When reading poetry I as a reader want to imagine a picture, conveyed to me by the language
used in the poem. I want to be drawn into the poem, want to feel part of what is written and
want to be able to see the images of the words in my own thoughts. The question therefore
must be how a poet achieves such an effect in the reader. This paper will examine closely
some of the means used by the two poets, Kenneth Slessor and Judith Wright, to make their
language embody the image they are trying to convey. The paper will at first focus especially
on short, individual passages to examine the use of stylistic devices and use of sound. The
second part will focus on the bigger picture and look at the poem as a whole, examining the
use of recurring images and themes.
Judith Wright’s poem Woman to Man reaches its climax in the last line of the poem in which
a mother confesses the fear that comes alongside the birth of her child. The two lines before
this confession seem to intensify the feeling of danger and threat that ultimately leads to the
mother’s fear. [...]
Table of Contents
1. The Use of Language, Images and Themes in Australian Poetry
1.1 Examining poems by Judith Wright and Kenneth Slessor
Objectives and Topics
This paper explores how poets Judith Wright and Kenneth Slessor utilize language, imagery, and stylistic devices to evoke vivid mental pictures in the reader, ultimately examining the structural and thematic coherence of their work.
- Analysis of sound and stylistic devices in individual poetic lines
- Examination of onomatopoeia and alliteration as tools for imagery
- Study of recurring themes and their role in poetic structure
- Investigation of personification as a means of strengthening poetic images
- Exploration of religious and temporal metaphors in Australian poetry
Excerpt from the Book
The Use of Language, Images and Themes in Australian Poetry
When reading poetry I as a reader want to imagine a picture, conveyed to me by the language used in the poem. I want to be drawn into the poem, want to feel part of what is written and want to be able to see the images of the words in my own thoughts. The question therefore must be how a poet achieves such an effect in the reader. This paper will examine closely some of the means used by the two poets, Kenneth Slessor and Judith Wright, to make their language embody the image they are trying to convey. The paper will at first focus especially on short, individual passages to examine the use of stylistic devices and use of sound. The second part will focus on the bigger picture and look at the poem as a whole, examining the use of recurring images and themes.
Judith Wright’s poem Woman to Man reaches its climax in the last line of the poem in which a mother confesses the fear that comes alongside the birth of her child. The two lines before this confession seem to intensify the feeling of danger and threat that ultimately leads to the mother’s fear.
the blind head butting at the dark
the blaze of light along the blade.
Summary of Chapters
The Use of Language, Images and Themes in Australian Poetry: This introductory section outlines the reader's desire for vivid mental imagery and establishes the methodological focus on stylistic devices and thematic unity.
Examining poems by Judith Wright and Kenneth Slessor: This sub-section details how specific poets employ alliteration, onomatopoeia, and personification to create sensory and thematic depth, while also analyzing how recurring motifs like water and time frame the poems.
Keywords
Australian Poetry, Judith Wright, Kenneth Slessor, Language, Imagery, Stylistic Devices, Onomatopoeia, Alliteration, Personification, Recurring Themes, Time, Religion, Metaphor, Poetic Structure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this paper?
The paper examines the technical and thematic ways in which Australian poets Judith Wright and Kenneth Slessor create immersive imagery for their readers.
What are the central thematic areas discussed?
The analysis covers the use of sound, the movement of imagery, personification of celestial and abstract entities, and recurring themes such as religion and the progression of time.
What is the primary objective of the research?
The primary goal is to investigate how specific language choices, such as onomatopoeia and alliteration, allow a poet to embody a mental image and effectively convey it to the reader.
Which scientific methods are applied in the study?
The paper utilizes a close-reading methodology, focusing on individual lines for stylistic analysis, followed by a broader structural analysis of poems as unified wholes.
What is addressed in the main body of the work?
The main body focuses on the analysis of phonetic devices like alliteration in William Street, the use of motion-imitation in The Old Prison, and the symbolic use of religious and temporal imagery in Woman to Man and Out of Time.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include Australian Poetry, Imagery, Stylistic Devices, Onomatopoeia, Personification, and recurring motifs like Time and Religion.
How does Judith Wright use personification in 'Night After Bushfire'?
Wright personifies the sun as a 'human' figure contrasted against an 'alien' moon and landscape, thereby intensifying the thematic portrayal of the harsh environment.
What role does the 'embracing image' play in Kenneth Slessor's 'Out of Time'?
The image of time flowing like yachts opens and closes the poem, effectively framing the transition from life to death and emphasizing the eternal, recurring nature of time.
- Quote paper
- Stephan Scheeder (Author), 2003, The Use of Language, Images and Themes in Australian Poetry - Examining poems by Judith Wright and Kenneth Slessor, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/16799
