Revelation: Stanza 1
“Revelation: Stanza 1: Revision Points”
Content and Context
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The poem opens with an intense and vivid depiction of the slaughtering of frogs, a regular farm task, setting the brutal tone of the poem.
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The first-person perspective puts us immediately in the speaker’s shoes, experiencing their emotional turmoil.
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Through the speaker, Lochhead explores her childhood experience of awakening to the harsh realities of life.
Language and Imagery
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Lochhead uses vivid imagery to bring to life the gruesome details of the farm work: cutting the throat of the frog and the spray of the blood.
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The word ‘pop’ is an example of onomatopoeia capturing both the sound and the sudden, violent nature of the act.
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The phrase ‘a hinge of blood’ is a compelling metaphor which depicts the violent, shocking nature of killing the frog, emphasising the speaker’s emotional response.
Themes
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This first stanza introduces the theme of loss of innocence through the shocking revelation of violence in the everyday world.
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Lochhead also explores the theme of violence and death depicted through the gruesome sceen of frog’s death.
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The themes of childhood and adulthood are employed to depict the transition from innocence to harsh reality.
Analysis
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Lochhead exploits the frog-killing episode as a metaphor for the speaker’s shocking revelation about the brutality of life.
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The violent imagery in this stanza serves to heighten the emotional intensity and the impact on the speaker.
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Lochhead utilises the contrasting emotions of childhood curiosity and adult horror to depict the speaker’s loss of innocence.