10.1.2

Theme of Motherhood

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A Mother's Grief

The poem is a depiction of a mother’s pain and grief as she sends her son to war. Here are the techniques used to emphasise her grief:

Metaphor and rule of three

Metaphor and rule of three

  • “All my words flattened, rolled, turned into felt”.
  • This indicates that the mother’s grief and fear has left her speechless.
Metaphor and simile

Metaphor and simile

  • “On reaching the top of the hill I traced / the inscriptions on the war memorial, / leaned against it like a wishbone”.
  • Climbing to the top of the hill could be a metaphor for her struggle to deal with the grief of sending her son to war.
Caesura

Caesura

  • "I listened, hoping to hear / your playground voice catching on the wind."
  • The caesura (breaks in the line) in the last stanza could indicate her faltering voice as she is on the verge of tears.

Parents Letting Children Go

The poem explores the difficulty parents face of allowing their children to become independent and enter the world and all the dangers it brings. Weir explores this idea through symbolism and similes:

Opening the door symbol

Opening the door symbol

  • “to the front door, threw / it open”.
  • You could argue that this is symbolic of the mother accepting her son’s choice.
Freeing a song bird symbol

Freeing a song bird symbol

  • “Released a song bird from its cage”.
  • This could reflect her acknowledging and trying to come to terms with her son’s desire for freedom and independence.
Flying from the pear tree symbol

Flying from the pear tree symbol

  • “Later a single dove flew from the pear tree”.
  • This could reflect her acknowledging and trying to come to terms with her son’s desire for freedom and independence.
Treasure chest simile

Treasure chest simile

  • “the world overflowing / like a treasure chest”.
  • This simile indicates that the mother recognises her son’s excitement and is understanding about the opportunities that await him.

Maternal Love

The mother's love for her son is emphasised throughout the poem through these techniques:

Possessive pronouns

Possessive pronouns

  • Use of possessive pronouns “I” and “your” throughout the poem give a sense of the close bond between mother and son.
Tactile images

Tactile images

  • “run my fingers through the gelled / blackthorns of your hair”.
  • “I traced / the inscriptions on the war memorial".
    • Tactile (relating to touch) images emphasise the mother's desire for closeness.
Jump to other topics
1

Ozymandias - Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)

1.1

Ozymandias Analysis

1.1.1Summary1.1.2Key Ideas1.1.3Themes1.1.4Irony & Rhythm1.1.5Key Quotes & Comparisons1.1.6End of Topic Test - Ozymandias1.1.7Diagnostic Misconceptions - Defining Caesura1.1.8Diagnostic Misconceptions - Identifying Caesura1.1.9Diagnostic Misconceptions - Analysing Caesura
2

London - William Blake (1757-1827)

2.1

London Analysis

2.1.1Summary2.1.2Themes & Structure2.1.3Themes & Structure 22.1.4Key Quotes & Comparisons2.1.5Exam-Style Questions - London2.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Defining Repetition2.1.7Diagnostic Misconceptions - Identifying Repetition2.1.8Diagnostic Misconceptions - Analysing Repetition
3

Storm on the Island - Seamus Heaney (1939-2013)

3.1

Storm on the Island Analysis

3.1.1Summary & Structure3.1.2Themes3.1.3Themes 23.1.4Key Quotes & Comparisons3.1.5End of Topic Test - Blake & Heaney3.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Fear
4

Exposure - Wilfred Owen (1893-1918)

4.1

Exposure Analysis

4.1.1Summary4.1.2Personification4.1.3Themes4.1.4Structure, Key Quotes & Comparisons4.1.5End of Topic Test - Exposure4.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Define Personification4.1.7Diagnostic Misconceptions - Ident. Personification
5

War Photographer - Carol Ann Duffy (born 1955)

5.1

War Photographer Analysis

5.1.1Summary5.1.2Themes5.1.3Imagery5.1.4Comparisons & Key Quotes5.1.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Defining Similes5.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Identifying Similes
6

My Last Duchess - Robert Browning (1812-1889)

6.1

My Last Duchess Analysis

6.1.1Summary6.1.2Characterisation & Themes6.1.3Structure, Key Quotes & Comparisons6.1.4End of Topic Test - Duffy & Browning6.1.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Cheating Wife
7

The Prelude - William Wordsworth (1770-1850)

7.1

Extract from The Prelude Analysis

7.1.1Summary7.1.2Personification & Imagery7.1.3Themes7.1.4Key Quotes & Comparisons7.1.5End of Topic Test - The Prelude7.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - "Her"
8

