.
As the poet describes the gifts, each of the details has a subtle importance, even though they are mainly commonplace things. The Chihuahua is unusual in this context as it belongs to a foreign country. However, the details of its coat are significant: ‘Royal Stewart tartan coat like a teapot-holder’. This is another subtle allusion, to the Stewarts, who were kings of Scotland. In contrast, a teapot suggests something cute and pleasant; while suggesting the physical qualities of furriness and warmth. As with other parts of the poem, the author combines important, sublime things with the small, wholesome and ordinary.
In the middle of the poem, Morgan uses a declamatory tone to highlight the significance of the details -
He alludes to Orpheus, the poet who rescued his lover from Hell in Greek legend. This is ironic because in this context he is describing ordinary things. The sentence structure and exclamation marks suggest he is a ‘bard’ from ancient times, talking about a great war, or an Emperor.
From alluding to the bible and Greek legend, the poet goes on to use military imagery to describe how the Trio defeat the ‘Monsters of the year’ –
The bad feelings and misfortune of the year are powerless, and are ‘scattered’ like a defeated army. At the end of the poem, they leave the scene with laughter ‘ringing round them like a guard’, while fate ‘abdicates’, like a King in olden days.
If there is a meaning at the heart of this poem, it is that living our life is sacred. You can believe in the birth of Christ at Christmas or not, but you should celebrate the happy time of year no matter what your faith. The poet uses the ordinary scene with its exquisite details to suggest that we can truly be happy if only we live in the moment.
Choose a poem where the poet made you think about a particular theme. Show how the poet develops this theme over the course of the poem
Structure
- Introduction
- Title / setting
- Religious iconography / ‘Christmas lights’, presents
- Allusion to the bible - the three wise men
- Imagery – ‘cloud of happiness’
- Description – the gifts
- Declamatory tone – ‘Orphean sprig! Melting baby! Warm chihuahua!’ – like a Greek poet
- Military language – ‘scattered’, ‘defeat’, ‘abdicated’
- Conclusion
‘Trio’ by Edwin Morgan explores the theme of everyday life. He gives a vivid description of the three party-goers and uses symbolism to suggest that ordinary lives can be full of beauty and meaning. In this essay I will show how the poet brings the Trio to life through a combination of setting, description, and allusions to history and the bible.
The title and setting of the poem are significant in themselves. In keeping with the theme of everyday life, a ‘trio’ can simply be three people, or objects. However, it also suggests people singing or playing together to create harmony. In this way, the three seem at one with each other and happy in the world. The poem opens on Buchanan Street. Morgan is a poet based in Glasgow, and his local readers would know that this is a common shopping street which is busy at Christmas time. He therefore uses an everyday title and street to introduce the three. The poet’s use of present tense emphasises that this is a snapshot of daily life.
At the start of the poem, they are depicted using simple descriptions of what they look like and their appearance. Yet the scene also carries a sense of religious iconography:
… under the Christmas lights -
The young man carries a new guitar in his arms,
the girl on the inside carries a very young baby,
and the girl on the outside carries a Chihuahua.
This is a very simple description. The fact they are ‘under’ the lights suggests they are being protected or watched over. They are also carrying presents, which belong under the lights of a Christmas tree. The young man has a guitar, which adds to the idea of a musical Trio, while the dog adds an exotic element to the scene.
However, on a deeper level, this might be an allusion to the three wise men carrying presents for the baby Jesus. The ‘very young baby’ supports this idea. The ‘Christmas lights’ can also be seen as the star they followed. So, for the poet, these three people have a sacred significance about them.
The poet continues to use sublime imagery as he describes the trio, enjoying their joyful moment:
And the three of them are laughing,
Their breath rises on a cloud of happiness
A cloud is something in which there are no individuals. In this moment, their breath has metaphorically become one thing. It has turned into a ‘cloud of happiness’. This alludes to a slightly quaint idea of heaven, as being composed of clouds, and continues to add a religious dimension to the ordinary scene. The cloud also emphasises warmth, as if their unity is in contrast to the cold weather.
