1. Activity A Activity B Activity C Activity D Activity E Activity F
Jugged Hare
– by Jean Earle –
Choose a task
Choose a task based on the poem.
Activity A
Activity B
Activity C
Activity D
Activity E
Activity F
Activity G
Activity H
Glossary

2. Jugged Hare
– by Jean Earle –
Activity A
Identify the three people involved in the events of this poem.
Menu 1
She mourned the long-ears
Hung in the pantry, his shot fur
Softly dishevelled. She smoothed that,
Before gutting – yet she would rather
Sicken herself, than cheat my father
Of his jugged hare.
A tender lady, freakish as the creature –
But resolute. She peeled it to its tail.
Oh, fortitude! Her rings sparked in and out
Of newspaper wipes. Blood in a bowl,
Sacrificial gravy. A rarely afforded
Bottle of port.
She sustained marriage
On high events, as a child plays house.
Dramas, conciliations –
Today, the hare. She sent me out
To bury the skin,
Tossed the heart to the cat.
She was in full spate.
What words are used to identify these three people?
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3. Jugged Hare
– by Jean Earle –
Activity A
Identify the three people involved in the events of this poem.
Menu 2
Fragrance of wine and herbs
Blessed our kitchen; like the hare’s dessert
Of wild thyme; or like his thighs
As though braised by God. She smiled
And dished up on willow,
Having a nice touch in framing
One-off scenarios.
After the feast, my father was a lover
Deeply enhanced.
I heard them go to bed,
Kissing – still inside her picture.
Later, I heard her sob
And guessed it was the hare
Troubled her. My father slept,
Stunned with tribute. She lay now
Outside her frame, in the hare’s dark
Hating her marital skills
And her lady-hands, that could flense a hare
Because she wooed a man.
In years to come,
I understood.
What words are used to identify these three people?
Click here to return to the beginning of the poem 1

4. Jugged Hare
– by Jean Earle –
Activity B
What do these lines suggest about her attitude to her husband?
Menu
What does the word ‘cheat’ suggest about her attitude to not doing it?
she would rather
Sicken herself, than cheat my father
Of his jugged hare.

5. Jugged Hare
– by Jean Earle –
Activity C
Track through the poem and identify words which reveal how the woman preparing the hare is presented: her character, thoughts and feelings.
Menu 1
She mourned the long-ears
Hung in the pantry, his shot fur
Softly dishevelled. She smoothed that,
Before gutting – yet she would rather
Sicken herself, than cheat my father
Of his jugged hare.
A tender lady, freakish as the creature –
But resolute. She peeled it to its tail.
Oh, fortitude! Her rings sparked in and out
Of newspaper wipes. Blood in a bowl,
Sacrificial gravy. A rarely afforded
Bottle of port.
She sustained marriage
On high events, as a child plays house.
Dramas, conciliations –
Today, the hare. She sent me out
To bury the skin,
Tossed the heart to the cat.
She was in full spate.
Consider the words shaded in yellow. Click to show shading.
Click here to view next stanzas 2

6. Jugged Hare
– by Jean Earle –
Activity C
Track through the poem and identify words which reveal how the woman preparing the hare is presented: her character, thoughts and feelings.
Menu 2
Fragrance of wine and herbs
Blessed our kitchen; like the hare’s dessert
Of wild thyme; or like his thighs
As though braised by God. She smiled
And dished up on willow,
Having a nice touch in framing
One-off scenarios.
After the feast, my father was a lover
Deeply enhanced.
I heard them go to bed,
Kissing – still inside her picture.
Later, I heard her sob
And guessed it was the hare
Troubled her. My father slept,
Stunned with tribute. She lay now
Outside her frame, in the hare’s dark
Hating her marital skills
And her lady-hands, that could flense a hare
Because she wooed a man.
In years to come,
I understood.
Consider the words shaded in yellow. Click to show shading.
Select the one quotation that you think most helps reveal this woman to the reader, and explain your choice.
Click here to return to the beginning of the poem 1

7. Jugged Hare
– by Jean Earle –
Activity D
A child ‘playing house‘ is play-acting. In what sense could the woman preparing the hare be said to be play-acting?
Menu 1
She mourned the long-ears
Hung in the pantry, his shot fur
Softly dishevelled. She smoothed that,
Before gutting – yet she would rather
Sicken herself, than cheat my father
Of his jugged hare.
A tender lady, freakish as the creature –
But resolute. She peeled it to its tail.
Oh, fortitude! Her rings sparked in and out
Of newspaper wipes. Blood in a bowl,
Sacrificial gravy. A rarely afforded
Bottle of port.
She sustained marriage
On high events, as a child plays house.
Dramas, conciliations –
Today, the hare. She sent me out
To bury the skin,
Tossed the heart to the cat.
She was in full spate.
Click here to view next stanzas 2

