Australian PoetryAustralian PoetryYr 11 English StudiesYr 11 English StudiesMs PaineMs Paine

Modern Australian Modern Australian PoetryPoetry We will study a range of We will study a range of

Australian poetsAustralian poets You will required to analyze and You will required to analyze and

comment on poems individually comment on poems individually and in comparison.and in comparison.

Use the Poetry Grid (supplied) to Use the Poetry Grid (supplied) to guide your thinking.guide your thinking.

Poetry GridPoetry Grid

Poetry Analysis – Poetry Analysis – Using the GridUsing the Grid

‘‘Suburban Sonnet’Suburban Sonnet’ Poet: Gwen Harwood (1920-1995)Poet: Gwen Harwood (1920-1995) Pg. 299 Pg. 299 Lines to TimeLines to Time

‘‘Suburban Sonnet’Suburban Sonnet’(Gwen Harwood)(Gwen Harwood)

She practises a fugue, though it can matterShe practises a fugue, though it can matterto no one if she plays well or not.to no one if she plays well or not.

Besides her on the floor two children chatter,Besides her on the floor two children chatter,then scream and fight. She hushes them…then scream and fight. She hushes them…

……A potA potboils over. As she rushes to the stoveboils over. As she rushes to the stovetoo late a wave of nausea overpowerstoo late a wave of nausea overpowerssubject and counter-subject.subject and counter-subject.

……Zest and loveZest and lovedrain out with soapy water as she scoursdrain out with soapy water as she scoursthe crusted milk.the crusted milk.

……Her veins ache. Once she played for Her veins ache. Once she played for Rubinstein, who yawned….Rubinstein, who yawned….

……The children caperThe children caperround a sprung mouse trap where a mouse lies dead.round a sprung mouse trap where a mouse lies dead.When the soft corpse won’t move they seem afraid.When the soft corpse won’t move they seem afraid.

She comforts them; and wraps it in a paperShe comforts them; and wraps it in a paperfeaturing: featuring: Tasty dishes from stale bread.Tasty dishes from stale bread.

Poetry GridPoetry Grid

10 Step Process for 10 Step Process for Successfully Analyzing a Successfully Analyzing a

PoemPoem

Using “Suburban Sonnet”Using “Suburban Sonnet”

““Suburban Sonnet” textual Suburban Sonnet” textual referencesreferences(Gwen Harwood)(Gwen Harwood)

She practises a She practises a fuguefugue, though it can matter, though it can matterto no one now if she plays well or not.to no one now if she plays well or not.Beside her on the floor two children chatter,Beside her on the floor two children chatter,then scream and fight. She hushes them. A potthen scream and fight. She hushes them. A potboils over. As she rushes to the stoveboils over. As she rushes to the stovetoo late, a wave of nausea overpowerstoo late, a wave of nausea overpowerssubject and counter-subject. Zest and lovesubject and counter-subject. Zest and lovedrain out with soapy water as she scoursdrain out with soapy water as she scoursthe crusted milk. Her veins ache. Once the crusted milk. Her veins ache. Once she playedshe playedfor Rubinsteinfor Rubinstein, who yawned. The children caper, who yawned. The children caperround a sprung mousetrap where a mouse lies dead.round a sprung mousetrap where a mouse lies dead.When the soft corpse won't move they seem afraid.When the soft corpse won't move they seem afraid.She comforts them; and wraps it in a paperShe comforts them; and wraps it in a paperfeaturing: featuring: Tasty dishes from stale bread.Tasty dishes from stale bread.

“fugue”: (musical term) A composition in which a short melody/ phrase is introduced by one part and successively taken up by others…(OED)

“Rubinstein”: famous concert pianist in 1950s & 60s

Step 1: Subject MatterStep 1: Subject MatterQuestion:Question: What event, situation, or What event, situation, or

experience does the experience does the poem describe or poem describe or record? record?