Charge of the Light Brigade - Alfred Tennyson

8.1

Charge of the Light Brigade Analysis

8.1.1Summary8.1.2Themes8.1.3Rhetorical Techniques, Key Quotes & Comparisons8.1.4End of Topic Test - Charge of the Light Brigade8.1.5Exam-Style Questions - Charge of the Light Brigade8.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Tennyson a Soldier?
9

Bayonet Charge - Ted Hughes (1930-1998)

9.1

Bayonet Charge Analysis

9.1.1Summary9.1.2Themes9.1.3Themes 29.1.4Structure & Key Comparisons9.1.5End of Topic Test - Bayonet Charge9.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - NOT COTLB9.1.7Diagnostic Misconceptions - Soldier Running Away
10

Poppies - Jane Weir (Born 1963)

10.1

Poppies Analysis

10.1.1Summary10.1.2Theme of Motherhood10.1.3Imagery10.1.4Form, Structure & Key Comparisons10.1.5End of Topic Test - Poppies10.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Defining Enjambment
11

Tissue - Imtiaz Dharker (Born 1954)

11.1

Tissue Analysis

11.1.1Summary11.1.2Themes & Symbolism11.1.3Religion & Conflict11.1.4Form, Structure & Key Comparisons11.1.5End of Topic Test - Tissue
12

The Emigree - Carol Rumens (Born 1944)

12.1

The Emigree Analysis

12.1.1Summary & Structure12.1.2Themes12.1.3Key Quotes & Comparisons12.1.4End of Topic Test - The Emigree12.1.5Diagnostic Misconceptions - Emigrant vs Immigrant
13

Kamikaze - Beatrice Garland (Born 1938)

13.1

Kamikaze Analysis

13.1.1Summary & Structure13.1.2Themes13.1.3Themes 213.1.4Structure, Quotes & Comparisons13.1.5End of Topic Test - Kamikaze13.1.6Diagnostic Misconceptions - Defining NP13.1.7Diagnostic Misconceptions - Identifying NP
14

Checking Out Me History - John Agard (Born 1949)

14.1

Checking Out Me History Analysis

14.1.1Summary14.1.2Themes14.1.3Key Quotes & Comparisons14.1.4End of Topic Test - Checking Out Me History
15

Remains - Simon Armitage (Born 1963)

15.1

Remains Analysis

15.1.1Summary15.1.2Themes: Desensitisation &Trauma15.1.3Themes: Guilt15.1.4Themes: Nature of War15.1.5Structure15.1.6Key Quotes & Comparisons15.1.7End of Topic Test - Remains15.1.8Diagnostic Misconceptions - Casual Tone
16

Grade 9 - Themes & Comparisons

16.1

Grade 9 - Themes & Comparisons

16.1.1Grade 9 - Themes & Comparisons
17

Recap: Main Quotes

17.1

Recap: Main Quotes

17.1.1Ozymandias - Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)17.1.2London - William Blake (1757-1827)17.1.3Storm on the Island - Seamus Heaney (1939-2013)17.1.4Exposure - Wilfred Owen (1893-1918)17.1.5War Photographer - Carol Ann Duffy (born 1955)17.1.6My Last Duchess - Robert Browning (1812-1889)17.1.7The Prelude - William Wordsworth (1770-1850)17.1.8Charge of the Light Brigade - Alfred Tennyson17.1.9Bayonet Charge - Ted Hughes (1930-1998)17.1.10Poppies - Jane Weir (Born 1963)17.1.11Tissue - Imtiaz Dharker (Born 1954)17.1.12The Emigree - Carol Rumens (Born 1944)17.1.13Kamikaze - Beatrice Garland (Born 1938)17.1.14Checking Out Me History - John Agard (Born 1949)17.1.15Remains - Simon Armitage (Born 1963)

Practice questions on Theme of Motherhood

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    What techniques are being used in this quote showing the mother's grief?<br>_“All my words flattened, rolled, turned into felt”_True / false
  2. 2
    Complete these quotes showing the mother's grief in Poppies:Fill in the list
  3. 3
    _“On =reaching the top of the hill= I traced / the inscriptions on the war memorial, / leaned against it like a wishbone”_.<br>What might the mother climbing to the top of the hill symbolise in this quote?Multiple choice
  4. 4
    Symbols and images related to parents letting children go in Poppies: Fill in the list
  5. 5
    Which of these quotes are symbolic of the mother letting her son go in Poppies?True / false
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Summary

Imagery