All the bones were charred. Jump to navigation Jump to search. " - questions A straightforward question sheet to follow a reading of the poem. The images Levertov uses in "What Were They Like"—clouds reflected in … by Denise Levertov. Levertov makes a very interesting point with her poem her not just in content but also they way it is laid out. is a poem by Denise Levertov written as a protest against the Vietnam War, envisaging a future where the " genocide " that the American bombing campaign began has been completed, and nothing is known of Vietnam or its culture. Sir, their light hearts turned to stone. Try reading the poem using different combinations of tone to get this effect. The responder's identity is also not clear; s/he might be a Vietnamese person, a junior soldier, a tour or museum guide or a student. Denise Levertov wrote "What Were They Like?" Denise Levertov And A Summary of What Were They Like? Did the people of Viet Nam use lanterns of stone? Denise Levertov was born in Ilford, Essex, England, on October 24, 1923. by Denise Levertov (no rating) 0 customer reviews. Please add your comments. The message to the reader is that war only causes death and destruction. Throughout her poem, Levertov plays with this dualism revealing at the same time that the … The Destruction of Sennacherib by Lord Byron, Climbing My Grandfather by Andrew Waterhouse, Home Economics: Food and Nutrition (CCEA). Did they distinguish between speech and … Did the people of Viet Nam use lanterns of stone? How you ‘read’ the questioner and responder characters will affect the way in which the attitudes and themes within the poem are revealed. Priscilla Denise Levertov (24 October 1923 – 20 December 1997) was an American poet. eNotes plot summaries cover all the significant action of What Were They Like?. Denise Levertov Poetry? What Were They Like? What Were They Like By Denise Levertov 1. Denise Levertov Poetry? Her father, raised a Hasidic Jew, had converted to Christianity while attending university in Germany. Did they hold ceremonies to reverence the opening of buds? Levertov writes her poem with a sense of sadness. Denise Levertov was born in Ilford, Essex, England, on October 24, 1923. 'What Were They Like?' Try reading the poem using different combinations of tone to get this effect. This is furthered by the use of caesura , ‘tongue, beloved,’ disrupting the meter of the line and causing a breakdown of metrical flow, representing Levertov’s failing marriage. Her father, Paul Levertoff, was a descendant of Schneour Zalman, who founded Sir, their light hearts turned to stone. About Denise Levertov. As part of english coursework I have to find out why, on the first line of this poem are the words Viet Nam seperated. Author: Created by flabs84. The poem was written in protest of American involvement in the Vietnam War. The first person asks the second man how the people from ‘’Viet Nam’’ were like and also about their way of life. Did they distinguish between speech and singing? Comparisons and alternative interpretations are considered. Had they an epic poem? Did they use bone and ivory, Jade and silver, for ornament? In it, Levertov imagines a future in which the Vietnamese people and their culture have been more or less wiped out by the war. Did the people of Viet Nam use lanterns of stone? What Were They Like? Did they hold ceremonies to reverence the opening of buds? Denise Levertov, one of the most important American poets, was born in Ilford, Essex, England, in 1923. The people of Vietnam are portrayed as gentle, peace-loving, and family-oriented. The questioner could be a reporter, an army officer, a tourist, an. A dream ago, perhaps. By the time Denise was born he had settled in England and become an Anglican parson. What Were They Like? There is a mistake in the following lines: The first speaker, for instance, may be curious, annoyed or calm; the second may be polite, sarcastic or upset. Sir, their light hearts turned to stone. The last few slides have been reformatted in the question answer format. Levertov could be using sound to represent the path of her marriage, with the happiness they once had being disrupted by the ‘ache’ that began to set in, unhappiness beginning to take over. Were they inclined to quiet laughter? of poet Denise Levertov. 5.Had they an epic poem? Had they an epic poem? 6.Did they distinguish between… Did the people of Viet Nam use lanterns of stone? Perhaps they gathered once to delight in blossom, but after their children were killed there were no more buds. What Were They Like? " In "What Were They Like?" is an unusual poem because it takes the form of a question and answer session between two people who are looking back at the culture of Vietnam, following the Vietnam war (1955-75). 77 poems of Denise Levertov. 3.Were they inclined to quiet laughter? Poems are the property of their respective owners. What Were They Like? She was staunchly against the violence of war and the cost of its destruction to humanity. The poet was also influenced by Charles Olson’s essay “Projective Verse,” published in 1950, in which the entire focus remains on “the possibilities of breath” and the kinetics of a poem. Poem Hunter all poems of by Denise Levertov poems. And she certainly didn't mince words about it. by Denise Levertov criticises the destructiveness of war. The poem What Were They Like? Denise Levertov, an English-born American poet, published "What Were They Like" as part of her 1967 collection The Sorrow Dance. She had strong antiwar feelings that she expressed through her poetry. Sign in, choose your GCSE subjects and see content that's tailored for you. Her father, raised a Hasidic Jew, had converted to Christianity while attending university in Germany. Did the people of Viet Nam use lanterns of stone? There are clearly two speakers in this poem (the questioner and the responder) but it is not immediately clear who they are or what attitudes they have. Did they use bone and ivory, jade and silver, for ornament? Did they hold ceremonies to reverence the opening of buds? Did they use bone and ivory, jade and silver, for ornament? Denise Levertov is well-recognized to combine her own personal experience with historical facts. Had they an epic poem? Through her poetic skills, she is able to build up a new poetic vision. The questioner could be a reporter, an army officer, a tourist, an anthropologist or any number of other