Hawk roosting

• Introduction

  Hawk roosting is written by Ted Hughes and first published 1960 as a part of his larger collection of work ‘Lupercal’ which explores themes of nature, violence and power. In the poem Heaney writes a dramatic 1st person monologue from the perspective of a violent and predatorial hawk. He uses violent and biblical language to present nature as a dominating, threatening thing, achieving his goal of writing the bare, un romanticised truth about nature as he perceives it.
• Context (pt 1)

  Born and grew up in Yorkshire

  Wanted to display nature as how he viewed it and not romanticised

  Links to dictators - after WW2 many in Europe

  Hughes lived in England 1920s and during significant cultural and social change in aftermath of WW2
• Context (pt2)


  many critics said poem was displaying fascist dictators - eagle on a wreath was nazi symbol- Hughes denied but theme runs throughout

  ‘Hawkish’ used to describe politicians supporting military intervention and prepared to invade other countries the same way Hawk invades preys territory in the poem
• Context (pt 3)


  Medieval times hawk was symbolic creature, King of hunting

  First published 1960 as part of collection ‘lupercal’ which explores themes of nature, power and violence
• Dramatic 1st person monologue
• Regular structure - ordered and controlled to reflect dominance
• eloquent - shown through mastery of language and emphasised power
• “I sit in the top of the wood”


  Dominant - literally and figuratively unchallenged

  Shown from start - gives reader no doubt of Hawks power
• ‘my eyes closed’

  not scared - no one to challenge him - no fear

  Dictatorship - damage doesn’t impact as so far from it
• ‘No falsifying dream’ 


  doesn’t need to dream or create fiction - has everything he could ever want - reinforces power and dominance
• ‘my hooked head and hooked feet’

  use of repetition shows impressive physical form

  hard alliterative ‘H’ suggests aggression

  Connotes weaponry
• ‘In sleep rehearse perfect kills and eat’

  instinctive ‘in sleep’

  superlative shows he’s at top ‘perfect’

  killed before - can be interpreted that kills for fun
• ‘Convenience of the high trees’ 


  Nature is working with him
• ‘are of advantage to me’

  narcissistic - helpful to him - only for him
• ‘Earths face upwards for my inspection’


  Believes more important / powerful than any other

  Almost God-like
• ‘It took the whole of creation‘


  religious connotations

  sense of superiority
• ‘my feet are locked’

  absolute power - nothing can knock off
• ‘Now I hold creation in my foot’

  hyperbole, hubris - almost a God-like quality quality and feels he’s surplanting God

  Heirachal
• ‘or fly’

  enjambment

  makes seem fluid, easy, complacent

  fly and move when and where he wants
• ‘revolve’


  world revolves around him
• ‘I kill where I please’ 


  indiscriminate

  controls fate of all other animals - connotes to dictatorship and hierarchy
• ‘There is no sophistry in my body’ 


  doesn't need manners as he can do what he wants and has no one to get anything from - in complete control

  presents nature as free
• ’my manners are cutting off heads-‘

  cut off of sentence reflects violence of the action

  denounces need for violence
• ‘for the one path of my flight is direct’


  will not be diverted- no cause or purpose

  everything easy and definite - no one t change or influence ‘path’ - reflects power
• ‘no arguments assert my right’


  power is undeniable and absolute

  doesn’t have to explain why
• ‘the sun is behind me’


  nature facilitates for him
• ‘allotment of death’ 


  God given behaviour

  satanic connotations reflect darker side of nature
• ‘nothing has changed since I began’

  use of ‘began’ not birth suggests made for control - only purpose in life

  shows history supports him
• ‘I am going to keep things like this’

  shows arrogance and complete control

  Conveys ease to control nature - by humans
• simple sentences highlight simplicity of his life