Gwen Harwood Glass Jar Essay

732 Words3 Pages
‘Tension between an individual and life experiences is what creates interest in the poetry of Gwen Harwood.’ To what extent does this statement reflect your response to your Harwood poem? Tension is an unavoidable concept burrowed in each and every individual’s lives and when presented in the poetry of Gwen Harwood, particularly The Glass Jar, it undoubtedly creates interest for the reader. Within The Glass Jar, tension between an individual and their life experiences is engaging for the reader as it invokes thoughts and emotions, and they can relate to the familiar scenario. Tension is a notion that when explored in Hardwood’s poem can create a range of emotions from pity to embarrassment to exasperation which stay with the reader. The basic plot and relationships presented within the poem are universal, which allows for a deeper connection to the tension presented. It is through both the familiarity and the emotional facilitation existent within The Glass Jar that tension between and individual and life experience can create interest and engage a reader. The Glass Jar allows the reader to feel a range of emotions which vary according to the levels of tension within the poem. Long sentences combined with enjambment, within and across stanzas, create a slow calm atmosphere which a reader will experience; allowing them to believe that all is well. Religious imagery and allusion, such as “sun’s disciples”, “bless” and “holy commonplace” constructs reverent and sanctified thoughts within the reader’s mind which sets them at ease. Throughout the poem the syntax changes abruptly from flowing to sharp with harsh constant sounds such as “claw” and “thicket”. The change of tone has the utmost impact and builds tension as it juxtaposition directly replaces the mood of serenity with one of distress and fear. When the child awakes in fright the reader feels pity which
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