This document covers the poem: 'Ode of a Grayson Perry Urn' 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 ...
• Relations to the poem by Keat- Ode of a Grecian Urn
• Instead of representing traditional values it represents the modern life being immortalised by a
urn
• ‘Grayson Perry’ being a person potentially reminiscing of that of someone
• ‘Urn’ suggests something being immortalised in time forever
Structure:
• Five stanzas made of ten lines. Inspired by Keat’s work, and also can be seen as creating a link to
the past through the structure, which in turn enables greater consideration of the present
through language techniques and choices. The ‘traditional’ rigid stanza structure may be seen by
some readers as effectively juxtaposing old and new ideas, and could be particularly effective at
indicating a traditional poem, when in fact the content is very contemporary.
• Similar rhyme scheme. All stanzas have initial ABAB pattern, with first three then continuing to
CDEDCE and the last two CDECDE. Same rhyme scheme as Keats, the inclusion in each stanza of
the poem is slightly different. Miltonic sestet (with the first and fifth stanzas ending in CDEDCE,
the second stanza CDECED, and third and fourth stanzas CDECDE), simple pattern with first
three stanzas matching, followed by the last two stanzas matching. Readers are aware of the
difference may interpret is as a representation of the changes in society over time, and this
different rhythm used to show how a metaphorical ‘rhythm of society’ may have developed.
Readers who aren’t aware of these changes and would consider the poem more at face value
understand the complex rhyme scheme as showing complex and diverse society of today.
• Iambic pentameter creates a regular rhythm buffing likes on line but do not realize at young age.
• Use of enjambment and end-stopped line adds an inconsistent element to otherwise
predictable structure to add greater diversity and freedom to the sound of the poem. Seen as
helping to make the poem feel as if it is progressing faster, perhaps reflecting the perceived
faster pace of life in modern society and the speed of communication and connection between
individuals. Pace of poem is important to consider because of the way in which it impacts a
reader’s ability to fully take in all aspects of the poem, and becomes more challenging to
appreciate the structure to encourage the reader to go through the poem multiple times.
• Semantic field of poem is based around words related to stereotypical inner city and urban
culture with examples such as ‘estates’, ‘daily express’, ‘children’, ‘motorways’ and even
references to ‘Calvin's’ and ‘donut Os’ - but this is juxtaposed against more traditional words
(‘louts’ ‘gaudy evocation’ and ‘kitschy’) and aren’t commonly used among younger generations,
which creates a sense of tradition. Readers may interpret this as a satirical view on a l ack of
understanding between generations, such as the words that they use and the activities they do,
which in turn could be seen as recognising the way in which society has shifted and changed
since ‘Ode on a Grecian Urn’ was written.
• Use of an exclamation mark in ‘Hello!’. By having one word to start it off potentially highlight the
poem as an illustration of the urn. Creates a sense of a more open society and creates a level of
, informality that is expressed in the following rhetorical question ‘What’s all this here?’.
Rhetorical question suggests the idea of one examining the urn carefully. Poem brings the
illustrations to life to condemn society for their merciless actions and reckless behaviour in
which they do not consider the consequences
• ‘Cars on crap estates, the Burberry clad louts’. The alliteration on c uses the consonance. Plosive
use highlighting the brutality and merciless nature of society, and the ignorance of the youth
towards this.
• ‘Throaty turbo roar’. Alliteration expressing the disturbance caused by the youth in today's
society and their disturbance and neglect of traditional values
• ‘Calm- the screech’ use of the dahs implies the breaking of this calm in society that is caused by
the disturbance of the youth
• Constant's use of caesuras throughout the poem in ‘lose traction, skid and flip, no harm befall
these children.’. The consistent use of causers here to through the poem slows down the pace.
Expresses the anxieties of society in the constant dangers that they are faced yet do not
acknowledge. By slowing the pace, it emphasises each little danger to create an atmosphere of
anxiety for the youth. Equally the use of full stops within a sentence and enjambment between
stanzas continue this idea of erratic and confusion from this disturbing behaviour that occurs
within society
• ‘Sue for peace – tranquillity, though, is for the rich’. The disturbance of the youth and the
difficulty to gain peace and quiet in society
• Use of italics in ‘how happy were those creates the...’. idea of speech which is ironic as
technically the images cannot talk. By potentially adding speech to immortalised images creates
fears of the uncertainty over the lives that they will live in the future.
Language:
• Opening poem with speech, with the friendly ‘hello!’ is surprising to the reader and immediately
sets the tone for the poem as being less serious, more fun and definitely friendly and
approachable. Exclamations and questioning as part of this initial description would be very
effective at making the poem feel more inclusive, which is important for the poem as it
discusses a range of aspects of modern society so openly. Sets the tone of the poem to be
informal which is important for some subjects raised and overall semantic field.
• Begins with the idea of the domestic and traditional lifestyles suggested in ‘kitschy vase’.
Highlights the loss of this way of life by representing this new way of life
• ‘Shirley temple manque’/ Shirley was a child actor who got famous young and who many
children had aspired to be like. Expresses the naïve and idealised version of kids today
suggesting this story has ‘knocked out delineating tales of kids in cars’. Persona appears to be
condemning this suggesting that this has over glamourised society, meaning that children are
now naïve and unaware of the dangers that they may face
• ‘Creating bedlam on the queen highway’. Through images representative of that of the higher
class and middle class it suggests the idealised version of society that is unattainable by others.
Highlights in the adjective ‘bedlam’ the nightmares that are caused in society
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