Sunday Dip

• Themes


  - Natural World

  - Happiness

  - Childhood
• Context


  - Romantic poet = emphasis on the natural world in the arts and literature

  - Simplistic language was a common trope of Romantic poets

  - Pantheism = universe is God's manifestation

  - Rural background, born into poverty = malnutrition + mental health issues

  - "Peasant Poet"

  - Sunday was the only holiday for kids who (like Clare) worked as labourers
• Important Quotes - LANGUAGE (4)


  "Sunday Dip"

  
  

  "thronged with merry boys"

  
  

  "seek" "run "wade" "dance"

  
  

  "try to lose their fears/ and laugh to hear the thunder in their ears."
• "Sunday Dip"

  
  

  "thronged with merry boys"

  
  

  CHILDHOOD + HAPPINESS


  An excitement and anticipation is immediately insinuated at the onset of the poem, with the verb "thronged" and adjective "merry." "Thronged" denotes a congregation as well as a hastiness; this is concomitant with "merry" which elevates the energy and eagerness. Perhaps, the jubilant atmosphere Clare constructs in the opening line is due to the time of the week the poem is set. "Sunday" was known to be a day of rest and freedom, as it was the only day children had to themselves in the working week. Hence, it is fitting for the boys to be "merry" at this point as they look forward to the prospect of fun and enjoyment.
• "seek" "run "wade" "dance"

  
  

  CHILDHOOD + HAPPINESS + NATURAL WORLD


  Through the use of dynamic verbs, Clare creates a semantic field that reinforces the buoyancy and adulation the boys feel towards the lake that they are visiting. Furthermore, the monosyllabic quality of the opening lines further accentuate the business and sheer excitement of the setting.
• Polysyndeton - lines 6 to 8

  
  

  CHILDHOOD


  The repetition of "and" highlights the impulsive and hasty nature of the boy's play. The pace of events at this point in the poem is quite rapid, as the boys (who are likely to not be competent swimmers) recklessly make their way to the deeper end of the lake. Thus, the quick succession of events is highlighted by the use of polysyndeton.
• "try to lose their fears/ and laugh to hear the thunder in their ears."

  
  

  CHILDHOOD + NATURAL WORLD + HAPPINESS

  Initially, we gain the impression that the boys are intimidated and unsettled by the depth of the water, which generates a feeling of fearful anticipation within us as readers. However, this small sense of danger is quickly dismissed with the subsequent line. The verb "laugh" is synonymous with merriment and happiness, which is contrasted with the typically ominous and imposing symbol of "thunder." Perhaps Clare includes the fact that the boys are "laughing" at "thunder" to emphasise their care-free and untroubled nature. Alternatively, the "thunder" can be interpreted to be a metaphor: it could possibly represent the swirling motion of the water, or the excited beating of the boys' hearts. Again, this would also serve to emphasise the care-free nature of the activity.
• Structural Points - 3

  Petrarchan Sonnet

  
  

  Octave, sextet + volta

  
  

  Iambic Pentameter + Rhyming Couplets
• Petrarchan Sonnet


  Clare write "Sunday Dip" in the style of a Petrarchan sonnet, which was typically used in love poetry. Here, Clare manipulates the style to capture the joy and contentment in childhood.
• Octave, sextet + volta

  In order to effectively communicate the vignette (a short scene capturing a moment), Clare divides his poem into an octave and sextet, with line 9 as a volta. The first octave is spent constructing a vivid image in the readers' minds - "setting the scene." The volta marks a shift in focus and events, as the vignette develops while the boys are now doing something different. Perhaps, the inclusion of the volta is employed to incite interest in us as readers, as the plot has now taken a turn. The subsequent sextet depicts how the boys are in potential danger as "the awkward load will scarcely bear them up." However, the sense of peril is quelled by the final line, Clare leaves us with an idyllic and wistful image. He comments on how it does not matter that the boat has broken, as the youthful boys do not concern themselves with productivity and rather enjoy their "Sunday Dip" through the company of others, against a backdrop of natural beauty.
• Iambic Pentameter + Rhyming Couplets ("up" + "stoop")


  The regular rhyme scheme allows the reader to appreciate the summer scene uninterrupted by any changes in the rhythm or flow of the poem. The rhyming couplet of line 11 and 12 could be considered a "half rhyme"; however, contextually Clare was from North Hamptonshire - the accent commonly heard in this area would allow for these two words to rhyme. This use of dialect with regular rhyme scheme concomitant with the constant rhythm of iambic pentameter, serves to emulate the qualities of speech. This is appropriate as the poem is a personal retelling of a poignant memory, and thus ought to be depicted with fondness and sentiment.
• Comparative Poem - Childhood


  Clear and Gentle Stream

  Captain Cook (To My Brother)
• Comparative Poem - Natural World

  Clear and Gentle Stream