Hawk Roosting - Language, Structure, Context

Question 1

Ted Hughes

Answer 1

Not very open about the meaning of his poetry - deliberately muddies the water
Was the Poet Laureate and wrote many poems about the natural world

Question 2

1960

Answer 2

Height of the Cold War
Concerned about communist dictatorships

Question 3

Structure

Answer 3

6, 4-line, stanzas
Regularity gives the impression of stable power and control

Question 4

Nature

Answer 4

Presented as competitive, violent and dangerous

Question 5

Rhyme

Answer 5

One rhyming couplet - emphasis
Could show how the hawk loves killing and eating
Strong sense of harmony from the couplet
For the hawk, it seems that life perfectly fits - the fact that the rhyme doesn’t carry on could mean it is an illusion

Question 6

Language

Answer 6

A lot of formality and poeticism
But also a lot of blunt language

Question 7

Stanza 1

Answer 7

Hawk reflects on its position on top of the world: both literally, being on top of the tree, as well as being on top of the food chain

Question 8

Stanza 2

Answer 8

Reflects on how the natural world is to the hawk’s advantage

Question 9

Stanza 3

Answer 9

Reflects on how the hawk has a God-like nature and a perfect design

Question 10

Stanza 4

Answer 10

Reflects on its power and ability to dominate

Question 11

Stanza 5

Answer 11

Reflects on its unchallenged power

Question 12

Stanza 6

Answer 12

Repeats that its power is permanent

Question 13

Context and Meaning

Answer 13

Poem is not about cruelty, Hughes just wanted to show the Hawk’s natural way of thinking
Presents power as lack of caring and cruel dominance
Suggests that those in power are indifferent to the suffering of others and only care about the permanence of their power.
Possible that the hawk is a commentary on the dictators of the 20th Century, particularly as a hawk sitting on top of a wreath was a Nazi symbol.

Question 14

First person

Answer 14

Uses first person to emphasis the hawk’s egocentric nature