In the "Hitcher" by Simon Armitage, and one poem you have studied by Carol Anne Duffy (i.e. "Education For Leisure"), and "The Laboratory" by Robert Browning and one other poem you have studied from the pre-1914 poetry bank (i.e. "The Man He Killed" by Thomas Hardy), comment upon how evil / violence / death is presented.
Death is an emotional subject, often connected to feelings of grief, sadness and loss. All four poems deal with death in an interesting and unusual way. The characters do not experience the usual emotions associated with death, and are in the case of “Hitcher,” “The Laboratory” and “Education For Leisure” (“EFL”), unrepentant about killing. All poems present death from the point of view of the murderers and because of this we are given an often chilling insight into the macabre workings of psychotic minds.
All these poems share – among other things – one particular characteristic: that they are all dramatic monologues, in that the reader takes the part of the silent listener (excepting “The Laboratory” where the apothecary is the silent listener). This allows the reader to become almost intimate with the speaker – and through inference and conjectures, the hidden meanings of the speaker’s often casual statements can be derived. Death and violence are harshly portrayed within all of the poems – except “The Man He Killed” which represents death as a negative thing.
The Laboratory
Structure:
v Twelve stanzas, four lines each, rhymed AABB.
v Anapaestic Metre (two unstressed syllables, followed by a stressed one) - creates a jaunty effect, which seems unsuited to the poem's subject. Intentional: situation too ridiculous to warrant any serious attention.
v Subtitle: ANCIEN RÉGIME - form of rule or government (pre-revolutionary France), suggesting that the speaker comes from a bygone age to distance Victorian readers from (then perceived) unacceptable values.
Realises the saying: “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” Embittered woman (aristocrat and has means and influence) – disappointed in love.
Language:
v 1st: strong rhyme – adds to surprise; language – places in ancien regime; last line repetition – emphasises woman’s chilling intent.
v 3rd: harsh words (“grind, moisten, mash, pound”) shows harshness of deed.
v 4th: seduced by woman and “soft phial” – perhaps lulls us into a false sense of the characteristics feminine softness. Words associate with the exotic and jewels used in conjunction with poison – she sees the poison as jewels. Totally unaffected by death.
v 6th: flippant, offhand and casual tone as she thinks about killing two women. Monosyllables and alliteration in the last two lines emphasises sense of finality. Deranged and dangerous woman.
v 7th: strong rhyme and use of “and” to link key ideas heightens the enormity of the deed and her callousness.
v 9th: enjambment emphasises the intimacy the lovers share, carries the thrust of her argument far more forcefully. Contempt for woman – isn’t strong like opponent.
v 10th: alliteration of strong “b” sound shows the remarks of a woman scorned in love.
v 12th: “gorge gold to your fill” suggests real greed. Suggests literal eating of money – not very healthy.
Attitudes and feelings:
v The murder is for a purpose: revenge. Not blind. She has a purpose.
v Intimidated by opponent. “she’s not little, no minion like me.” Envious of her (“that to pulse’s magnificent come-and-go.”
v Aristocratic lady of wealth – however, rather watch apothecary make poison, than dance at the king’s.
v Cruel as she delightfully contemplates killing two women.
v Determined to get her revenge.
v Will even stand being kissed by old man.
v Callous: disappointed because of the colour of the poison! Wants it to be sweet so her opponent can enjoy the drink but suffer pain from the death.
Themes:
Revenge, retribution, casualness about murder, corruption (money can buy everything), brutality. Also, “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” is perfectly realised.
Education For Leisure (Ironic: speaker's education has done little good)
Structure:
v Five stanzas - four lines (quatrains) each. Unrhymed and with irregular metre. Many lines are in the form Alexandrine (six iambic feet). The lines are mostly end stopped, and every stanza concludes with a full stop.
Language:
v 1st: Matter of fact first line about death shows he’s insane – bored, restless, craves attention + recognition. Wants to be powerful (“…play g-d”), is arrogant. “Grey” – represents metonymy (dullness). Last line: alliteration to emphasise irritable feeling. “Stirring” – as if waiting for right opportunity. Violent language – chilling because calm tone gives impression he thinks his behaviour is normal.
v 2nd: kills fly: reminds him he was ignored at school. NOT IMPRESSIVE. Seems to enjoy it. Frighteningly malicious. Pun on Shakespeare’s King Lear: “As flies to wanton boys are we to the g-ds / they kill us for their sport.” Gloucester takes the killing of flies as a metaphor for casual suffering that falls on men. The speaker here does it literally, but he also thinks of killing people literally. Totally missed the point. Doesn’t understand it. Felt excluded. Killed fly for that reason. Violent language. Breathes on mirror – thinks it’s special talent.
v 3rd: Mentions Shakespeare and thinks he’s a genius. Claim contrasts with what he or she does. He’s not. Arrogant. Nothing to back claim up. Blames others for own failures (e.g. “… half a chance”).Wants to change the world. Wants to exert power over society. Limits by saying “something’s world” (i.e. cat’s). Cat hidden = afraid, not because it thinks speaker is a genius.