As the poet describes the gifts, each of the details has a subtle importance, even though they are mainly commonplace things. The Chihuahua is unusual in this context as it belongs to a foreign country. However, the details of its coat are significant: ‘Royal Stewart tartan coat like a teapot-holder’. This is another subtle allusion, to the Stewarts, who were kings of Scotland. In contrast, a teapot suggests something cute and pleasant; while suggesting the physical qualities of furriness and warmth. As with other parts of the poem, the author combines important, sublime things with the small, wholesome and ordinary.
In the middle of the poem, Morgan uses a declamatory tone to highlight the significance of the details -
Orphean sprig! Melting baby! Warm chihuahua!
He alludes to Orpheus, the poet who rescued his lover from Hell in Greek legend. This is ironic because in this context he is describing ordinary things. The sentence structure and exclamation marks suggest he is a ‘bard’ from ancient times, talking about a great war, or an Emperor.
From alluding to the bible and Greek legend, the poet goes on to use military imagery to describe how the Trio defeat the ‘Monsters of the year’ –
Go blank, are scattered back
Can’t bear this march of three
The bad feelings and misfortune of the year are powerless, and are ‘scattered’ like a defeated army. At the end of the poem, they leave the scene with laughter ‘ringing round them like a guard’, while fate ‘abdicates’, like a King in olden days.
If there is a meaning at the heart of this poem, it is that living our life is sacred. You can believe in the birth of Christ at Christmas or not, but you should celebrate the happy time of year no matter what your faith. The poet uses the ordinary scene with its exquisite details to suggest that we can truly be happy if only we live in the moment.
Saturday, 9 May 2009
Porphyria's Lover Essay
This is a typical higher poetry question for the exam. It uses five quotes, from different points in the poem.
Question -
Choose a poem in which the poet blends form and content. Show how the form contributes to your understanding of the poem.
‘Porphyria’s Lover’ by Robert Browning is a poem in which the poet has created a perfect blend of form and content. The poem is about a man with untold insecurities who takes the life of his lover due to paranoia, or perhaps plain insanity. The focus of this essay is to show how Browning effectively makes use of techniques such as personification, word choice and structure to convey a sense of the speaker’s strange state of mind.
At the start of the poem, the poet uses personification to create a furious, disturbing atmosphere:
He thus prepares the reader for what is to come in the poem. ‘Sullen’ and ‘spite’ suggest intense emotions, and it is as if the wind is a jilted lover destroying the countryside. Yet this violence is contrasted by the entrance of Porphyria when he says she ‘glided in’. It raises the reader’s expectations that this will be a passionate love poem. This makes her murder all the more shocking.
The poet uses understatement to create a sinister mood when the speaker kills his lover:
Strangling Porphyria is simply ‘A thing to do’ rather than a cold blooded murder. The fact the man ‘found’ this implies that he is not responsible. The strangling itself is revealed in dispassionate language: he winds her hair three times around her little throat. This either means that he fooled her by pretending this was a game; or, in reality, she struggled as he throttled her. The phrase ‘And strangled her.’ is the first sentence in the poem which ends in the middle of a line rather than at the end. This creates a sense of shock for the reader and shows how the killer does not grasp the enormity of what he has done.
The poet continues with an impassive tone when he reflects on her death, employing repetition for emphasis:
This immediately follows ‘And strangled her.’, so it is as if he is justifying his actions, and cannot bear to think of the reality. He repeats the word ‘pain’ and rephrases when he says with ‘I am quite sure …’, as though, in his heart, he has his doubts. If he is sure of something, it is also strange that he feels the need to try to persuade the reader as well.
The poet uses romantic imagery to describe Porpyria after her death:
By showing his affection for her after her death, he shows how the murder is not real to him. He personifies her blue eyes as laughing, which would be a sweet image if it did not describe part of a dead body. He still sees her as a living person despite what he has done.
Finally, the poet uses an ironically upbeat tone in the last line of the poem:
Even if you were a devout Christian, you would not expect God to speak. This ends the poem with a final self-justification from the killer. By using the present tense, the poet ends the poem in a dramatic way. The reader does not know what will happen next. The speaker might realise what he has done, or be arrested. By ending the poem at this point, we are left with the speaker’s intense feelings at this moment in time. Like him, we are not confronted with the consequences of her death. However, this implies that there may a punishment waiting for him in the afterlife.
