Theme of Motherhood

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

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

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

"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.

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

“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

“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

“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

“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

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

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.

1Ozymandias - Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)

1.1Ozymandias Analysis

1.1.1Summary

1.1.2Key Ideas

1.1.3Themes

1.1.4Irony & Rhythm

1.1.5Key Quotes & Comparisons

1.1.6End of Topic Test - Ozymandias

2London - William Blake (1757-1827)

2.1London Analysis

2.1.1Summary

2.1.2Themes & Structure

2.1.3Themes & Structure 2

2.1.4Key Quotes & Comparisons

2.1.5Exam-Style Questions - London

3Storm on the Island - Seamus Heaney (1939-2013)

3.1Storm on the Island Analysis

3.1.1Summary & Structure

3.1.2Themes

3.1.3Themes 2

3.1.4Key Quotes & Comparisons

3.1.5End of Topic Test - Blake & Heaney

4Exposure - Wilfred Owen (1893-1918)

4.1Exposure Analysis

4.1.1Summary

4.1.2Personification

4.1.3Themes

4.1.4Structure, Key Quotes & Comparisons

4.1.5End of Topic Test - Exposure

5War Photographer - Carol Ann Duffy (born 1955)

5.1War Photographer Analysis

5.1.1Summary

5.1.2Themes

5.1.3Imagery

5.1.4Comparisons & Key Quotes

6My Last Duchess - Robert Browning (1812-1889)

6.1My Last Duchess Analysis

6.1.1Summary

6.1.2Characterisation & Themes

6.1.3Structure, Key Quotes & Comparisons

6.1.4End of Topic Test - Duffy & Browning

7The Prelude - William Wordsworth (1770-1850)

7.1Extract from The Prelude Analysis

7.1.1Summary

7.1.2Personification & Imagery

7.1.3Themes

7.1.4Key Quotes & Comparisons

7.1.5End of Topic Test - The Prelude

8Charge of the Light Brigade - Alfred Tennyson

8.1Charge of the Light Brigade Analysis

8.1.1Summary

8.1.2Themes

8.1.3Rhetorical Techniques, Key Quotes & Comparisons

8.1.4End of Topic Test - Charge of the Light Brigade

8.1.5Exam-Style Questions - Charge of the Light Brigade

9Bayonet Charge - Ted Hughes (1930-1998)

9.1Bayonet Charge Analysis

9.1.1Summary

9.1.2Themes

9.1.3Themes 2

9.1.4Structure & Key Comparisons

9.1.5End of Topic Test - Bayonet Charge

10Poppies - Jane Weir (Born 1963)

10.1Poppies Analysis

10.1.1Summary

10.1.2Theme of Motherhood

10.1.3Imagery

10.1.4Form, Structure & Key Comparisons

10.1.5End of Topic Test - Poppies

11Tissue - Imtiaz Dharker (Born 1954)

11.1Tissue Analysis

11.1.1Summary

11.1.2Themes & Symbolism

11.1.3Religion & Conflict

11.1.4Form, Structure & Key Comparisons

11.1.5End of Topic Test - Tissue

12The Emigree - Carol Rumens (Born 1944)

12.1The Emigree Analysis

12.1.1Summary & Structure

12.1.2Themes

12.1.3Key Quotes & Comparisons

12.1.4End of Topic Test - The Emigree

13Kamikaze - Beatrice Garland (Born 1938)

13.1Kamikaze Analysis

13.1.1Summary & Structure

13.1.2Themes

13.1.3Themes 2

13.1.4Structure, Quotes & Comparisons

13.1.5End of Topic Test - Kamikaze

14Checking Out Me History - John Agard (Born 1949)

14.1Checking Out Me History Analysis

14.1.1Summary

14.1.2Themes

14.1.3Key Quotes & Comparisons

14.1.4End of Topic Test - Checking Out Me History

15Remains - Simon Armitage (Born 1963)

15.1Remains Analysis

15.1.1Summary

15.1.2Themes: Desensitisation &Trauma

15.1.3Themes: Guilt

15.1.4Themes: Nature of War

15.1.5Structure

15.1.6Key Quotes & Comparisons

15.1.7End of Topic Test - Remains

16Grade 9 - Themes & Comparisons

16.1Grade 9 - Themes & Comparisons

16.1.1Grade 9 - Themes & Comparisons

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