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Portrait of Independence
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About the Poet
Edward James "Ted" Hughes (17 August 1930 – 28 October 1998)[1] was an English poet,
translator, and children's writer. Critics frequently rank him as one of the best poets of his
generation and one of the twentieth century's greatest writers. He was appointed Poet
Laureate in 1984 and held the office until his death. In 2008, The Times ranked Hughes fourth
on its list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945".
Poem in a Nutshell
The poem ‘The Laburnum Top’ is written by Ted Hughes. It is about a repaying relationship between
the Laburnum tree and the Goldfinch bird. The tree is yellow, silent and death-like and is made alive
by the bird and her young ones. The yellow bird has her shelter on the tree where she feeds her
young ones. But as soon as the bird leaves to fly in the sky, the tree becomes silent and death-like
again.
THE THREE LEVELS OF 'LABURNUM TOP': The literal, connotative and the
autobiographical
THE LITERAL MEANING
The literal interpretation of the poem 'Laburnum Top' presents a
complimentary relationship between the goldfinch and the laburnum tree.
The goldfinch, aka wild canary, builds its nest on the highest branches of
the Laburnum Tree. Hence, the poem is titled, 'Laburnum Top'.
At the beginning of the poem, one September afternoon, the top of the
laburnum tree stands silent and still. The poet uses alliteration and
personification (The laburnum top is 'silent'). The leaves are turning yellow
in autumn and the seeds have already fallen.
The arrival of the goldfinch is sleek, smooth, alert and abrupt (assonance)
like a lizard (simile). It quickly enters the dense foliage and it seems that a
machine that had lain dormant till then, awakens. The tree has been
compared to a machine (metaphor). The bird's family, quiet thus far in the
absence of the goldfinch, begin to chirrup (onomatopoeia) and twitch and
generally create commotion. The tree seems to have come alive as it seems
to tremble and thrill (alliteration and personification) with the movement of
the bird and its family. The birds thus are the engine (metaphor) of the
machine - the laburnum tree.
The goldfinch stokes this engine by feeding its family. Once they have been
fed, the goldfinch then flies away into the vast infinite sky leaving the tree
empty and once again, silent as it was.
METAPHORICAL / CONNOTATIVE MEANING
Ted Hughes wrote actively from 1954 to 1970 although a few poems did get published after this
period and even posthumously. The first industrial revolution began in 1750, however, it was the
, second industrial revolution beginning around 1850 which gradually large scale
industrialisation.
England's economy and environment were altered completely and in literature, poets and authors
attempted to draw man's attention back to nature.
By the time Ted Hughes wrote 'Laburnum Top', industrial revolution had taken England by storm and was
a part-and-parcel of everyday life. Hence it is no surprise that like Eliot, Ted Hughes refers to industrial
terms, (for instance, 'machine', 'engine', 'stokes it full') in his poetry for expansion of meaning.
For the Laburnum Top , scholars have interpreted the goldfinch as a symbol of industrial revolution which
entered rural, calm and serene England and quickly brought thrill and excitement. However, the poet
seems to claim that this revolution hid its true face behind a mask and when one looked beyond the
mask or when the initial impact of the revolution phased out, England was left emptier than ever before.
He might be referring here to the collapse of faith, rural serenity, human employment opportunities and
the pious environment.
THE PERSONAL/AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL ASPECT
A school of thought interprets 'Laburnum Top' as Ted Hughes' reflection on his relationship with
Sylvia. She was the goldfinch who entered his life smooth and abrupt, leading to thrill and
excitement. She eventually revealed her barred face mask that hid her true self and in her death,
he was left emptier than ever before, spiritually lifeless.
Mind map
Introduction:
Written by Ted Hughes, the poem focuses on the interaction between a laburnum tree and
a goldfinch bird, highlighting nature's beauty and transformation.
Style and Structure:
The poem is written in free verse with three stanzas.
It uses vivid imagery and enjambment, creating a natural flow that mirrors the movement
in nature.
Tone:
The tone is calm, reflective, and gentle, capturing the subtle beauty and quiet
transformation in the scene.
Genre:
The poem belongs to the nature poetry genre, emphasizing the connection between life
and nature.
Theme: Main Themes of "Laburnum Top":
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