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Love After Love
Poems from Different Cultures
Slide Contents
Author
Themes
What is it About?
Structure
Language
Examination Preparation
Links
The Author
Derek Walcott
Derek Walcott was born in St
Lucia, in the West Indies, in
1930. His mother was
African and his father was
English. He is a playwright
and a painter but is best
known as a poet.
In many of his poems he
explores his feelings of
conflict and isolation,
caught between European
culture and the folk culture
of his native Caribbean.
Themes
Universal Ideas
Universal themes are ideas which
could apply to any time or place.
Themes such as good and evil,
love and loneliness have been
written about by people all over
the world for thousands of years.
In Love After Love the main theme
is loneliness. The poet believes
that it is better to be alone and be
yourself than compromise who
you are by being in a relationship.
What is it
About?
What Happens?
There are three sections to this poem but do you know what they
are?
Lines
What is happening?
1 – 5
The poet says that after the break up of a
relationship you rediscover who you really are and
should be happy.
6 – 11
12 – 15
What Happens?
There are four sections to this poem but do you know what they are?
Lines
What is happening?
1 – 5
The poet says that after the break up of a
relationship you rediscover who you really are and
should be happy.
6 – 11
The poet celebrates by eating and drinking alone
to ‘get to know’ himself again.
12 – 15
He recommends removing evidence of previous
relationships and to sit back and appreciate your
life.
Structure
Structure
The poem is written in the second
person - as if the poet addresses the
reader directly. The style is like a
self-help book, full of commands
such as “sit”, “give”, “eat”, “take”
and “feast” and the poet uses
repetition (“give”, “love”,
“stranger” and “life”) to further
emphasise the instructional nature of
the poem.
This is a very optimistic poem. It
tells us that the time following the
breakdown of a relationship should
not be one of grief and pain but of
self fulfilment and recovery.
Language
&
Imagery
Natural Imagery
Look at the imagery used in the poem.
Why does the poet use these particular images?
Images
Give wine. Give bread.
Take down the love letters
from the bookshelf
Desperate notes
Peel your own images from
the mirror
Feast on your life
Effects of the image
A religious reference – suggests a
spiritual process or rite of passage.
Language Features
The poem uses three types of language.
Ceremonial References to religious ceremonies are
repeated.
References
to the self
The self is described as a person within you.
The poet says that we neglect our ‘self’ when
we love another.
Instructive
Language
The poet offers advice in a confident and
assured way.
Poetic Techniques
Match the technique with the correct definition.
Technique
Definition
Metaphor
the act or process of saying or writing
something again
Repetition
A figure of speech not meant literally
Personification
the attribution of human qualities to objects
Poetic Techniques
Match the technique with the correct definition.
Technique
Definition
Metaphor
the act or process of saying or writing
something again
Repetition
A figure of speech not meant literally
Personification
the attribution of human qualities to objects
Poetic Techniques
Think about the poetic techniques discussed on the last slide.
Copy down the chart below. Find examples in the poem and
write down the effect created.
Technique
Evidence Effect
repetition
‘will’
metaphor
personification
Will is repeated three times in the
first stanza to emphasise the poet’s
feelings of optimism and assurance.
Feelings and
Attitudes
1. The poet is positive and optimistic.
2. He thinks that it is important to spend time
getting to know yourself.
3. The poet believes that you would be
happier alone than living with someone else
and compromising your true self.
4. He is confident that his advice is good.
Examination
Preparation
The Examination Paper
• You will have 45 minutes to answer the
question.
• You will be asked to compare two poems.
• You should begin by annotating the question for
the key words. This will help you to understand
what you are being asked to do.
E.g. Compare ‘Love After Love’ with one other
poem which shows how poets use language to
convey their thoughts and feelings in their
poems.
Planning
• Spend between 5 and 10 minutes making
a plan. This will help you to order your
essay logically.
• Make a note of any key ideas you are
going to include.
• Leave at least 5 minutes at the end to
read through your work and check for
any basic errors.
Structure
Remember:
•
•
•
Write in paragraphs.
Don’t forget to P.E.E! Using a range of quotes that
are properly embedded within your answer.
Begin with an introduction and end with a
conclusion.
The main body of the essay should follow these five
steps to make a good answer:
•
•
•
•
•
Write about the theme
Compare the structures of each poem
Compare the use of language in each poem
Compare the feelings of the poets
Write about how the poems make you feel.
Making Connections
Use a series of comparisons, using connectives
to link ideas, both within paragraphs and
between paragraphs.
Similarity Connectives Contrast Connectives
• Equally
• In contrast
• In the same way
• However
• Similarly
• Whereas (best used in
the middle of a
• Likewise
sentence)
• Just as…also
• On the other hand
Refer back to the question repeating the
key words from it.
Analysis
Use the following words to link your Point -> Evidence ->
Explain sentences. The use of these words will also help to
ensure that your response is analytical.
suggests
implies
gives the impression that
shows
highlights
indicates
To make the same point using a different example, try one
of these:
furthers
emphasises
reinforces
Recap
1. When you are comparing poems you will be
asked to look for the similarities and the
differences.
2. You should comment on the language they
use. What poetic devices are present?
Imagery, similes, metaphors, alliteration,
onomatopoeia, personification, rhyme etc.
What effect do they have on the reader?
3. You will need to comment on the structure of
the poems. How are they set out? Does this
add to their overall effect/meaning?
4. Consider the tone of the poems. What mood
has the author created?
Links
Useful Links
‘Love After Love’ short film:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOTbZRg
OR6w&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvytgrDO
4eg&feature=related