White Hawthorne in the West of Ireland: Plot

White Hawthorne in the West of Ireland: Plot

“White Hawthorn in the West of Ireland: Plot”

Poem Introduction

• The poem takes readers on a journey through the landscape of western Ireland. The speaker observes the transition of the seasons and the changes in the natural environment.
• The poem acts as a reflection on the connections between the poet’s personal life, the history of Ireland, and the power of nature.

Speaker’s Journey

• The poem begins with the speaker, presumably Boland, observing the arrival of May in the West of Ireland, noted for its hawthorn blossoms.
• The act of marking this change in season and observing the simple beauty of the white hawthorn puts the poet in touch with the passing of time and the cycle of life.
• This observation leads the speaker to reflect on the wider historical context of Ireland and its symbolic relationship with the white hawthorn.

Reflection on Hawthorns and Folklore

• The beautiful blossoms remind Boland of the Irish folklore that considers the hawthorn tree to be magical, acting as a gateway to the otherworld.
• Boland expresses her doubt towards these myths and superstitions, questioning the validity of them.

Historical Digression

• Boland intertwines the story of Ireland’s Great Famine with the celebration of the blossoming hawthorn.
• The narrative then delves into the disparity between Ireland’s rural destitution and the London-based policies designed to alleviate the crisis.

Conclusion

• By the end of the poem, the speaker is left with an understanding of the hawthorn’s significance to her personally and to her ancestors.
• The poem concludes with a sense of unresolved tension between the idyllic beauty of the hawthorn in May and the pain of the historical context intertwined with it.