Therefore, Browning’s ironic use of romantic, upbeat and understated tones show the strange state of mind of the speaker in ‘Porphyria’s Lover’. He uses repetition, structure and personification to reveals the strange, obsessive emotions which cause the murder. In this way, it has an excellent blend of form and content.
Question -
Choose a poem in which the poet blends form and content. Show how the form contributes to your understanding of the poem.
‘Porphyria’s Lover’ by Robert Browning is a poem in which the poet has created a perfect blend of form and content. The poem is about a man with untold insecurities who takes the life of his lover due to paranoia, or perhaps plain insanity. The focus of this essay is to show how Browning effectively makes use of techniques such as personification, word choice and structure to convey a sense of the speaker’s strange state of mind.
At the start of the poem, the poet uses personification to create a furious, disturbing atmosphere:
The sullen wind was soon awake,
It tore the elm-tops down for spite
He thus prepares the reader for what is to come in the poem. ‘Sullen’ and ‘spite’ suggest intense emotions, and it is as if the wind is a jilted lover destroying the countryside. Yet this violence is contrasted by the entrance of Porphyria when he says she ‘glided in’. It raises the reader’s expectations that this will be a passionate love poem. This makes her murder all the more shocking.
The poet uses understatement to create a sinister mood when the speaker kills his lover:
I found
A thing to do … And strangled her.
Strangling Porphyria is simply ‘A thing to do’ rather than a cold blooded murder. The fact the man ‘found’ this implies that he is not responsible. The strangling itself is revealed in dispassionate language: he winds her hair three times around her little throat. This either means that he fooled her by pretending this was a game; or, in reality, she struggled as he throttled her. The phrase ‘And strangled her.’ is the first sentence in the poem which ends in the middle of a line rather than at the end. This creates a sense of shock for the reader and shows how the killer does not grasp the enormity of what he has done.
The poet continues with an impassive tone when he reflects on her death, employing repetition for emphasis:
No pain felt she;
I am quite sure she felt no pain.
This immediately follows ‘And strangled her.’, so it is as if he is justifying his actions, and cannot bear to think of the reality. He repeats the word ‘pain’ and rephrases when he says with ‘I am quite sure …’, as though, in his heart, he has his doubts. If he is sure of something, it is also strange that he feels the need to try to persuade the reader as well.
The poet uses romantic imagery to describe Porpyria after her death:
again / Laugh’d the blue eyes without a stain
By showing his affection for her after her death, he shows how the murder is not real to him. He personifies her blue eyes as laughing, which would be a sweet image if it did not describe part of a dead body. He still sees her as a living person despite what he has done.
Finally, the poet uses an ironically upbeat tone in the last line of the poem:
And yet God has not said a word!
Even if you were a devout Christian, you would not expect God to speak. This ends the poem with a final self-justification from the killer. By using the present tense, the poet ends the poem in a dramatic way. The reader does not know what will happen next. The speaker might realise what he has done, or be arrested. By ending the poem at this point, we are left with the speaker’s intense feelings at this moment in time. Like him, we are not confronted with the consequences of her death. However, this implies that there may a punishment waiting for him in the afterlife.
Therefore, Browning’s ironic use of romantic, upbeat and understated tones show the strange state of mind of the speaker in ‘Porphyria’s Lover’. He uses repetition, structure and personification to reveals the strange, obsessive emotions which cause the murder. In this way, it has an excellent blend of form and content.
Monday, 6 April 2009
Close Reading Round-up
In the close reading section of the higher exam paper, you will be given a piece of writing you will not have seen before and asked to answer a set of questions.
U questions ask you to find out a piece of information from a particular paragraph or line. It may ask you to interpret what the author has said; suggest why they had said it or put it into your own words.
Decide on the meaning of 'in terrorem' by the words before it:
The narrator is going to kill the elephant but his gun is too small. If the noise might be useful ‘in terrorem’ means ‘to scare’.
