Politics and Authority

London

The people of London are in a helpless situation, because of the decisions made by the government:

• ‘I wander through each chartered street’
• ‘mind-forged manacles’
• ‘Every black’ning Church appalls’
• ‘the hapless Soldiers sigh’

My Last Duchess

The Duke failed to have complete control over his wife, whilst she was alive so he controls her now that she is dead:

• ‘painted on the wall, Looking as if she were alive’
• ‘Will’t please you look sit and look at her?’
• ‘(since none puts by The curtain I have drawn for you, but I)’
• ‘Half-flush that dies along her throat’
• ‘I gave commands; Then all smiles stopped together.’
• ‘There she stands As If alive.’

The Charge of the Light Brigade

Every person is fallible. Unfortunately, the decisions made by those with authority can result in calamitous consequences.

• ‘ “Charge for the guns!” he said.’
• ‘ “Forward, the Light Brigade!” ’
• ‘Someone had blunder’d’
• ‘Theirs not to make reply… but to do and die’
• ‘Boldly they rode and well’
• ‘O the wild charge they made!’

Exposure

The photographer captures distressing moments that are experienced in war-zones. He also shows this to a Western audience but the government control what is to be seen:

• ‘spools of sufferings set out in ordered rows’
• ‘He has a job to do.’
• ‘his editor will pick out five or six for Sunday’s supplement
• ‘reader’s eyeballs prick with tears’
• ‘where he earns his living… they do not care.’

Storm on the Island

The storm represents the political divisions that were causing conflict in Ireland:

• ‘We are prepared’
• ‘The wizened earth has never troubled us’
• ‘leaves and branches Can raise a chorus in a gale’
• ‘no natural shelter’
• ‘You might think that the sea is company’
• We are bombarded by the empty air’
• ‘Strange, it is a huge nothing that we fear.’

Remains

The soldiers are performing their duty; they have been deployed to kill rebels:

• ‘we got sent out’
• ‘Well myself and somebody else and somebody else are all of the same mind’
• ‘Three of a kind all letting fly’
• ‘out on patrol I walk right over it week after week’
• ‘Then I’m home on leave.’

Tissue

The ideas and laws change, as a result of the government members making decisions for the nation:

• ‘If buildings were paper, I might feel their drift’
• ‘see how easily they fall away on a sigh’
• ‘a shift in the direction of the wind’

Kamikaze

The government had power over the Kamikaze pilots and coaxed them into performing suicide missions:

• ‘Her father embarked at sunrise’
• ‘samurai sword’
• ‘a shaven head of full of powerful incantations’
• ‘journey into history’

Checking Out Me History

The speaker is angry that the government determine what is worthy of being studied:

• ‘Dem tell me Wha dem want to tell me’
• ‘Bandage up me eye with me own history’
• Blind me to me own identity’
• ‘dem never tell me bout…’