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Flashcards in Hawk Roosting Deck (25)
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1
Q

Form

A

No rhyme scheme shows that he is free and with no rules afforded to him

Dramatic monologue - silent audience illustrates how everything else is powerless against him

First person narrative emphasises narcissism but also gives sense of authority

End-stopping gives lines a decisive feel, especially last stanza

Only rhyming couplet is ‘feet and eat’ showing how killing is perfect to him and comes naturally

Monosyllabic language illustrates how killing is simple to him

Dashes slow the pace, sadistic, he likes to draw out the pain

2
Q

Structure

A

Cyclical - shows how nothing will ever change and the power will remain his

Stillness at the beginning and end, violent and sadistic movement in the middle

Ending with a statement about the future illustrates insurmountable confidence.

‘Eyes closed’ -> meditative, no worries

Framing device -> beginning and ending with ‘I’ emphasises hubris

3
Q

Language

A

Arrogant, assertive and selfish
Overuse of personal pronouns

Frequent use of negative statements suggest the hawks rejecting of rules of society and perhaps a deeper disdain

4
Q

top of the wood

A

Imagery of superiority

Symbol of his conquering nature

5
Q

Hooked head and hooked feet

A

Aspirates

Repetition insinuates that he is crooked -> morally

6
Q

Perfect kills

A

Juxtaposition

7
Q

The convenience of the high trees!

Are of advantage to me

A

Orator , powerful
Arrogant -> the world has been created around him

It sounds as if nature was made for him

Exclamation shows he enjoys his power, sadistic

8
Q

Suns ray

A

Light imagery juxtaposes the dark content

9
Q

face upward for my inspection

A

inferiority -> looks down on them literally and figuratively

Inspection sounds sinister and emphasises superiority

10
Q

It took the whole of Creation

A

Self entitled

Pride - nature had to work hard to make him, and now nature is at his mercy

11
Q

Now I hold Creation in my food

A

Arrogant

Presents himself as god like

12
Q

Revolve .. slowly

A

Grim anticipation

Sadistic comfort

13
Q

I kill where i please because it is all mine

A

‘It?’
Fact
Juxtaposition of ‘kill’ and ‘please’ - it pleases him to kill; sadist

14
Q

tearing off heads

A

Violent imagery

15
Q

The allotment of death

A

Juxtaposition

Allotment is somewhere where things would normally grow and Live

16
Q

through the bones of the living

A

Juxtaposition - he views others a material which is simply for his consumption- ironic constant shows his constant pursuit and view that anything he sees as living is already dead

Violent image of the hawk swooping

17
Q

No arguments assert my right

A

Tyranny

Merciless

18
Q

The sun is behind me

A

God-like

The beginnings of nature worked with him, now he ruled

19
Q

I am going to keep things like this

A

That’s nice dearie

20
Q

Simple sentences without caesura

A

Decisiveness

21
Q

In sleep

A

Even when asleep, he finds violence not only undisturbing, but actually calming - intensely gruesome image

22
Q

Nothing has changed since I began

A

Absolute power throughout its whole life -> inherently superior

23
Q

Corporeal imagery

A
‘Eyes closed’ 
‘Hooked head and hooked feet’
‘feet, foot’ 
‘No sophistry in my body’
‘My eye’ 

It is perfectly adapted to be powerful

24
Q

Reflection on human nature

A

Tyrannical leaders (Nazi eugenics)

More radically, the tyrannical humanity

25
Q

Locked up on the rough bark

A

Harsh consonance shows his brutality