Gwen Harwood “Father and Child” Essay

The poem take and Child by Gwen Harwood shows Harwoods develop teaching her the concepts of flavor and dying, from when she is a young tiddler in barn beak up to when she is around forty at the time of his death in descent, coming to accept the idea that life is not never-ending. In part one called Barn Owl she has learnt to accept death as a component of life. The persona of the poem experiences a loss of white with the discovery of the tragedy of death. Before shooting the owl, the sister believes they are the master of life and death, with the noun, master, reflecting the power that the child feels and the ignorance that the child has about the nature of death. This description of the child is later contrasted in the fourth stanza, I watched, apprehensive by the fallen gun, a lonely child who believed death clean and final, not this obscene roll of stuff. The emotive term, afraid, represents the change in the personas attitude after being exposed to the abrasive reali ty that is mortality.However, the rhyme and last line what sorrows in the end, no words, no bust can amend releases an element of inexpressible sadness that she has towards the death of her bewilder showing that although she accepts death, it still upsets her as it did in Barn Owl. Father and Child Nightfall is more metaphorical and symbolic suggesting a more rise persona like an adult. The poem represents a humans journey over time of scholarship to mature and accept death. The poem Father and Child explores the reversing roles of fathers and childrens roles as time goes on. Nightfall is more metaphorical and symbolic suggesting a more mature persona like an adult, and is about a child grown to adult age spending time with her father before he dies.The symbolism of the imagery presented through the poem is of the passing of time, this is shown in words like temporal, transience, late, nighttime and day, grown and ancient, this represents the ageing of the father and child a nd emphasises how they have grown both physically and mentally. The use of the word angel in Barn Owl suggests the attachedness of the father-daughter relationship. Also the line I leaned my head upon my fathers arm, and wept, shows the caring and comforting nature of the father. However, Nightfall shows the childish nature towards her father starts to disappear and that she has developed great respect for her father. This is first implied through the phrase Father and child, we stand in times long promised land which shows they have a united front facing deathtogether.This is further emphasised through the rhetorical question of Who can be what you were? showing the appreciation for her father, as she recalls her fathers marvellous journey. Also, the use of direct speech from the father asking, Be your tears wet? is an allusion to Shakespeares play King Lear, where King Lear asks this same question to his upset daughter Cordelia on his death bed, this is where King Lear discovers that Cordelia was the only child that truly cared for him, suggesting that the persona has been faithful in caring for her father up until his death. Old king is a similar allusion again implying that the persona appreciates her fathers life thinking it was great and it needs to be treasured. Nightfall is suggesting that although loved ones pass, it is important to hold the memories shared close so spiritually, they are never really gone even though physically they have passed.