A hard frost. CD Lewis

Transcription

1 A hard frost CD Lewis

2 Who is Cecil Day Lewis? Cecil Day Lewis was born in Ballintubber, in Ireland, in 1904 and died in He was educated at Wadham College, in Oxford, and later became a lecturer at the University of Cambridge. He also taught poetry at Oxford and Harvard universities. Lewis was named Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom in His poetry is characterised by the introduction of modern diction and often addresses relevant social issues of the time, as well as the nature of relationships.

3 Formed overnight A frost came in the night and stole my world The appearance of the landscape that the speaker is looking at has been radically altered by the layer of frost. In essence his world has been changed. The world as he knew it has now changed.

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5 -Changeling= Something that has been secretly exchanged for something else. -A changeling child was believed to be a fairy child that had been left in place of a human child stolen by the fairies. -Winter has been stolen and a false spring been left in its place And left this changeling for it a precocious Image of spring, too brilliant to be true; Why image? Because to the speaker the frost has made the landscape look like it is spring, but he knows that it is not because it is too early in the year. Developed earlier than usual

6 An unexpected frost comes and covers everything. The poet admires the beauty of the frost and how it has changed the landscape, but he knows that this frost is temporary and the spring time, with its promise of summer, lies just beneath the frost.

7 White lilac on the windowpane Metaphor: The patterns of frost on the window pane look like white lilacs (which are a type of flower).

8 each grass-blade Furred like a catkin, Simile: Frost on the grass looks like Catkin flowers.

9 maydrift loading the hedge Metaphor: Frost hanging heavily on the hedge looks like the petals of the Mayflower drifting onto the hedge

10 The elms behind the house are elms no longer But blossomers in crystal, The Elms have been transformed. They have no flowers now but the frost on them makes them look like they have little crystal Blossom flowers on them. (Metaphor)

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12 Without a specific shape, difficult to see what the exact shape is. stems of the mist That hangs yet in the valley below, amorphous As the blind tissue whence creation formed. Shapes are indistinct in this new creation of spring.

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14 Shines The sun looks out, and the fields blaze with diamonds. Metaphor: Shining frost on the fields glitter like diamonds in the sunlight.

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16 Mockery spring, to lend this bridal gear For a few hours to a raw country maid, False spring ( remember changeling) has made this bland landscape (which is personified as a raw country maid) a beautiful outfit. The frost has made the landscape look beautiful like a bride on her wedding day.

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18 Gloomy/ unhappy What is the tone of these lines? Then leave her all disconsolate with old fairings Of aconite and snowdrop! After the landscape has been lent these bridal clothes and it looks beautiful, it will be taken away when the sun comes out and melts it all. Then the landscape will be left with what it had before (Flowers of Aconite and Snowdrop).

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20 Show/ pomp Ornamental/ delicate/ lace No, not here Amid this flounce and filigree of death Is the real transformation scene in progress Is there a change of tone here? After a harsh winter, it will be time for the seeds to grow and blossom and the real spring will emerge.

21 Referring to underground Lumps of soil/ earth But deep below where frost Worrying the stiff clods unclenches their Grip on the seed and lets the future breath. Refers to the seeds, germinating. Real spring is beginning to make itself felt unnoticeably underground. Creates an image of a contest of strength taking place beneath the ground where the earth is surrendering its frozen hold to the power of spring.

22 Form and structure Stanza 1: Describes the scene of the frosty landscape. Stanza 2: Comments on the frost and exposes the truth of the frosty landscape.

23 Poetic/ Language devices COMPARISONS (Simile & Metaphor)- used to compare the image of frost on the window and the landscape to different features of spring. Strange since the speaker sees the effects of frost (which happens in Winter) as its opposite, Spring. IMAGERY- suggests spring flowers and the freshness of new growth, but despite the glittering beauty, the speaker points out that this appearance is deceiving. He accuses the frost of theft as it has stolen away the expected scene and replaced it with a fake. The frost is given magical, mystical powers in its ability to do this transformation.