This Moment 1994 Rhyme & Form: Free Verse Tone: Female point of view, Tender Imagery: Nature, Cosmos Themes: Life as a Woman, Relationships, Motherhood, Moment in Time Poetic Techniques: Repetition, Alliteration, Assonance, Sibilance1 Boland writes here about a specific ‘Moment’ – a brief history in life. Boland is the onlooker and studies the scene carefully [...]
Archive for the ‘Leaving Certificate’ Category
8 Jun
The Shadow Doll – Eavan Boland
The Shadow Doll 1990 Rhyme & Form: 3-line Stanza Tone: Contemplative, Anxious, Uncertain Imagery: World of Women, Past Traditions, The Locked Case Themes: Marriage, Time and Memory, Entrapment and Silence Poetic Techniques: Alliteration, Repetition A Shadow Doll was sent to a bride-to-be in Victorian times by a dressmaker – it was a porcelain doll under [...]
8 Jun
The Black Lace Fan My Mother Gave Me – Eavan Boland
The Black Lace Fan My Mother Gave Me 1990 Rhyme & Form: End-Rhyme in the final stanza Tone: Factual, Remembering Imagery: Paris Themes: Relationship between genders, Suffering, Time and Memory Poetic Techniques: Alliteration, Repetition The title of this poem is important – it refers to an object or a gift but also to a relationship [...]
8 Jun
Outside History – Eavan Boland
Outside History 1990 Rhyme & Form: 3-line Stanza, Free Verse Tone: Ponderous, Decisive, Regretful Imagery: World of Women, Irish History Themes: Entrapment and Silence Poetic Techniques: Repetition The phrase ‘outside history’ is often associated with Eavan Boland believed that women were kept outside the history books and that in fact they were the reason for [...]
8 Jun
Comparative – Vision & Viewpoint: Lies of Silence/Dancing at Lughnasa/Il Postino
General Vision and Viewpoint Lies of Silence, Dancing at Lughnasa & Il Postino The general vision or viewpoint relates to the authors or directors outlook on life. This outlook affects our own perspective on the text and the world of the text. The author shows us his own outlook through the plot, characters, relationships, the [...]
7 Jun
King Lear – Motifs & Symbols
Motifs Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, and literary devices that can help to develop and inform the text’s major themes. Insanity Insanity is central to the play and is associated with both disorder and hidden wisdom. The Fool, who offers Lear insight early on in the play, offers his counsel in what seems to be [...]
7 Jun
King Lear Themes
Themes are the fundamental and universal ideas explored in a text. Nature The events of the play underline Shakespeare’s obsession with the theme of nature in this play. Lear disowns one loving and loyal daughter in favour of two who will turn savagely on him. Gloucester calls Edmund a ‘loyal and natural boy’ and disowns [...]
13 May
Child Of Our Time – Eavan Boland
1975 Rhyme & Form: Internal Rhyme, End sounds rhyme.. Tone: Shock, Regretful, Angry, Imagery: Song, Language, Broken body of the child, Nursery, Empty Cradle Themes: Political Violence, Motherhood, Dealing with Evil [of war] Poetic Techniques: Repetition, Personification, Alliteration The features of the this poem are important to interpreting what Boland is saying. Take a look [...]
27 Apr
The Famine Road – Eavan Boland
1975 Rhyme & Form: Two Poems juxtaposed Tone: Morbid, Unpleasant Imagery: Famine, Roads, 19th Century Language Themes: Irish Significance, Suffering, Colonisation, Infertility, Bad Treatment of Women (Outside History) Poetic Techniques: Double Perspective *This poem may be confusing upon a first reading as there are several voices within the poem. The first voice in standard [...]
14 Apr
Patrick Kavanagh: Advent
1942 We have tested and tasted too much, lover- Through a chink too wide there comes in no wonder. But here in the Advent-darkened room Where the dry black bread and the sugarless tea Of penance will charm back the luxury Of a child’s soul, we’ll return to Doom The knowledge we stole but could [...]
Damien Gallagher