people. Content, ideas, language and structure are explored. During the course of a prolific career, Denise Levertov created a highly regarded body of poetry that reflected her beliefs as an artist and a humanist. In this unusually structured poem, Denise Levertov makes the reader think about the effect war has on the population and culture of a country, with specific reference to the Vietnam War (1955 – 75). The poem What Were They Like? Remember, most were peasants; their life was in rice and bamboo. One such protester was Denise Levertov, a British-born poet who moved to America and added her voice to the fray. or any number of other people. The poem opens with the oxymoron title “Life at War” that “prefigures the ‘impossible’ juxtapositions” that will appear later on in the poem (Rodgers 85). Did they hold ceremonies to reverence the opening of buds? Did they distinguish between speech and singing? The next half is the same structure as the first numbered one to six with responses correlating to the questions almost like an interview process. Ornament is for joy. How you ‘read’ the questioner and responder characters will affect the way in which the attitudes and themes within the poem are revealed. Had they an epic poem? Thank you. is currently included in the Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) English Literature poetry anthology, [4] and the Conflict cluster of the OCR GCSE (9-1) English Literature poetry anthology, 'Towards a World Unknown.' She deliberately used the matter of fact questioning to portray what Americans were seeing every night on television. The first speaker, for instance, may be curious, annoyed or calm; the second may be polite, sarcastic or upset. Levertov's 'What Were They Like?' This is a lesson on a poem which explores the consequences of the American attacks on Vietnam during the war. Were they inclined to quiet laughter? Read about our approach to external linking. Did the people of Viet Nam Use lanterns of stone? What Were They Like The Poem we have studied is 'What Were They Like' which was written in the 1960's by Denise Levertov. Were they inclined to quiet laughter? What Were They Like? Content, ideas, language and structure are explored. Our tips from experts and exam survivors will help you through. The speaker asks about their use of decorative stones, lanterns and ceremonies. Leben. Did they use bone and ivory, jade and silver, for ornament? Sir, their light hearts turned to stone. stone LANTERNS illumined pleasant ways. Did they hold ceremonies to reverence the opening of buds? Here you will find the Poem What Were They Like? Download the adaptable Word resource (subscribers only) Download the free PDF resource (free members and subscribers) See other resources: Anthology poetry for Edexcel (2015 onwards) Conflict | Anthology poetry for OCR (2015 onwards) | Levertov, Denise More resources by this contributor (1) … What were they like? Apart from “What Were They Like?,” the poem “Life at War” is one of Levertov’s well-known political poems. Complete summary of Denise Levertov's What Were They Like?. There are clearly two speakers in this poem (the questioner and the responder) but it is not immediately clear who they are or what attitudes they have. stone gardens illumined pleasant ways. Sir, their light hearts turned to stone. Did they distinguish between speech and singing? What Were They Like? She was a recipient of the Lannan Literary Award for Poetry . Loss, regret and even anger also run subtly throughout the poem. Denise Levertov war die Tochter einer walisischen Mutter und des russischen Priesters der anglikanischen Kirche Paul Philip Levertoff, der vom Judentum konvertiert war.Sie erhielt ihre schulische Ausbildung durch Privatunterricht. What Were They Like? Did they hold ceremonies To reverence the opening of buds? The first half of the poem, above, are questions a citizen might ask a soldier returning from war. in protest against the Vietnam War. Denise Levertov was a anti war protester, who protested about the loss of the Vietnamese culture and the cruelty of the Americans. The title of the poem suggests that the people of Vietnam are no more because of the war, they've been wiped out. By the time Denise was born he had settled in England and become an Anglican parson. Major themes within the poem include: war, culture and anger. Resource with a powerpoint lesson presentation on the poem What were they like? Created: Jun 29, 2017 | Updated: Feb 22, 2018. Underneath all of this, however, is the poet's voice. I knew that line was wrong but couldn't quite remember the correct line. by Denise Levertov. They should read: it is not remembered. by Denise Levertov, reprinted by permission of New Directions on behalf of Denise Levertov. It is not remembered whether in gardens It packs back ground information and analysis. It features in the Edexcel anthology of Literature exam poems. What Were They Like?, Talking To Grief, Aware This poem has not been translated into any other language yet. The responder's identity is also not clear; s/he might be a Vietnamese person, a junior soldier, a tour or museum guide or a student. It is not remembered whether in gardens What Were They Like Analysis GCSE Worksheet. Denise Levertov ⇒ What Were They Like? Did they use bone and ivory, jade and silver, for ornament? by Denise Levertov criticises the destructiveness of war. Her work embraced a wide variety of genres and themes, including nature lyrics, love poems, protest poetry, and poetry inspired by her faith in God. Were they inclined to quiet laughter? Life and war are terms in complete opposition. 4.Did they use bone and ivory jade and silver, for ornament? The poem "What were they like?’’ is presented as a conversation between the people. Innocence. by Denise Levertov. 'What Were They Like?' Preview. Were they inclined to quiet laughter? Beyond's What Were They Like analysis GCSE worksheets are perfect for use as exam preparation, homework or basic revision under the Edexcel syllabus. Had they an epic poem? Although she is critical about the way a nation and its culture could be disregarded, this is done very subtly through the way the poem is set out. 2. Did they distinguish between speech and singing? Second slide may be used as a starter activity by asking the students to respond to the imagery. Sir, laughter is bitter to the burned mouth. 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