Poems of the Decade: The Lammas Hireling Summary Notes (A*)
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Course
Unit 3 - Poetry
Institution
PEARSON (PEARSON)
This document covers the poem: 'The Lammas Hireling' from the Poems of the Decade Poetry. I studied this poem for my A Level, Edexcel English Literature Exam as part of the poetry module. By constructing these summarises and notes these provided me with ideas and themes which I could for my essays ...
• Both represents the idea of the figure the persona is attracted to
• Introduces the idea of the loafmass festival. Representing the labour jobs that they have to
complete to earn a living
• ‘Hireling’ given no name. Focus more of the murder of the hireling. By not giving him a name
suggests the persona know nothing about him. Therefore, ambiguous for ideas of the
supernatural although equally used to question the integrity and assumptions made by the
persona.
• Feared superiority of the hireling and the supernatural
Structure:
• Four stanzas in total in the poem, each made up of six lines.
• Enjambment occurs between all of the stanzas to create the effects of ongoing quick and frantic
speech, with little opportunity to pause for reflection on what has been said. Helps to increase
the level of confusion felt by the reader.
• Half rhyme constant sound time and night. Thomas Hardy novels are echoed in the archaic
quality continued as the poem progresses
• Breaks between stanzas often act as ‘hinge points’ for the poem between the first and second
stanza when the tone shifts to be more mysterious and disturbing.
• Wide mix of difficult sentence lengths throughout ’the Lammas hireling’ varying from several
likes to only one line or less. Helps to encourage the feeling of confusion and makes the reader
see the narrator as erratic. Ending of the poem on one final line a contrast is shown in
comparison to the preceding lines because it feels much more rigid in structure. Reflects the
idea of conforming to the ideas of church and religion, which are shared through this idea of
‘confession’
• Becomes clear as to how often the word ‘and’ is repeated at the beginning of a line, occurring at
the beginning of five lines particularly at the first stanza. Idea of further building up a story, but
can be interpreted by a reader as indicating that this is fantasy and unrealistic. Further makes
actions of the narrator seem implausible by the end of the poem, and reinforce the confusion of
the reader, which forces them to consider the poem more extensively and question their views
on the truthfulness and authenticity of the piece. Encourages the reader to question the
authenticity of narrator's version of events, it raises the interesting question as to whether what
is written has been too easily trusted.
• Semantic field of the supernatural with words such as ‘warlock’, ‘night’ and ‘dark’ Adds layers to
the poem as it makes the reader question reality of situation continuing with scepticism of
narrator's story. Typical connotations of words include danger, mystery and the unknown and
this would make the reader apprehensive of the situation but potentially dismissive that the
events took place as described. Inclusion of the idea of religion and acts as a positive force
against ideas of negative supernatural imagery
, • Use of caesuras ‘cattle doted on him: in his time’ creates this idea of a list. Evidence the persona
uses to express the idea of the theme of the supernatural of the persona. Continued use of
caesuras and parataxis creates a sense of apprehension. Causes the reader to question the
readers integrity. Both expressing the ideas of the societal constraints on the reader due to the
pressures from his homosexuality. Equality suggesting apprehension and guilt from the persona
for the deed he has committed. More caesuras and short sentences in final paragraphs portray
the remorse of the persona for his unjustified action.
• View sound change and shift as the poem progresses- the long ‘.’ of light for example of the shift
between the pronouns ‘I’ and ‘him’ which enact the central relationship of the poem which ends
in such violence.
Language:
• ‘Lammas’ - festival of loafmass, 1 August – traditionally a time for Hireling help with the harvest
• ‘Light heart’. Perhaps the adjective ‘light’ suggests the joy that the persona gets for being
miserly towards his workers. Equally, this could immediately create a homoerotic tone in the
fascination he has toward the hireling.
• Specific word placements help to continue the sense of confusion relating to ideas of ‘light’
whether its physical light in weight or happy and positive connotations. First line describes a
‘light heart’ which alludes to an emptiness in love and emotion or alternatively a positive and
happy feeling. Oxymoron ‘light from the dark lantern’ makes the reader question effectiveness
of the lantern if it can’t show light and clarity on the situation which acts as a metaphor for the
confusing events of the second stanza linking to ideas of narrator’s wife, the hireling, and
warlocks all into one section. Moon is described as ‘yellow witness’ is interesting because it
could be interpreted as indicating that the light it gives (literally and figuratively) is somehow
tainted, in contrast to the typically ‘pure’ colour of white
• The juxtaposition between ‘heavy purses, he struck so cheap.’ This emphasises the economic
and miserly attitude that constraints the impoverished. The adjective ‘heavy’ creates a resentful
tone. The yeomen farmers are forced to watch the higher class while they have to continue with
their rural work.
• ‘Cattle doted on him’. The fascination and adoration of the cattle towards the Hireling equally
suggests the idea of homoerotic tones is in the attraction that species have towards the hireling.
Equally this creates a supernatural tone in his abnormal ability to be able to connect with the
animals. The preposition ‘on’ equally highlights this idea of homoerotic. Suggests the Hirelings
close connection to the animals
• ‘In his time’ creates a past tense to the poem. The story is being re-told. Therefore, this
attraction with the animals could highlight the idea of medieval witchcraft to act as an excuse
for the personas later action. The personal pronoun ‘his’ equally concludes the idea of
witchcraft, alienating from society by associating him with witchcraft practices.
• ‘Mine only dropped heifers, fat as cream’. The idea of the cow having a calf suggests he was only
able to get the cows to connect to reproduce for produce. The dynamic verb ‘dropped’ equally
suggests it was an occasional thing. Therefore, the stanza acts to provide the witchcraft way in
which the hireling managed to get the ‘yields doubled’.
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