Project 3 - Ways of Looking and Seeing
Exercise 1
Read the following extracts and decide how each poem contemplates the theme of ‘place’. Which one:
• Speaks about place in relation to identity and exile?
• Purely evokes a sense of place?
• Makes a social comment about progress and place? Think about the reason(s) for your choices.
The Herefordshire Landscape by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Hills, vales, woods, netted in a silver mist,
Farm, granges, doubled up among the hills,
And cattle grazing in the watered vales,
And cottage-chimneys smoking from the woods,
And cottage-gardens smelling everywhere,
Confused with smell of orchards.
Slough by John Betjeman
Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough! It isn’t fit for humans now,
There isn’t grass to graze a cow. Swarm over, Death!
Come, bombs and blow to smithereens Those air-conditioned, bright canteens,
Tinned fruit, tinned meat, tinned milk, tinned beans, Tinned minds, tinned breath.
The Lost Land by Eavan Boland
I can see the shore of Dublin Bay.
Its rocky sweep and its granite pier.
Is this, I say How they must have seen it,
Backing out on the mailboat at twilight,
Shadows falling
On everything they had to leave?
And would love forever?
And then I imagine myself
At the landward rail of that boat
Searching for the last sight of a hand.
I see myself
On the underworld side of that water,
The darkness coming in fast,
Saying all the names I know for a lost land:
Ireland. Absence. Daughter.
The poem that speaks about place in relation to identity and exile:
‘The Lost Land’ by Eavan Boland is the poem that I believe resonates with identity and exile. It speaks of Ireland, a small island in itself, and talks about seeing the shore, the water and a boat which paints the image of being at sea. The boat specifically being a mailboat, suggests that the passengers are leaving unconventionally.
When the poet writes about the ‘shadows falling on everything they had to leave,’ I believe that is the real point at which I understood that the people he is writing about were forced to leave Ireland.
The last three words, the poet states as ‘names for a lost land’, Ireland (being a given at the mention of Dublin Bay), Absence, (not being there), and Daughter (perhaps a grievance or a child left behind?).
The poem that purely evokes a sense of place:
‘The Herefordshire Landscape’ by Elizabeth Barrett Browning is the poem that depicts the place stated in its title. It is quite literally describing a scene and taking the reader through sensory exploration of a scenic view.
Each line is a short statement about what is there, in the poet's vision. Its opening line starts the painting with ‘Hills, vales, woods’ as well as setting the time of day/temperature by adding, ‘netted in a silver mist’.
The title is the only part of the poem that really gives away the location of its inspiration but it very plainly explains it is a countryside landscape with its ‘Farm’ and ‘cattle grazing’.
The poem that makes a social comment about progress and place:
Lastly, ‘Slough’ by John Betjeman, a politically/socially charged piece that describes a war scene, but brings in a point about modern life as a way of creating contrast. By saying ‘it isn't fit for humans now’ he’s describing the state of Slough after being bombed, but dares the bombs to blow up ‘those air conditioned, bright canteens’. The poet is angry that society can preserve foods in ‘tins’ to preserve living conditions, but still continue to destroy life, (even right down to ‘there isn't grass to graze a cow’) in primitive warfare and destruction.
I read on to realise there were 'correct' answers and proceeded to check if I had them right. I'm pleased to say I did!
Rap or Romantic?
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