'Show how the underlined sentence acts as a link between paragraph 1 and paragraph 2.'
‘Enemy colours’ refers to paragraph one, which is about people treating sports like a ‘war’. ‘torrid reception’ refers to paragraph two, which is about Sol Campbell returning to White Hart Lane. The phrase ‘For this reason’ shows that the second paragraph will continue the subject of the first, about fanatical football supporters.
A questions ask you about the author’s style or techniques, including:
Quote words from the text and explain their connotations; show how they might affect the reader.
The tone of a passage comes from the emotion created by the words. If a paragraph contains the words ‘sunny’, ‘beach’ and ‘laughter’ it will probably have a happy tone. Try entering these words on a Google search and you may get:
Explain how the word choice creates the tone of this passage:
The expressions ‘out of place’, ‘too late’ and ‘out of use’ are associated with failure and age, and create a tone of bitterness or sadness.
'Show how the author’s use of punctuation; parenthesis; long and short sentences; and list / repetition / climax enable them to get a point across.'
To answer a sentence structure question, explain what the author’s choice of structure emphasises, suggests or implies.
Comment on the following sentence structure:
Types of sentences
A sentence can be simple: ‘The boy kicks a ball’
Or complex: ‘The boy kicks the ball, runs across the pitch, passes, trips, gets back up, charges forward, intercepts, dummies … scores!’
…this example contains a list…
A complex sentence often contains a list, repetition or a climax: ‘I came, I saw, I conquered’.
A sentence may be incomplete: ‘That damn boy!’
Or contain a parenthesis: ‘The boy (Sid, I think) kicks the ball’ – this adds extra information.
Or use inversion: ‘The ball was kicked by the boy’.
You can gain marks by describing how the punctuation works: this sentence has been split up into two halves using a colon.
An image can be a simile, a metaphor or personification. In each case, something is being compared to something else.
When answering questions about imagery:
Is it kind or unkind to compare someone to a tiger? Or both?
Is the writer trying to make you admire something, feel pity towards it, hate it, fear it, laugh at it?
Explain how the following image is effective:
Or …
A simile is used to describe how the dwarf is sitting: ‘like a half-filled sack’. This shows he could not sit properly.
And …
It also suggests he felt sad. The associations of a ‘half-filled sack’ are of something missing, because a sack which is not full might have had something taken from it.
Words to describe tone
You will almost certainly be asked to identify a writer's tone in an expression from the passage. At least half the time, the answer is 'ironic'.
ironic – when the writer means the opposite of what they say
tongue-in-cheek – when irony is used for humour
satirical – when a writer uses irony and sometimes humour to attack or ridicule something
argumentative – when the writer is making a serious point
flippant – when the writer is dismissive or disrespectful of a subject or thing
effusive – enthusiastic or excited
Onomatopoeia: pop, bang, crash etc
Alliteration: the best buy in beer.
Think you understand? Try:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/education/bitesize/higher/english/index.shtml
for some useful interactive quizzes th
Understanding (U) Questions
U questions ask you to find out a piece of information from a particular paragraph or line. It may ask you to interpret what the author has said; suggest why they had said it or put it into your own words.
Context
Decide on the meaning of 'in terrorem' by the words before it:
Early one morning the sub-inspector at a police station the other end of the town rang me up on the phone and said that an elephant was ravaging the bazaar. Would I please come and do something about it? I did not know what I could do, but I wanted to see what was happening and I got on to a pony and started out. I took my rifle, an old .44 Winchester and much too small to kill an elephant, but I thought the noise might be useful in terrorem.
The narrator is going to kill the elephant but his gun is too small. If the noise might be useful ‘in terrorem’ means ‘to scare’.
Link
'Show how the underlined sentence acts as a link between paragraph 1 and paragraph 2.'
George Orwell said that sport was 'war minus the shooting' - presumably before shooting became an Olympic event. Orwell's famous phrase captures well the passion and hatred that animates the great football rivalries - Rangers and Celtic, Barcelona and Real Madrid, Liverpool and Manchester United. Remove the hostility between these rivals and the sporting contest is diminished.