8. Jugged Hare
– by Jean Earle –
Activity D
A child ‘playing house‘ is play-acting. In what sense could the woman preparing the hare be said to be play-acting?
Menu 2
Fragrance of wine and herbs
Blessed our kitchen; like the hare’s dessert
Of wild thyme; or like his thighs
As though braised by God. She smiled
And dished up on willow,
Having a nice touch in framing
One-off scenarios.
After the feast, my father was a lover
Deeply enhanced.
I heard them go to bed,
Kissing – still inside her picture.
Later, I heard her sob
And guessed it was the hare
Troubled her. My father slept,
Stunned with tribute. She lay now
Outside her frame, in the hare’s dark
Hating her marital skills
And her lady-hands, that could flense a hare
Because she wooed a man.
In years to come,
I understood.
Consider the words shaded in yellow. Click to show shading.
Click here to return to the beginning of the poem 1

9. Jugged Hare
– by Jean Earle –
Activity E
Identify all the words which reveal anything at all about the presentation of the father: his character, thoughts and feelings. On balance, do you think he is presented in a positive, negative or neutral way?
Menu 1
She mourned the long-ears
Hung in the pantry, his shot fur
Softly dishevelled. She smoothed that,
Before gutting – yet she would rather
Sicken herself, than cheat my father
Of his jugged hare.
A tender lady, freakish as the creature –
But resolute. She peeled it to its tail.
Oh, fortitude! Her rings sparked in and out
Of newspaper wipes. Blood in a bowl,
Sacrificial gravy. A rarely afforded
Bottle of port.
She sustained marriage
On high events, as a child plays house.
Dramas, conciliations –
Today, the hare. She sent me out
To bury the skin,
Tossed the heart to the cat.
She was in full spate.
Is anything implied about the father? Click to show shading.
What are the implications of his allowing his wife to do something she hates?
What are the implications of ‘Stunned with tribute’?
Click here to view next stanzas 2

10. Jugged Hare
– by Jean Earle –
Activity E
Identify all the words which reveal anything at all about the presentation of the father: his character, thoughts and feelings. On balance, do you think he is presented in a positive, negative or neutral way?
Menu 2
Fragrance of wine and herbs
Blessed our kitchen; like the hare’s dessert
Of wild thyme; or like his thighs
As though braised by God. She smiled
And dished up on willow,
Having a nice touch in framing
One-off scenarios.
After the feast, my father was a lover
Deeply enhanced.
I heard them go to bed,
Kissing – still inside her picture.
Later, I heard her sob
And guessed it was the hare
Troubled her. My father slept,
Stunned with tribute. She lay now
Outside her frame, in the hare’s dark
Hating her marital skills
And her lady-hands, that could flense a hare
Because she wooed a man.
In years to come,
I understood.
Is anything implied about the father? Click to show shading.
What are the implications of his allowing his wife to do something she hates?
What are the implications of ‘Stunned with tribute’?
Click here to return to the beginning of the poem 1

11. Jugged Hare
– by Jean Earle –
Activity F
Why do you think stanza 4 has only one line?
Menu 1
She mourned the long-ears
Hung in the pantry, his shot fur
Softly dishevelled. She smoothed that,
Before gutting – yet she would rather
Sicken herself, than cheat my father
Of his jugged hare.
A tender lady, freakish as the creature –
But resolute. She peeled it to its tail.
Oh, fortitude! Her rings sparked in and out
Of newspaper wipes. Blood in a bowl,
Sacrificial gravy. A rarely afforded
Bottle of port.
She sustained marriage
On high events, as a child plays house.
Dramas, conciliations –
Today, the hare. She sent me out
To bury the skin,
Tossed the heart to the cat.
She was in full spate.
Does ‘She smiled’ in the next stanza accurately reflect her feelings?
Click here to view next stanzas 2

12. Jugged Hare
– by Jean Earle –
Activity F
Why do you think stanza 4 has only one line?
Menu 2
Fragrance of wine and herbs
Blessed our kitchen; like the hare’s dessert
Of wild thyme; or like his thighs
As though braised by God. She smiled
And dished up on willow,
Having a nice touch in framing
One-off scenarios.
After the feast, my father was a lover
Deeply enhanced.
I heard them go to bed,
Kissing – still inside her picture.
Later, I heard her sob
And guessed it was the hare
Troubled her. My father slept,
Stunned with tribute. She lay now
Outside her frame, in the hare’s dark
Hating her marital skills
And her lady-hands, that could flense a hare
Because she wooed a man.
In years to come,
I understood.
Does ‘She smiled’ in the next stanza accurately reflect her feelings?
Click here to return to the beginning of the poem 1

