FULL MOON AND LITTLE FRIEDABY TED HUGHES

Literature in English project

BACKGROUND Ted Hughes and his wife Sylvia Plath left the US

and settled down in a small flat in London. It was here that their daughter Frieda, to whom this poem is addressed.

Both the parents observed the physical and mental growth of their child closely this resulted in a release of creativity and a series of poems.

In the autumn of 1961 they moved to a larger house in a village in Devon. It was here that most probably this poem was written.

THE THEME(S) (main)The fragility of a child’s mind Reconciliation between humans and

nature The themes deal with Nature, power,

time, space and the way each can mirror the other.

STRUCTURE There is no rhythm or rhyme in Full Moon

and Little Frieda. Full Moon and Little Frieda has an

apparently random structure. The irregular structure also links to this - it

reflects the disorder of a child's mind.

TONE AND MOOD The overall mood is very relaxed and calm.

some points in the poem one feels a bit sad.

The tone is respectful and even a little somber at first.

The mood and tone slightly changes to become more urgent, more potent.

“A COOL SMALL EVENING SHRUNK TO A DOG BARK AND THE CLANK OF

A BUCKET-AND YOU LISTENING”

indicates the serenity and calmness of a child’s mind.

“small” and “shrunk” imply that the evening is being simplified much like a child’s mind.

Hughes while referring to his daughter tries to put the reader into the setting, “And you listening”,

“A SPIDER'S WEB, TENSE FOR THE DEW'S TOUCH. 

A PAIL LIFTED, STILL AND BRIMMING - MIRROR 

TO TEMPT A FIRST STAR TO A TREMOR.”

The atmosphere becomes slightly creepy and tension starts to build up.

The image of “a spider’s web”, depict how fragile a child’s mind is and how easily it can be influenced

“Tense” creates an impression that something is about to happen.

“still and brimming” pail of water also signifies calmness and stillness.

This also depicts a child’s fragile mind as the slightest of disturbance can have far reaching ripples.

“COWS ARE GOING HOME IN THE LANE THERE, LOOPING THE HEDGES

WITH THEIR WARM WREATHS OF BREATH - 

A DARK RIVER OF BLOOD, MANY BOULDERS,”

The image “a dark river of blood” is used metaphorically to depict the movement of the herd of brown cows.

The image of cows and a full moon also reminds one of the nursery rhyme ‘the cow jumped over the moon’.

The image of “Cows are going home” depicts movements and indicates the presence of life.

Conversely the image of “a dark river of blood” implies death and tragedy.

This could refer to the suicide committed by Hughes’ wife.

BALANCING UNSPILLED MILK. 'MOON!' YOU CRY SUDDENLY,

'MOON! MOON!‘

The image of “balancing unspilled milk” depicts the climax of the poem

The overall tranquility and calm of the poem is brought to an end when Frieda utters her first words, “Moon!”, ”Moon ! Moon!” , as her eyes beheld a full moon for the first time.

Frieda’s cry implies that the new generation is more aware of the importance of nature.

“THE MOON HAS STEPPED BACK LIKE AN ARTIST GAZING AMAZED AT

A WORK THAT POINTS AT HIM AMAZED.”

The moon is personified as an “artist gazing”.

The moon also connotes Hughes himself who is quiet “amazed” when he hears his daughter call out his name for the first time.

The moon responds to Frieda’s cry by “gazing amazed” hence shows the mutual acknowledgement of nature and humans

ANALYSIS Full Moon and Little Frieda offer

insights into Hughes' opinions about nature and family relationships, specifically the relationship between parent and child and humans and nature. The poem offers a snapshot into something which is continuous - Hughes' skill lies in making us believe that the lives exist before and after the glimpse that he captures.