v 4th: Kills goldfish. Pathetic attempt a humour. Kills casually. Scary. Lost the plot: thinks killing things is genius. Scaring pets = poor attempt at being powerful (besides how does a budgie panicky – insane). Speaker is egotistical. “I see that it is good” sounds biblical – trying to live up to divinity. Fails pathetically of course. Destroys instead of creates. Rejected, although character thinks he/she deserves to be recognised.
v 5th: Sounds disappointed. Nothing left to kill. “Superstar” suggests untruthfully he’s famous. “He cuts me off” gives idea for knife. Sounds purposeful and violent. Not satisfied with animals. Payments are tempting and alluring. Threatening the reader. Been ignored for too long. Literally reaching out.
Egotistical – repeats “I” so many times.
Attitudes and Feelings:
v Resentment at being ignored.
v Determination to leave mark on world.
v Calmness – casual about killing.
v Enjoyment of killing and scaring pets.
Themes:
Mindless murder, consequences of ignoring someone.
Hitcher
Structure:
v Five stanzas – five lines each. Most end with a full or half rhyme. Not all lines conclude with a full stop.
v Short and long lines.
v Position of the caesura (pauses) varies.
Features creates effect of conversational speech / thoughts running through a person’s mind.
Language:
v 1st: words emphasise the pressure he’s facing. Technology doesn’t agree with him. Not really ill: in fact, he’ a lazy person, a malingerer. Too fast a pace of life. Also a hitcher.
v 2nd: A dramatic image of travelling – “following the sun to west from east.” Language shows Hitcher is living a relaxed, easygoing lifestyle. Contrasts with speaker’s lifestyle. “Blowin’ in the wind” Bob Dylan song. Double-edged (as he says: “… he said, was blowin’ in the wind, or round the next bend”).
v 3rd: Violence is shocking because its too sudden. No build up. Savage and sustained. Extreme violence. And violent language – describes graphically. Boasting: “Didn’t even swerve.”
v 4th: Mocking tone. Pretending to be considerate (“to let him out”. Although they’re the same age, he doesn’t pity him. He has a detached tone – not bothered by him” bouncing off the kerb.” In fact he’s amused. Flippant language – sick jokes about attack. Enjambment after last line – sense of tumbling over form one to another. Casual violence emphasised by causal tone.
v 5th: Making fun off Hitcher (he’d said he liked the breeze to run his fingers” personifying breeze). Not only has he killed/injured him, but he’s now MOCKING HIM!!! Sick! Throughout the poem he’s stressed. But now, after attacking someone, he’s relaxed. Alarming – to be relaxed he needs to be violent! Doesn’t even care anymore about the Hitcher as his mind turns to the weather!
Contrasts:
v One hitches to a specific place for a specific reason; the other is following the sun.
v One is going to work; the other appears not to work.
v One navigates by town and city names; the other by points of the compass.
v One is a victim of his work; the other has a carefree attitude.
v One learns about weather from the forecast; the other loves sun and wind.
Attitudes and feelings:
v Driver is a coward. His argument is with himself, his way of life, his boss and not with the Hitcher who has an easygoing life.
v Stress
v Detachment as he kills.
v Jealousy because of the easygoing lifestyle of the Hitcher.
v Spite of the Hitcher.
Themes:
Psychopath killing for fun.
The speaker is remorseless.
The Man He Killed
Structure:
v 5 stanzas – four lines each. Written in a simple metre.
v abab rhyme.
v Most of the lines are end-stopped.
v Circular structure as speaker ends poem with same sentiment he begins with: war makes people kill those who they would normally be friends with.
v Short lines.
Features help to make the piece almost like a nursery rhyme.
Language:
v The rhyme is simple and its nursery rhyme quality is ironic: contrasts to the serious subject (like TL). Association with child’s nursery rhyme with war emphasises grimness of subject.
v 1st: Speech marks shows it’s a monologue – meant to be spoken aloud. Establishes common ground between him and the man he killed (saying they would have been friends).
v 3rd: Murder is described in a matter of fact way. Contrasts with serious message. Emphasises his bitterness. Repetition of “because” shows soldier is hesitant: stumbling over reason why he killed the man. The reason is artificial: “…of course… that’s clear…” are ironic, undermines that by saying “although.”
v 4th: Informal and colloquial language. Almost as if speaker is talking to reader. Makes the relationship more intimate. Thoughtful language – empathises with the man he killed. Sadness at death because he signed on to the army for a job – not because he liked to kill. This shows he’s like speaker.
v 5th: first line is laden with irony. Means the opposite. Killing a man is not “quaint and tragic.” It’s tragic as he’s put into a situation where he has to kill a man. Comes back full circle.
Feelings and attitudes:
v Irony: killed a man whom he might have been friend with in another situation.
v Puzzlement: troubles soldier that the man he killed was like himself.
v Tragedy of war.
Themes:
How devastating war is. How wrong killing is.