Visting Hour: Theme; Death

Visting Hour: Theme; Death

‘Visiting Hour’: Theme; Death

Immediacy of Death

• Death is an inescapable presence in the poem, permeating every stanza with its looming inevitability.
• The inevitable mortality is presented as a harsh reality, with the poem beginning with the impression of a ‘corpse’ already present.

Personification of Death

• Death is personified as a vanishing act, disappearing and reappearing throughout the poem.
• The speaker witnesses death silently stalking the hospital hallways, ‘vanishing’ people from their rooms.

Death Captured Through Metaphors

• The poem uses impactful metaphors to discuss death; the “books that will not be read” is a potent representation of unfulfilled life and the premature interruption brought by death.
• The ‘fruitless fruits’ also symbolise the sudden halt of life, making reference to an unripe end.

Emotional Consequences of Death

• The impending death of the speaker’s loved one opens up a floodgate of emotions; from fear and anxiety, to sadness and a sense of loss.
• Though death is a collective experience, MacCaig explores the deeply personal and individual impact it has, examining the process of grieving and confronting mortality.

Acceptance of Death

• Towards the end, the speaker grapples with a reluctant acceptance of death, signifying the natural order of life and its inescapable conclusion.
• Despite the sorrow, there is a stoic acceptance that life, despite its transience, is worth all the joy and pain.

Summary

• ‘Visiting Hour’ presents a profound exploration of death, its inevitability, and its emotional repercussions.
• Through stark imagery, metaphors, and personification, MacCaig offers a raw and realistic portrayal of the inevitability of death and the emotional turmoil associated with it.