For this reason, Spurs fans were not only justified but duty-bound to give Sol Campbell a torrid reception on his return to White Hart Lane in enemy colours. Supporters held up balloons and posters bearing the word 'Judas', booed Campbell's every touch, and pelted Arsenal's team bus with beer cans and bottles.
‘Enemy colours’ refers to paragraph one, which is about people treating sports like a ‘war’. ‘torrid reception’ refers to paragraph two, which is about Sol Campbell returning to White Hart Lane. The phrase ‘For this reason’ shows that the second paragraph will continue the subject of the first, about fanatical football supporters.
Analysis (A) Questions
A questions ask you about the author’s style or techniques, including:
- Word choice
- Figures of speech – imagery or sound
- Sentence Structure
Word Choice
Quote words from the text and explain their connotations; show how they might affect the reader.
The tone of a passage comes from the emotion created by the words. If a paragraph contains the words ‘sunny’, ‘beach’ and ‘laughter’ it will probably have a happy tone. Try entering these words on a Google search and you may get:
From Sunny Beach, it is a forty-minute cruise by boat to the deserted bay beach of Robinson Crusoe and his Man Friday. The two castaways can be found there, welcoming. Games are held on land and in the water throughout the day, with a free show for children and adults. Expect plenty of laughter and ice-cream.
Explain how the word choice creates the tone of this passage:
Sunny Beach was a place where fun and laughter felt out of place. We felt as if we had turned up too early for the party – or too late. For half a year the intended function of Sunny Beach is temporarily out of use.
The expressions ‘out of place’, ‘too late’ and ‘out of use’ are associated with failure and age, and create a tone of bitterness or sadness.
Sentence structure
'Show how the author’s use of punctuation; parenthesis; long and short sentences; and list / repetition / climax enable them to get a point across.'
To answer a sentence structure question, explain what the author’s choice of structure emphasises, suggests or implies.
Comment on the following sentence structure:
‘He doesn’t know what to do. He looks around. He’s been seen!’
- The writer uses repetition of the word ‘He’ at the start of each sentence.
- Each sentence is short as it describes the person’s thoughts and actions. This suggests the person is worried and thinking quickly.
Types of sentences
A sentence can be simple: ‘The boy kicks a ball’
Or complex: ‘The boy kicks the ball, runs across the pitch, passes, trips, gets back up, charges forward, intercepts, dummies … scores!’
…this example contains a list…
A complex sentence often contains a list, repetition or a climax: ‘I came, I saw, I conquered’.
A sentence may be incomplete: ‘That damn boy!’
Or contain a parenthesis: ‘The boy (Sid, I think) kicks the ball’ – this adds extra information.
Or use inversion: ‘The ball was kicked by the boy’.
You can gain marks by describing how the punctuation works: this sentence has been split up into two halves using a colon.
Imagery
An image can be a simile, a metaphor or personification. In each case, something is being compared to something else.
‘He was a tiger in battle’
‘It was as cold as a polar bear’s nose’
When answering questions about imagery:
- What picture does the image create in your mind?
- Does the writer think the thing being described is good or bad?
Is it kind or unkind to compare someone to a tiger? Or both?
Is the writer trying to make you admire something, feel pity towards it, hate it, fear it, laugh at it?
Explain how the following image is effective:
‘The dwarf with his hands on backwardsThe writer uses a metaphor to describe the dwarf’s hands: ‘hands on backwards’. This suggests the dwarf is deformed and makes me feel pity towards him.
Sat slumped like a half-filler sack’
Or …
A simile is used to describe how the dwarf is sitting: ‘like a half-filled sack’. This shows he could not sit properly.
And …
It also suggests he felt sad. The associations of a ‘half-filled sack’ are of something missing, because a sack which is not full might have had something taken from it.
Words to describe tone
You will almost certainly be asked to identify a writer's tone in an expression from the passage. At least half the time, the answer is 'ironic'.
ironic – when the writer means the opposite of what they say
tongue-in-cheek – when irony is used for humour
satirical – when a writer uses irony and sometimes humour to attack or ridicule something
argumentative – when the writer is making a serious point
flippant – when the writer is dismissive or disrespectful of a subject or thing
effusive – enthusiastic or excited
Sound
The two common sound effects used by writers are:Onomatopoeia: pop, bang, crash etc
Alliteration: the best buy in beer.
