16190900
Description
Flashcards by Órnaith Ní Fhearghail, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by Órnaith Ní Fhearghail
about 6 years ago
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| Question | Answer |
| "Only a rose which now will never climb The stone of our house, expendable, a mere Line of defence against him, a volunteer." | Poem: 'The War Horse' The rose that has been destroyed by the horse symbolises a fallen soldier, viewed as disposable by those in command. The rose will never grow up the wall of the house, just as this dead soldier will never live a full life or achieve their full potential. |
| "Why should we care If a rose, a hedge, a crocus are uprooted Like corpses, remote, crushed, mutilated?" | Poem: 'The War Horse' Boland demonstrates the attitudes of many people towards the plight of others: "It doesn't involve me, so why should I care?" Violent verbs create images of trampled, bloodied corpses on a battlefield. |
| "Recalling days Of burned countryside." | Poem: 'The War Horse' Boland could be referring to the War of Independence, or to Famine times when, after evicting starving, penniless families, the landlords would have the houses burned. Could be referring to any conflict. |
| "Living , learn, must learn from you, dead." | Poem: 'Child of Our Time' Those causing or enabling the violence must learn a lesson from this innocent infant's death and put an end to the violence. Harsh reality. |
| "Our times have robbed your cradle." | Poem: 'Child of Our Time' This full-term child will never get the chance to lie in its cradle because of the violence that ran rampant during the Troubles. Boland seems to feel guilty that the adults of the world, including herself, did not prevent this child's death. |
| "These Irish, give them no coins at all; their bones need toil, their characters no less." | Poem: 'The Famine Road' Lord Trevelyan's words to Colonel Jones. Refuses to help the starving Irish - gives them the task of building directionless roads instead of providing aid. Shows British lack of sympathy towards the Irish. |
| "This Tuesday I saw bones out of my carriage window, your servant Jones." | Poem: 'The Famine Road' Jones seems to see this as a success on his and Trevelyan's part - the Irish are now dying as they build the roads rather than seeking aid, they are sedated. Views from his carriage while people are starving all around him - privilege. |
| "What is your body now if not a famine road?" | Poem: 'The Famine Road' Doctor refers to the woman's infertile body as "barren" Tells her here that her body is now directionless + void of purpose because she cannot conceive a child. Society's view of women (written in 1975 [1970s, 2nd-wave feminism]) |
| "A neighbourhood At dusk." | Poem: 'This Moment' Mundane, suburban setting. Calming image of a neighbourhood while the sun sets. Personal to Boland as she grew up in Dundrum, also a suburban area. |
| "A woman leans down to catch a child who has run into her arms this moment." | Poem: 'This Moment' Pivotal moment @ the heart of the poem. Simple, soothing, nostalgic image of a mother lifting her child into her arms. Appreciating the comfort of a hug from a loving mother. Appreciating mothers as a whole. |
| "Stars rise. Moths flutter. Apples sweeten in the dark." | Poem: 'This Moment' The natural world responds to this moment between mother + child and celebrates it by commencing with their night-time activities. |
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