Answer:Answer: A suburban mother A suburban mother

living an ordinary life living an ordinary life eg. Children fighting, eg. Children fighting, pots over boiling etcpots over boiling etc

““Beside her on the floor two children chatter,Beside her on the floor two children chatter,then scream and fight. She hushes them. A potthen scream and fight. She hushes them. A potboils over…”boils over…”

Step 2: Purpose/ Key Ideas/ Step 2: Purpose/ Key Ideas/ MessageMessage

QuestionsQuestions What is the poet’s What is the poet’s

purpose in writing purpose in writing this? this?

What message does What message does Harwood want to Harwood want to communicate? communicate?

AnswerAnswer Communicates despair & Communicates despair &

disappointment in being disappointment in being a suburban ‘desperate’ a suburban ‘desperate’ housewife rather than housewife rather than living an extraordinary living an extraordinary life as a concert pianist.life as a concert pianist.

Title: “Suburban Sonnet”

A sonnet is a famous traditional poetic form associated with Shakespeare

What does the juxtaposition with the word “Suburban” indicate?

“She practises a fugue, though it can matterto no one now if she plays well or not.”

Musical reference to the career she could have had.

Step 3: Emotion/ Mood/ Feeling/ Step 3: Emotion/ Mood/ Feeling/ ToneTone

QuestionsQuestions What is the predominant What is the predominant

emotion, tone, or mood of emotion, tone, or mood of the poem? the poem?

Does the mood change Does the mood change during the poem? during the poem?

What emotions or feelings What emotions or feelings does the poet seek to does the poet seek to evoke in the reader/ evoke in the reader/ hearer? hearer? Answer:Answer:

Despair & disappointmentDespair & disappointment For the housewife whose For the housewife whose

life has not turned out like life has not turned out like she had hoped forshe had hoped for

…Zest and lovedrain out with soapy water as she scours/ the crusted milk.

Step 4: TechniquesStep 4: Techniques

Including Including (some might be more evident depending on (some might be more evident depending on the poem being studied):the poem being studied):

Step 5: StructureStep 5: Structure Step 6: Sensory AppealStep 6: Sensory Appeal Step 7: LanguageStep 7: Language Step 8: ImageryStep 8: Imagery Step 9: Movement & RhythmStep 9: Movement & Rhythm Step 10: SoundsStep 10: Sounds

Step 5: StructureStep 5: Structure How is the poem structured? How is the poem structured? Does it have conventional structure such as Does it have conventional structure such as

a sonnet or ode? a sonnet or ode? Does it have stanzas with regular number of Does it have stanzas with regular number of

lines, or any other features of structural lines, or any other features of structural design? design?

Step 6: Sensory Step 6: Sensory AppealAppealQuestionsQuestions Is the poem designed Is the poem designed

to appeal to one or to appeal to one or more of the five more of the five senses – touch, taste, senses – touch, taste, smell, hearing, sight – smell, hearing, sight – through description? through description?

How does this impact How does this impact upon the reader? upon the reader? AnswerAnswer

NoNo

The structure of “Suburban The structure of “Suburban Sonnet”Sonnet”

11 She practises a fugue, though it can matter She practises a fugue, though it can matter (a)(a)22 to no one now if she plays well or not. to no one now if she plays well or not. (b)(b)33 Beside her on the floor two children chatter, Beside her on the floor two children chatter, (a)(a)44 then scream and fight. She hushes them. A pot then scream and fight. She hushes them. A pot (b) (b)55 boils over. As she rushes to the stove boils over. As she rushes to the stove (c)(c)66 too late, a wave of nausea overpowers too late, a wave of nausea overpowers (d)(d)7 7 subject and counter-subject. Zest and love subject and counter-subject. Zest and love (c)(c)88 drain out with soapy water as she scours drain out with soapy water as she scours (d)(d)99 the crusted milk. Her veins ache. the crusted milk. Her veins ache. Once she played Once she played (e)(e)10 for Rubinstein, who yawned10 for Rubinstein, who yawned. The children caper . The children caper (f)(f)1111 round a sprung mousetrap where a mouse lies dead. round a sprung mousetrap where a mouse lies dead. (e)(e)1212 When the soft corpse won't move they seem afraid. When the soft corpse won't move they seem afraid. (e)(e)1313 She comforts them; and wraps it in a paper ( She comforts them; and wraps it in a paper (f)f)14 14 featuring: featuring: Tasty dishes from stale bread.Tasty dishes from stale bread. (e)(e)

