1. Australian Poetry Yr 11 ENGLISH Ms Paine

2. Modern Australian Poetry We will study a range of Australian poets We will study a range of Australian poets You will required to analyze and comment on poems individually and in comparison. You will required to analyze and comment on poems individually and in comparison. Use the Poetry Grid (supplied) to guide your thinking. Use the Poetry Grid (supplied) to guide your thinking.

3. Poetry Grid

4. Poetry Analysis – Using the Grid ‘Suburban Sonnet’ ‘Suburban Sonnet’ Poet: Gwen Harwood (1920-1995) Poet: Gwen Harwood (1920-1995) Pg. 299 Lines to Time Pg. 299 Lines to Time

5. “Suburban Sonnet” by Gwen Harwood She practises a fugue, though it can matter to no one now if she plays well or not. Beside her on the floor two children chatter, then scream and fight. She hushes them. A pot boils over. As she rushes to the stove too late, a wave of nausea overpowers subject and counter-subject. Zest and love drain out with soapy water as she scours the crusted milk. Her veins ache. Once the crusted milk. Her veins ache. Once she played, who yawned. The children caper for Rubinstein, who yawned. 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 paper featuring: Tasty dishes from stale bread.

6. Poetry Grid 10 Step Process for Successfully Analyzing a Poem Using “Suburban Sonnet”

7. “Suburban Sonnet” textual references (Gwen Harwood) She practises a fugue, though it can matter to no one now if she plays well or not. Beside her on the floor two children chatter, then scream and fight. She hushes them. A pot boils over. As she rushes to the stove too late, a wave of nausea overpowers subject and counter-subject. Zest and love drain out with soapy water as she scours the crusted milk. Her veins ache. Once she played for Rubinstein, who yawned. 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 paper featuring: 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

8. Step 1: Subject Matter Question: What event, situation, or experience does the poem describe or record? What event, situation, or experience does the poem describe or record? Answer: A suburban mother living an ordinary life eg. Children fighting, pots over boiling etc A suburban mother living an ordinary life eg. Children fighting, pots over boiling etc “Beside her on the floor two children chatter, then scream and fight. She hushes them. A pot boils over…”

9. Step 2: Purpose/ Key Ideas/ Message Questions What is the poet’s purpose in writing this? What is the poet’s purpose in writing this? What message does Harwood want to communicate? What message does Harwood want to communicate? Answer Communicates despair & disappointment in being a suburban ‘desperate’ housewife rather than living an extraordinary life as a concert pianist. Communicates despair & disappointment in being a suburban ‘desperate’ housewife rather than living an extraordinary 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 matter to no one now if she plays well or not.” Musical reference to the career she could have had.

10. Step 3: Emotion/ Mood/ Feeling/ Tone Questions What is the predominant emotion, tone, or mood of the poem? What is the predominant emotion, tone, or mood of the poem? Does the mood change during the poem? Does the mood change during the poem? What emotions or feelings does the poet seek to evoke in the reader/ hearer? What emotions or feelings does the poet seek to evoke in the reader/ hearer? Answer: Despair & disappointment Despair & disappointment For the housewife whose life has not turned out like she had hoped for For the housewife whose life has not turned out like she had hoped for …Zest and love drain out with soapy water as she scours/ the crusted milk.

11. Step 4: Techniques Including (some might be more evident depending on the poem being studied): Step 5: Structure Step 5: Structure Step 6: Sensory Appeal Step 6: Sensory Appeal Step 7: Language Step 7: Language Step 8: Imagery Step 8: Imagery Step 9: Movement & Rhythm Step 9: Movement & Rhythm Step 10: Sounds Step 10: Sounds

12. Step 5: Structure How is the poem structured? How is the poem structured? Does it have conventional structure such as a sonnet or ode? Does it have conventional structure such as a sonnet or ode? Does it have stanzas with regular number of lines, or any other features of structural design? Does it have stanzas with regular number of lines, or any other features of structural design? The poem fits the structure of a sonnet, which is ironic, considering it is about domestic life and disillusionment. Sonnets especially those by Shakespeare are usually used to profess love and other profound emotions.

13. The structure of “Suburban Sonnet” She practises a fugue, though it can matter A to no one now if she plays well or not.B Beside her on the floor two children chatter,A then scream and fight. She hushes them. A pot B boils over. As she rushes to the stoveC too late, a wave of nausea overpowersD subject and counter-subject. Zest and loveC drain out with soapy water as she scoursD VOLTA – turn of thought/ change of rhyme pattern occurs at after eight line. the crusted milk. Her veins ache. Once she playedE for Rubinstein, who yawned. The children caperF round a sprung mousetrap where a mouse lies dead.E When the soft corpse won't move they seem afraid.E She comforts them; and wraps it in a paperF featuring: Tasty dishes from stale bread.E A Sonnet is usually compromised of formal rhyming couplets and has 14 lines.

14. Step 6: Sensory Appeal Questions Is the poem designed to appeal to one or more of the five senses – touch, taste, smell, hearing, sight – through description? Is the poem designed to appeal to one or more of the five senses – touch, taste, smell, hearing, sight – through description? How does this impact upon the reader? How does this impact upon the reader? Answer Yes, but not in any way that significantly effects the poems meaning.

15. Step 7: Language Questions How would you describe the poet’s use of words –vivid, striking, arresting, effective or colourless and predictable? How would you describe the poet’s use of words –vivid, striking, arresting, effective or colourless and predictable? Is the language appropriate to the subject and/ or theme? Is the language appropriate to the subject and/ or theme? What effect does the language have on the reader? What effect does the language have on the 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 paper featuring: Tasty dishes from stale bread. Striking imagery of the dead mouse. (Unexpected) Irony (Tasty/ Corpse) Answers:

16. Step 8: Imagery Questions Are there any striking examples of similes, metaphors, personifications or symbols in the poem? Are there any striking examples of similes, metaphors, personifications or symbols in the poem? What is their effect? What is their effect? Metaphor: pot boiling over like vomiting & musical reference back to fugue ….A pot boils over. As she rushes to the stove too late, a wave of nausea overpowers subject and counter-subject. Zest and love drain out with soapy water as she scours the crusted milk… Metaphor: positive emotions draining away in the kitchen

17. Step 9 : Movement & Rhythm Questions (Movement) Does the poem have a regular (slow or fast) rhythm? Does the poem have a regular (slow or fast) rhythm? What is the effect of any rhythmic/ kinetic qualities on the poem’s meaning or tone? What is the effect of any rhythmic/ kinetic qualities on the poem’s meaning or tone? What kind of energy does the poem have? What kind of energy does the poem have? Answer (Movement): Rhythm = slow Rhythm = slow Tone = depressing Tone = depressing Energy = lacklustre Energy = 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.

18. Step 10: Sounds Questions: Does the poem have any significant sound features? Is it musical? Does the poem have any significant sound features? Is it musical? Does the poet use onomatopoeia, alliteration, or assonance? Does the poet use onomatopoeia, alliteration, or assonance? Does the poem rhyme? Does the poem rhyme? What are the effects of these features of sound on the meaning of the poem? What are the effects of these features of sound on the meaning of the poem? Answer: Yes deliberate rhyme scheme that is part of a sonnet structre. Yes deliberate rhyme scheme that is part of a sonnet structre. Perhaps the lack of language adornment is deliberate? Does this fit with mood and message of the poem?

19. Critical Reading Questions “Suburban Sonnet” (p. 299) 1. What is the irony in the title “Suburban Sonnet”? 2. What kind of activities and routines are described in this poem? What is the poet’s attitude to them? How does the reader know this? 3. What is the message of this poem? How does Harwood communicate it?