What is the extended metaphor in nettles?
The extended metaphorthat portrays the nettles as soldiers in a war shows how parents feel like they are in a constant battle to keep their children alive. The poem presents a war between the nettles and a parent.
How does Vernon Scannell describe the nettles?
The semantics of war are used throughout the poem as Scannell describes the nettles as “green spears”, “a regiment of spite” and a “fierce parade” capable of inflicting “sharp wounds”.
Is green spears a metaphor?
The metaphor ‘green spears’ is the first military reference in the poem. They look reminiscent of the lines of spears being held by soldiers in ancient battle scenes. The nettles are dangerous in the same way as the spears. The flat surface will not harm but the edges are razor-sharp.
What does slashed in fury mean?
Hook = scythe And went outside and slashed in fury with it The father’s actions are He is relentless in as violent as the nettle his desire to stings. protect his son. Again the extended metaphor illustrates his anger at his past and the ongoing battle against them. Till not a nettle in that fierce parade.
How does Vernon Scannell use war imagery to describe the nettles in his poem nettles?
Scannell’s metaphor of nettles as soldiers is simple enough – the fresh shoots called ‘recruits’, the ‘fierce parade’ conjuring an image of hostile ranks – but its power is in the application.
What did Vernon Scannell write about?
Scannell writes about the conclusion to his army life, “Twenty-five years ago, 1945…was the year I made what might seem like a desperate decision and performed what might appear to be an act of criminal folly, manic selfishness, zany recklessness, abject cowardice or even, perhaps, eccentric courage.
What do Nettles represent?
Nettles, folk tales around the world agree, have long been associated with women’s domestic magic: with inner strength and fortitude, with healing and also self-healing, with protection and also self-protection, with the ability to “enrich the soil” wherever we have been planted.
What is the tone of the poem nettles?
What is it about? The poem is a short account of the day that the poet’s son was stung by nettles – and what happened afterwards. But more interesting than the events are the shadows of war that linger in the mind of the ex-soldier father, causing him to meditate on the cyclical nature of pain and violence.
What is Nettles about poem?
What happened to the son of the writer in nettles?
The poem is a short account of the day that the poet’s son was stung by nettles – and what happened afterwards. But more interesting than the events are the shadows of war that linger in the mind of the ex-soldier father, causing him to meditate on the cyclical nature of pain and violence.
What is the message of the poem nettles?
Themes in ‘Nettles’ The poem considers the relationship between parent and child, and how a parent strives to ensure the safety of their child. Childhood: The poem acknowledges that children will inevitably feel types of pain and come across certain hardships when growing up.
What is Vernon Scannell most famous for?
Scannell’s numerous poetry collections include Graves and Resurrections (1948), A Mortal Pitch (1957), Walking Wounded (1965), and Behind the Lines (2004). He wrote eight novels, including The Face of the Enemy (1961), The Dividing Night (1962), Ring of Truth (1983), and Feminine Endings (2000).
What is the meaning of the poem Nettles by Vernon Scannell?
The poem is titled ‘Nettles’ (Latin name Urtica Dioica) which is a metaphor for the pain and ‘stings’ that life will deliver through the years to his small son.
What is the metaphor in the poem Nettles?
One of the most interesting poetic devices used is the metaphor of war, drawing upon the battles in a person’s life. In “Nettles”, Vernon Scannell expresses how the son must eventually stand up on his feet, despite the father’s attempt to protect him though his life.
What does Scannell mean by Fierce Parade in Nettles?
Scannell’s metaphor of nettles as soldiers is simple enough – the fresh shoots called ‘recruits’, the ‘fierce parade’ conjuring an image of hostile ranks – but its power is in the application. This enemy stands just ‘behind the shed’ and the son can’t possibly escape them in his play,…
How does Vernon Scannell use war as a frame?
Vernon Scannell uses a parent’s love for their children as a frame through which to examine the harsh nature of the world, the grim realities of war, and also the memory of it — while the wartime analogies may sound crude to some, they do create the image of someone who’s mind is still trapped in a war that ended physically long ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r9cLq4kAiM