•A Sonnet usually has a consistent rhyme scheme with 14 lines and a turn on thought (volta) at the 8th or 9th line. are of a similar length.•The letters indicate the rhyme/ half-rhyme scheme; but is irregular

VOLTA as the woman reminisces about what her life could have been.

Step 7: LanguageStep 7: LanguageQuestionsQuestions How would you describe How would you describe

the poet’s use of words –the poet’s use of words –vivid, striking, arresting, vivid, striking, arresting, effective or colourless and effective or colourless and predictable? predictable?

Is the language Is the language appropriate to the subject appropriate to the subject and/ or theme? and/ or theme?

What effect does the What effect does the language have on the language have on the reader? reader? …The children caper

round a sprung mousetrap where a mouse lies dead.When the soft corpse won't move they seem afraid.She comforts them; and wraps it in a paperfeaturing: Tasty dishes from stale bread. 

Striking imagery of the dead mouse. (Unexpected)

Irony (Tasty/ Corpse)

Answers:

Step 8: ImageryStep 8: ImageryQuestionsQuestions Are there any striking Are there any striking

examples of similes, examples of similes, metaphors, metaphors, personifications or personifications or symbols in the poem? symbols in the poem?

What is their effect? What is their effect?

Metaphor: pot boiling over like Metaphor: pot boiling over like vomiting & musical vomiting & musical reference back to fuguereference back to fugue

….A potboils over. As she rushes to the stovetoo late, a wave of nausea overpowerssubject and counter-subject. Zest and lovedrain out with soapy water as she scoursthe crusted milk…

Metaphor: positive emotions draining away in the kitchen

Step 9 : Movement & Step 9 : Movement & RhythmRhythm

Questions (Movement)Questions (Movement) Does the poem have a regular Does the poem have a regular

(slow or fast) rhythm? (slow or fast) rhythm? What is the effect of any What is the effect of any

rhythmic/ kinetic qualities on rhythmic/ kinetic qualities on the poem’s meaning or tone?the poem’s meaning or tone?

What kind of energy does the What kind of energy does the poem have? poem have?

Answer (Movement):Answer (Movement): Rhythm = slowRhythm = slow Tone = depressingTone = depressing Energy = lacklustreEnergy = lacklustre

“Beside her on the floor two children chatter,then scream and fight. She hushes them.” These words are

phrased to be read slowly and reflect the energy and tone of the poem.

Step 10: SoundsStep 10: SoundsQuestions:Questions: Does the poem have Does the poem have

any significant sound any significant sound features? Is it musical? features? Is it musical?

Does the poet use Does the poet use onomatopoeia, onomatopoeia, alliteration, or alliteration, or assonance? assonance?

Does the poem rhyme?Does the poem rhyme? What are the effects of What are the effects of

these features of sound these features of sound on the effect of the on the effect of the poem? poem?

Answer:Answer: No No

(possibly) (possibly)

Perhaps the lack of language adornment is

deliberate?

Does this fit with mood and message of the

poem?

Critical Response & Critical Response & SummarySummary““Suburban Sonnet” (p. 299)Suburban Sonnet” (p. 299)1.1. What is the irony in the title “Suburban What is the irony in the title “Suburban

Sonnet”?Sonnet”?2.2. What kind of activities and routines are What kind of activities and routines are

described in this poem? What is the poet’s described in this poem? What is the poet’s attitude to them? How does the reader know attitude to them? How does the reader know this?this?

3.3. What is the message of this poem? How does What is the message of this poem? How does Harwood communicate it?Harwood communicate it?