Revision
Think you understand? Try:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/education/bitesize/higher/english/index.shtml
for some useful interactive quizzes th
Sunday, 5 April 2009
How To Revise For An English Exam
The Standard Grade, Intermediate and Higher exams are coming up, and the Easter holidays are about to start. Fun fun fun! As a tutor I get quite a lot of calls in this period. Some pupils and parents want a bit of extra help just to make sure they get an English pass, and some are genuinely struggling.
You will probably find that most tutors are too busy to take on new pupils at the moment, but you can also check at your local schools and colleges for supported study, especially during the Easter holidays.
Some say you can't revise for English, but this isn't true. Make sure you own a copy of the past papers for the exam you are about to take. You will cover most of them in class, but it's worth doing any which are left over. If you have missed any marks, go back and check the answers to find out what you did wrong.
If you've run out of past papers to do, invest in a book. Waterstones and Borders both have some good books including 'Close Reading' by Mary Firth and 'Higher English Revision Notes' by Larry Flanaghan.
If you're sitting Standard Grade, take a look at the past papers. The most common exam essays will ask you to write one of the following -
The last two types of essay are easier. You can practice writing an essay on a personal experience, a sport or a hobby. When you have written a few examples, show them to your class teacher or email them to me and I can let you know what I think. I'm always nosey about what people are planning to write for their English exam.
Go over the questions for previous years and see what they have asked. By now you will have completed a couple of essays in class. Now see if you can use your notes and quotes to answer a different exam question. If you have written an essay about the character of Romeo, try writing a question about the theme of love and violence, or an essay about a key scene.
Again, email me and I can give you some advice on the essay you're planning to write in your exam.
Visit the Scottish Qualifications Authority site to download past papers:
http://www.sqa.org.uk
BBC Bitesize will give you practice questions and answers with detailed help and advice:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/education/bitesize/standard/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/learning/bitesize/higher/
National Qualifications online has many free resources for exams:
http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/nq/
Look for a tutor at:
http://www.aplustutors.co.uk/
English tutors
You will probably find that most tutors are too busy to take on new pupils at the moment, but you can also check at your local schools and colleges for supported study, especially during the Easter holidays.
Revise for close reading
Some say you can't revise for English, but this isn't true. Make sure you own a copy of the past papers for the exam you are about to take. You will cover most of them in class, but it's worth doing any which are left over. If you have missed any marks, go back and check the answers to find out what you did wrong.
If you've run out of past papers to do, invest in a book. Waterstones and Borders both have some good books including 'Close Reading' by Mary Firth and 'Higher English Revision Notes' by Larry Flanaghan.
Revise for your Standard Grade writing paper
If you're sitting Standard Grade, take a look at the past papers. The most common exam essays will ask you to write one of the following -
- a short story
- an essay on an important issue, such as abortion or capital punishment
- an essay on your favourite hobby or sport, or an ambition you have
- a special memory, including a holiday
The last two types of essay are easier. You can practice writing an essay on a personal experience, a sport or a hobby. When you have written a few examples, show them to your class teacher or email them to me and I can let you know what I think. I'm always nosey about what people are planning to write for their English exam.
Revise for your Higher or Intermediate essay paper
Go over the questions for previous years and see what they have asked. By now you will have completed a couple of essays in class. Now see if you can use your notes and quotes to answer a different exam question. If you have written an essay about the character of Romeo, try writing a question about the theme of love and violence, or an essay about a key scene.
Again, email me and I can give you some advice on the essay you're planning to write in your exam.
Revise online
Visit the Scottish Qualifications Authority site to download past papers:
http://www.sqa.org.uk
BBC Bitesize will give you practice questions and answers with detailed help and advice:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/education/bitesize/standard/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/learning/bitesize/higher/
National Qualifications online has many free resources for exams:
http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/nq/
Look for a tutor at:
http://www.aplustutors.co.uk/
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