1. “Full Moon and Little Frieda” - Ted Hughes

2. Ted Hughes - Biography Born 17 August 1930. Died 28 October 1998 Married to Slyvia Plath who committed suicide in 1963 Lover Assia Wevill died in the same way. Frieda was first child of 2 from Plath born in 1 April 1960 FM&LF was a group of poems from the collection “Wodwo”

3. Full Moon and Little Frieda A cool small evening shrunk to a dog bark and the clank of a bucket - And you listening. A spider's web, tense for the dew's touch. A pail lifted, still and brimming - mirror To tempt a first star to a tremor. Cows are going home in the lane there, looping the hedges with their warm wreaths of breath – A dark river of blood, many boulders, Balancing unspilled milk. 'Moon!' you cry suddenly, 'Moon! Moon!' The moon has stepped back like an artist gazing amazed at a work That points at him amazed.

4. The Title Full and Little- Contrasting images Relating the two objects together Moon-Symbol What could Hughes be suggesting through this title?

5. First Stanza The evening can be said to be seen through Frieda’s eyes-links to the ‘and you listening’ It is a rural setting possibly on a farm. Hughes shows admiration for the beauty of nature. Tone of tranquillity and calmness present- suggested by the words ‘cool small’ Awareness of all the details –sights and sounds - ‘dog bark’ and ‘clank’. Sensory use of language.

6. Second Stanza ‘You’ can refer to both reader and Frieda Personification used in “a spider’s web, tense for the dew’s touch” – builds up sense of anticipation as if inanimate objects can sense something is going to happen. Crucial moment when evening approaches nightfall and the appearance of the “first star”. Sense of anticipation of the approaching night is created in the next 3 lines ‘tense’ ‘brimming’ ‘tempt’ Possibly refers to the physical and sexual maturation of a girl, and the poet uses exciting language to. The “clank of a [empty] bucket”, then the “pail lifted, … brimming” conveys the image of a bucket being filled, a metaphor for the growth of the girl’s body.

7. Third Stanza The “cows” are allegories for women and mothers, and the importance of “blood” and “milk” as symbols of female maturation. The cows udders are full with milk and their bony haunches are the “boulders”. First two lines describing the cows “Going home” and the comforting image using alliteration of “warm wreaths” contrasts with the last two lines referring to “ a dark river of blood”. This creates a darker tone. Is Hughes reflecting on his life and relationships with women e.g. Sylvia’s suicide or of the awareness of what awaits his daughter later on? The “river” is a metaphor for life.

8. Fourth Stanza The tone changes and Hughes and the reader is brought back to the subject of the poem. Repetition of ‘moon’ shows how it is now the point of interest. ‘you’ implies again that Frieda and Hughes are unaware she is still innocent. Her surprise and delight at the moon emphasises her still childlike innocence. This poem reflects on the relationship between father and daughter The final product of the transformation leads to the “artist gazing amazed at a work”, like a parent who has watched their child grow. Hughes is taken to be the moon admiring his child just as the moon gazes down on the beauty of earth.

9. Fifth Stanza ‘Him’ refers to Hughes Repetition of ‘amazed’ emphasises Hughes feelings for his daughter and her feelings of amazement at the splendour of the evening as she is on the brink of change. Returns to the peaceful setting of the countryside and the beauty of this moment. Despite everything the bond between father and daughter is still strong

10. Themes Relationships Memories Growing up Descriptions of nature Moon

11. Possible Exam Questions Explore the ways in which relationships are portrayed in “Full Moon and Little Frieda”. How does Ted Hughes create an atmosphere throughout the poem, “Full Moon and Little Frieda”?

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