‘Assisi’
by
Norman MacCaig
Past Paper Questions - 2010
Choose a poem which could be considered as having
a powerful message.
Show how the poet effectively conveys this message through
his or her use of poetic techniques.
Choose a poem in which the poet creates a
particular mood or atmosphere.
Show how the poet creates this mood or atmosphere by his
or her choice of subject matter and use of poetic techniques.
Choose a poem which portrays and interesting
character.
Show how the poet uses poetic techniques to make the
character interesting.
Past Paper Questions - 2009
Choose a poem which has as one of its central
concerns a personal, social or religious issue.
Show how the content and the poetic techniques used
increase your understanding of the issue.
Past Paper Questions - 2008
Choose a poem which creates an atmosphere of
sadness, pity or loss.
Show how the poet creates the atmosphere and what effect it
has on the subject matter of the poem.
Choose a poem which reflects on an aspect of
human behaviour in such a way as to deepen your
understanding of human nature.
Describe the aspect of human behaviour which you have
identified and show how the poet’s use of ideas and
techniques brought you to a deeper understanding of human
nature.
Past Paper Questions - 2007
 Choose a poem which creates pity or sympathy in you.
Show how the feelings of pity or sympathy are brought into
focus by the use of poetic techniques.
 Choose a poem which describes a scene or incident vividly.
Briefly state what is being described and then go on to show
how the poetic techniques used make the description vivid.
Who was St Francis?
Founder of the Franciscan Order, born at Assisi in
Umbria, in 1181, he was the patron saint of animals. He
came from a wealthy family, but he lived a poor life as
he loved the poor and pitied their suffering.
Situation
MacCaig observes a deformed beggar outside the
Church of St Francis in the Italian town of Assisi. The
beggar is ignored by the priest and tourists who are
being shown Giotto’s famous frescoes.
Themes
 The hypocrisy of the Church,
 The plight/isolation of the disabled,
 Rich v. poor/social injustice
 The apathy of society towards the less fortunate
Stanza 1
• MacCaig begins by describing the beggar using
brutal language.
• He is juxtaposed with the grand church of St
Francis.
• Tone is created through the negative and
unsympathetic description of the beggar.
‘Assisi’ - STANZA 1
The dwarf with his hands on backwards
sat, slumped like a half-filled sack
on tiny twisted legs from which
Description
of beggar in
negative
terms
sawdust might run,
outside the three tiers of churches built
Contrast
with grand
of the poor, talker with birds, over whom
church and
gentle saint
he had the advantage
in honour of St Francis, brother
of not being dead yet.
Juxtaposition
‘Assisi’ - STANZA 1
The dwarf with his hands on backwards
sat, slumped like a half-filled sack
on tiny twisted legs from which
sawdust might run,
Simile
Metaphor
Alliteration/
onomatopoeia
Dehumanise beggar. Emphasise physical
ugliness/ deformities
Suggests the sadness/pathos of beggar’s
existence /emphasises heaviness of his body.
‘Assisi’ - STANZA 1
outside the three tiers of churches built
in honour of St Francis, brother
of the poor, talker with birds, over whom
he had the advantage
of not being dead yet.
• Irony – being alive is the only thing going for him yet harsh
description suggests beggar would be better off dead
• Sarcastic –anger at the treatment of beggar.
• Emphasises that life is temporary - negates the only positive
thing about the beggar.
Stanza 2
• Stanza 2 moves inside the church where the
priest, who is acting more as a tour guide is
showing the aesthetic beauty of the church
and showing the paintings depicting the word
of God.
Stanza 2, lines 10-17
A priest explained
how clever it was of Giotto
to make his frescoes tell stories
that would reveal to the illiterate the goodness
of God and the suffering
of His Son. I understood
the explanation and
Hypocrisy – teaching others
the cleverness.
about God and ignoring the
need for charity in front of him.
Uselessness – teach to read
Stanza 2, lines 10-17
A priest explained
Enjambment
how clever it was of Giotto
to make his frescoes tell stories
that would reveal to the illiterate the goodness
of God and the suffering
of His Son. I understood
the explanation and
the cleverness.
Cliché –
lost all
meaning
Cynical/critical/unimpressed portraying superficial message but
ignoring the need for charity.
Stanza 3
• Introduction of the tourists.
• Priest continues to show the crowd around.
They ignore the beggar.
• Further brutal description of beggar – list of
deformities. Anti-climax – surprising
description of beggar’s voice which is “sweet”
and “gentle”.
Stanza 3, lines 18-27
A rush of tourists, clucking contentedly,
fluttered after him as he scattered
the grain of the Word. It was they who had passed
the ruined temple outside, whose eyes
wept pus, whose back was higher
than his head, whose lopsided mouth
said Grazie in a voice as sweet
as a child’s when she speaks to her mother
or a bird’s when it spoke
to St Francis.
Stanza 3
A rush of tourists, clucking contentedly,
fluttered after him as he scattered
the grain of the Word.
Absentmindedly following Not understanding message - highlights
the hypocrisy of the church and apathy of
society to the poor and disabled.
More interested in looking like
good Christians than actually being
one.
Extended
metaphor
Attitude Unfavourable/
disapproving.
Stanza 3
...
the grain of the Word. It was they who had passed
the ruined temple outside, whose eyes
wept pus, whose back was higher
than his head, whose lopsided mouth
...
Religious allusions
Stanza 3
said Grazie in a voice as sweet
Anti Climaxemphasise inner
beauty/contrast
with appearance
as a child’s when she speaks to her mother
or a bird’s when it spoke
to St Francis.
Innocence
Final line is a reference to St Francis
which drives home the poet’s message
and condemnation of those who ignore
his preaching in favour of admiring
physical beauty.
Looking at the poem as a whole
• Structure
– Each stanza begins with a description of one of
the main characters. 1- beggar, 2 – priest, 3 –
tourists.  reinforces the lack of contact between
them and the isolation of the beggar.
– Poem ends as it begins  more brutal
descriptions of the beggar and his disabilities.
“Assisi” is a poem of contrasts
 Dwarf and the church  juxtaposition of beggar and
church. “three tiers” -- “ruined temple”.
 Natural goodness of St Francis and the callous
indifference of the priest. Language used to
describe St Francis is good and pure. Language to
describe priest = elaborate, abstract which suggests
proud, pompous nature.
 Dwarf – he is ugly but voice is sweet
 Rich tourists ignore poor beggar
 Caring nature of Christianity – preaching vs.
practice.