Summary
Summary Stephen Spender - "Hampstead Autumn" - Analysis
This is a summary and analysis of the poem "Hampstead Autumn" by Stephen Spender.
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Hampstead Autumn is a poem by Stephen Spender. It is a poem ofchildhood reminiscence, and is spoken by a man who knows what he
can and cannot regain from the past.
BACKGROUND:
While Stephen and his brother, Humphrey were at boarding school,
the household moved from Sheringham to establish itself at Frognal,
in Hampstead. The house was rented on lease and was a great red
brick structure. Spender always thought it to be ‘ugly’ and ‘owl-like’
with its two hooded front windows. It is big enough for six family
members and five live-in servants. It was also near Hampstead Heath
(popular recreation area) for Mrs. Spender’s health.
Spender’s mother, Violet passed away at 44 and Harold, Spender’s
father, was prostrated with self-flagellating grief. The boys were
rushed home to Frognal.
The Spenders lived at Hampstead for 15 years - during which Stephen
Spender went through many ups and downs of life: losing his father,
various ailments, finding his footing in poetry and prose, questions of
sexuality and his Oxford days. Throughout all his trials and tribulations
of life, Hampstead was a common constant.
However, when the lease on Frognal was about to expire, Stephen
was not sorry, for as much as the Hampstead family house had meant
to him, half his income was going towards its upkeep.
Spender wrote a poem on leaving Frognal, entitled, “Hampstead
Autumn”.
The poem catalogues a range of nostalgic childhood memories and
then the poet defiantly affirms “now I reject them all” which perhaps
might be easier said than done.
, SPENDER’S ROOM AT HAMPSTEAD
Stephen and Humphrey shared a bedroom in the square tower which
rose over the slate roof of Frognal. Stephen recited poetry as they lay
in bed and Humphrey remembers conversations in the bedroom after
“lights out” in which Stephen confessed his intention of being a poet.
The room has two beds with iron frames enamelled a rich black, a
green carpet, a rug by the side of each bed, satin wallpaper, the
reproduction of two royal portraits by Holbein on the wall, the
mantelpiece with an imitation boot covered with hyacinths in china on
it. Wine red curtains. The whole room glowed in the electric light which
dazzled the whitewash above.
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Sentimentality
Hampstead Autumn is a childhood reminiscence of a mature man who
sorts out what he can and cannot regain from the past.
“In the fat autumn evening street – a vase now broken into fragments”
The speaker, presumably Spender himself, is reminiscing about his
childhood. The setting is autumn in the street where Frognal (his
house in Hampstead) is located. The line “hands from my childhood”
tells us that he is remembering his childhood and is overcome by
nostalgia. He remembers the muffin men of England ringing their bells
as they went around with trays of muffins on their heads. He
remembers the “incandescence” of electric lights behind the windows
in the numerous houses - where people lived and talked with each
other. “Gold warmth” suggests a very comfortable setting which in turn
shows us that the speaker saw this time in his life as comforting and is
something he still draws solace from.
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