Friday 6 January 2012

THIS IS THE DARK TIME, MY LOVE

THIS IS THE DARK TIME, MY LOVE

The theme of this poem is about a people whose dreams of a better life have
been threatened by the destructive power of the ‘strange invader’.

The atmosphere of the poem is one of tension, fear, anxiety.
“Everywhere the faces of men are strained and anxious.” This is because of the
presence of soldiers: “all around the land brown beetles crawl about.”
Even nature is sympathetic to the cause of the people as expressed in the line
“red flowers bend their heads in awful sorrow.”

The poet’s mood is one of lamentation for the misery of his people, the instability
and sorrow brought about by the strange invader.

Imagery:
The images appeal to the sense of sight and sound. They present visual pictures
that are striking.
The picture of the soldiers, “all around the land brown beetles crawl about”, in
their thick armoury, the hard covering on their backs is like beetles.
Here you hear the tramping of soldiers “whose boots of steel tramp down the
slender grass”. You can also see the slender grass trampled upon and looking
withered.

Figurative Language
Metaphor: All around the land brown beetles crawl about.”
The soldiers are compared to brown beetles.

Personification: “Red flowers bend their heads in awful sorrow.”
The poet gives the flower qualities of a human being - the emotion of sorrow.

Irony/Metaphor: “It is the festival of guns, the carnival of misery.”
The words “festival” and “carnival” are indicative of joyous celebrations but what
the country is really experiencing is sorrow, not joy.


32 comments:

  1. “all around the land brown beetles crawl about” could also refer to the tankers moving about the country

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    1. this is true!! i think that it is refering to the tankers...remember that he described it as brown beetles...

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    2. It can also refer to the soilders crawling on the ground as the soilders are wearing camo

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  2. You know... Call me crazy... I could be wrong... But I could have SWORN that the themes were death and war (let's not forget that a theme can't be an entire sentence). -_-

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    Replies
    1. I knew about war but how is death a theme?

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    2. your not crazy ur right!

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    3. in the carlong english B for csec text book, the theme for this poem is people.

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    4. themes that arised in this poems are:
      war
      human suffering
      oppression
      patriotism
      desire
      and the effects of war upon civilians...
      these are what i got by reading the poem stanza by stanza!! :)

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    5. Wow thanks i really needed that!
      This helped a lot

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  3. What is the setting of this poem please?..

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    1. The poem is set in British Guiana(Guyana)

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    2. I live there and didn't know that

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  4. Red flowers could signify blood shed

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  5. Red flowers could signify blood shed

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  6. what is the assonance in this poem? somebody please

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  7. "All round the land brown beetles crawl about." could also refer to literal beetles which crawl around feeding on the corpses. This points to the massive amounts of human lives that have been taken by the soldiers and the onslaught tha. may have been carried out.

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  8. As a literature student, one should know that there is no one analysis for any poem. Even the examination councils recognizes this fact and in an attempt to be just, they have no one right answer. Once u can support your answers with evidence, you should be fine

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  9. hard to understand

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  10. I have done this in class and you all have stated some good points.

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  11. I have done this in class and have been through it with my teacher........... HOWEVER, "festival of guns and carnival of misery" are not metaphors nor iron, it is an oxymoron..........

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  12. Lost of freedom can also be a theme

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  13. How is death protrade in this

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  14. what was the overall message of this poem?

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    Replies
    1. while the poem was inspired by specific historic events impact is felt by freedom lovers. its a lament for the loss of freedom and hope

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  15. What is the effectiveness of the poem? Really need this help...

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  16. THIS IS VERY HELPFUL!

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  17. what is the tone of the poem

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  18. How does this poet use figurative devices to create a picture of what is happening in his country

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