Hawk Roosting

• who wrote Hawk Roosting?

  Ted Hughes
• what type of poet was Hughes?

  20th century
• when was the poem written?

  after cold war
• what is Hughes recognised for?

  his affinity with the natural world
• what did Hughes say the poem is about and how does it contradict some interpretations?

  Hughes said its about the power of nature however some believe it to be about the power of humans
• what may the hawk represent?

  presents power of human tyrants / fascist dictators and leaders like hitler
• what is anthropomorphism?


  animals with human thoughts
• structure?

  6 x 4 line stanzas - organised may suggest that the hawks rule is unbreakable and absolute
• what does the frequent enjambment show?

  disregard for rules
• what kind of word is "sit" ?

  verb / passive may suggest he is at peace due to his power
• " i sit in the top of the wood , my eyes closed"
• what person is the poem written in?

  first person
• what do the personal pronouns " I " , "my " ," mine" suggest?

  they are frequently used to symbolise the self centered nature of the tyrant
• " hooked head and hooked feet "
• " sleep rehearse [perfect kills and eat "
• " And the earths face upwards for my inspection "
• " my feet are locked upon the rough bark "
• " now i hold creation in my foot "
• " my manners are tearing off heads "
• " no arguments assert my rights "
• " Nothing has changed since i began "
• " i am going to keep things like this "
• what tense is the poem written in ?

  present which may suggest that the hawk has always existed and will continue to exist - message about power = infinite
• what are the themes in Hawk Roosting ?

  power

  nature
• what poems can you compare to the theme of power?

  Ozymandias
• what poems can you compare the theme of nature ?

  death of a naturalist

  The prelude