13. Jugged Hare
– by Jean Earle –
Activity G
From whose point of view is the poem written?
Menu 1
She mourned the long-ears
Hung in the pantry, his shot fur
Softly dishevelled. She smoothed that,
Before gutting – yet she would rather
Sicken herself, than cheat my father
Of his jugged hare.
A tender lady, freakish as the creature –
But resolute. She peeled it to its tail.
Oh, fortitude! Her rings sparked in and out
Of newspaper wipes. Blood in a bowl,
Sacrificial gravy. A rarely afforded
Bottle of port.
She sustained marriage
On high events, as a child plays house.
Dramas, conciliations –
Today, the hare. She sent me out
To bury the skin,
Tossed the heart to the cat.
She was in full spate.
How many times are the words ‘my’, ‘me’ and ‘I’ used?
How old would you say the girl is when this event occurs?
How do the last two lines affect the mood of the poem?
Click here to view next stanzas 2

14. Jugged Hare
– by Jean Earle –
Activity G
From whose point of view is the poem written?
Menu 2
Fragrance of wine and herbs
Blessed our kitchen; like the hare’s dessert
Of wild thyme; or like his thighs
As though braised by God. She smiled
And dished up on willow,
Having a nice touch in framing
One-off scenarios.
After the feast, my father was a lover
Deeply enhanced.
I heard them go to bed,
Kissing – still inside her picture.
Later, I heard her sob
And guessed it was the hare
Troubled her. My father slept,
Stunned with tribute. She lay now
Outside her frame, in the hare’s dark
Hating her marital skills
And her lady-hands, that could flense a hare
Because she wooed a man.
In years to come,
I understood.
How many times are the words ‘my’, ‘me’ and ‘I’ used?
How old would you say the girl is when this event occurs?
How do the last two lines affect the mood of the poem?
Click here to return to the beginning of the poem 1

15. Activity H Jugged Hare What is the mood of stanza five? Menu
– by Jean Earle –
Activity H
What is the mood of stanza five?
How far does it represent the mood of the poem as a whole?
Menu
Fragrance of wine and herbs
Blessed our kitchen; like the hare’s dessert
Of wild thyme; or like his thighs
As though braised by God. She smiled
And dished up on willow,
Having a nice touch in framing
One-off scenarios.
Consider the words shaded in yellow. Click to show shading.

16. Jugged Hare
– by Jean Earle –
Glossary
Click on the highlighted words to show their meaning
Jugged Hare
She mourned the long-ears
Hung in the pantry, his shot fur
Softly dishevelled. She smoothed that,
Before gutting – yet she would rather
Sicken herself, than cheat my father
Of his jugged hare.
A tender lady, freakish as the creature –
But resolute. She peeled it to its tail.
Oh, fortitude! Her rings sparked in and out
Of newspaper wipes. Blood in a bowl,
Sacrificial gravy. A rarely afforded
Bottle of port.
She sustained marriage
On high events, as a child plays house.
Dramas, conciliations –
Today, the hare. She sent me out
To bury the skin,
Tossed the heart to the cat.
She was in full spate.
Menu 1
hare cut in pieces and stewed with wine and other seasonings
untidy; in a mess
unusual in shape; (someone or something) odd or unusual
determined in following chosen course of action
uncomplaining courage
offering of a slaughtered person or animal on an altar to God or a god
to keep (it) going
bringing back to friendship after a disagreement
(children "play house" when they) pretend to be adults, and act out the daily activities they see their parents perform.
(said of a river) in a fast flowing state following heavy rain
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17. Jugged Hare
– by Jean Earle –
Glossary
Fragrance of wine and herbs
Blessed our kitchen; like the hare’s dessert
Of wild thyme; or like his thighs
As though braised by God. She smiled
And dished up on willow,
Having a nice touch in framing
One-off scenarios.
After the feast, my father was a lover
Deeply enhanced.
I heard them go to bed,
Kissing – still inside her picture.
Later, I heard her sob
And guessed it was the hare
Troubled her. My father slept,
Stunned with tribute. She lay now
Outside her frame, in the hare’s dark
Hating her marital skills
And her lady-hands, that could flense a hare
Because she wooed a man.
In years to come,
I understood.
Menu 2
willow (pattern) = design used in pottery, usually in blue on a white background, showing a Chinese landscape with a willow tree, bridge and human figures
plots, sequences of events for (fictional) work
improved in quality and intensity (especially something already good)
gift etc. given as an expression of admiration, affection etc.
strip the skin from an animal
Click here to return to the beginning of the poem 1