Assisi Flashcards
Key themes of Assisi
Isolation
Hypocrisy
Religion
STANZA 1
” dwarf with his hands on backwards sat, slumped like a half filled sack “
MacCaig employs brutal language to describe the dwarf ~ seems unsympathetic. His intention is to draw our attention to his plight ~ his deformity. MacCaig dehumanises the dwarf deliberately ~ he seems more like a puppet or scarecrow
STANZA 1
” tiny twisted legs from which sawdust might run, outside the three tiers of churches built”
Juxtaposition. Contrast between deformed, poor beggar and the big, beautiful and wealthy church
STANZA 1
” built in honour of St Francis, brother of the poor, talker with birds”
Highlights hypocrisy of the church. A church dedicated to the poor and unfortunate isn’t helping the dwarf. Failure of the church in its duty to the needy. Injustice of the church
STANZA 1
” over whom he had the advantage of not being dead yet “
Sarcastic tone
Ironic
STANZA 2
” a priest explained how clever it was of Giotto to make his frescoes tell stories”
Our attention has turned to priest who is leading tourists around. Priest is acting more like a tour guide than a spiritual leader
STANZA 2
” I understood the explanation and the cleverness “
MacCaig is fully aware of how wrong the priest is in his action even though the tourists may not
STANZA 3
” rush of tourists, clucking contentedly “
Metaphor. Tourists compared to clucking chickens. Suggests that the tourists are stupid and like chickens the tourists just follow the priest and each other. Can’t think for themselves. They don’t question anything the priest says ~ easily led. Ignorant towards the beggar
STANZA 3
” fluttered after him as he scattered the grain of the word “
They are eating up everything the priest is saying to them. They don’t question the priest
STANZA 3
” it was they who had passed the ruined temple “
Dwarf is being referred to as a ruined temple. The tourists have admired the beautiful images of God but ignoring the dwarf ( also and image of God )
STANZA 3
” whose eyes wept pus “
Suggests that the dwarf is in a really bad state and has health issues. He is probably dying. ‘Pus’ has associations with disease. Makes the reader feel more sympathetic
STANZA 3
” whose back was higher than his head”
Further emphasises how deformed the dwarf is. Makes the reader feel angry towards tourists and priest for ignoring him
” whose lopsided mouth said Grazie in a voice as sweet “
In spite of the fact the dwarf is ignored and offered no help. We are surprised that the dwarf is still so humble and says Grazie
