Mother by seamus heaney

1-Read a poem Mother of the Groom by Seamus Heaney "it is attached" then write an Explication. It should be 500 - 800 words in length, double spaced MLA format.

2-Please know a character, historical event, and cultural context that is important in the poem. Then Determine the basic design of the poem by considering the who, what, when, where, and why of the dramatic situation.

3-Explication Guidelines is attached. Please read and follow the guidelines while you are writing about Mother of the Groom explication.Writing a Poetry Explication A poetry explication is a relatively short analysis which describes the possible meanings and relationships of the words, images, and other small units that make up a poem. Writing an explication is an effective way for a reader to connect a poem’s plot and conflicts with its structural features. This handout reviews some of the important techniques of approaching and writing a poetry explication, and includes parts of two sample explications. The large issues Determine the basic design of the poem by considering the who, what, when, where, and why of the dramatic situation. ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ What is being dramatized? What conflicts or themes does the poem present, address, or question? Conflicts are: man vs. man (or woman), man vs. self, man vs. nature, man vs. society. Conflict moves the action along. A theme is the larger idea the poet is trying to communicate. Who is the speaker? Define and describe the speaker and his/her voice. Remember, the speaker is not necessarily the same as the poet.What does the speaker say? Who is the audience? Are other characters involved? What happens in the poem? Consider the plot or basic design of the action. How are the dramatized conflicts or themes introduced, sustained, resolved, etc.? When does the action occur? What is the date and/or time of day? What is the context? Where is the speaker? Describe the physical location of the dramatic moment. Why does the speaker feel compelled to speak at this moment? What is his/her motivation? The details To analyze the design of the poem, we must focus on the poem’s parts, namely how the poem dramatizes conflicts or ideas in language. By concentrating on the parts, we develop our understanding of the poem’s structure, and we gather support and evidence for our interpretations. Some of the details we should consider include the following: ▪ ▪ ▪ Form: Does the poem represent a particular form (sonnet, sestina, etc.)? Does the poem present any unique variations from the traditional structure of that form? Rhetoric: How does the speaker make particular statements? Does the rhetoric seem odd in any way? Why? Consider the predicates and what they reveal about the speaker. Syntax: Consider the subjects, verbs, and objects of each statement and what these elements reveal about the speaker. Do any statements have convoluted or vague syntax? ▪ Vocabulary: Why does the poet choose one word over another in each line? Do any of the words have multiple or archaic meanings that add other meanings to the line? Use the Oxford English Dictionary as a resource. The patterns As you analyze the design line by line, look for certain patterns to develop which provide insight into the dramatic situation, the speaker’s state of mind, or the poet’s use of details. Some of the most common patterns include the following: ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ Rhetorical Patterns: Look for statements that follow the same format. Rhyme: Consider the significance of the end words joined by sound; in a poem with no rhymes, consider the importance of the end words.