Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Poems: ‘Ol’ Higue’ and ‘Le Loupgarou’


The what - Content:

  • Theme – The supernatural, stories used to explain unknown or phenomena. Beliefs held by society custom - culture
  • Ol’ Higue – name given to woman who haunts babies – this results in sickness or death.
  • Practices govern how this situation is treated – use of salt, rice grain and the sun.
  • This belief has held its root and will not go away – because as long as babies get sick  and die – blame will be cast on Ol Higue.
The Form – Layout of poem
  • 3 stanzas written in free verse – this facilitates the type of poem – dramatic monologue – persona’s expression of her feelings. This also allows for introspection as well as involvement of the reader/listener to participate in the situation.
The How - Structure
  • Dramatic monologue
  • Diction – use of colloquial and expression relating to society eg. ‘dry-up woman’
  • Movements among and within paragraphs – reader/listener invited to sympathize with her pleading to listeners – then to justification of actions – acceptance of relevance to society and mothers.
  • Use of punctuation and lineation – question marks, ellipsis, exclamation – facilitates the dramatic monologue style, supports the changes in emotions and the need for the listener/reader to see from her point of view.
  • Use of imagery – ‘few drops of baby blood’ blood running in new veins, ‘fly come’(literal and figurative)
  • ‘Believe me-‘short line – to prepare the reader and solidify what is to come – an acceptable truth.
  • See Notes on English B pg. 32-33
Comparison to other poem
  • ‘Le Loupgarou’ – a sonnet -   hence more structure is evident in terms of lineation, rhyme scheme
  • Use of end and eye rhymes, poem divided into an octave and sestet
  • Delving in the world of the supernatural – a realistic situation – a man Le Brun – being used and told as something supernatural.
  • Story told as a rumour – section about him turning into a werewolf – this is to both facilitate the extent of his actions what happened to him and the women’s dislike of him.
  • Use of imagery and literary devices – oxymoron ‘Christian witches’ howled and lugged.
  • Both poems Caribbean in nature – custom and tradition – affects practices done and treatment given to and by people.
Ol’Higue’s story facilitates the mothers’ explanation for the unexplained (sick or dead baby) – while the story of Le Brun and what has been added on by the women – facilitates their gossip and what the community holds on to.

34 comments:

  1. this is totally not on the topic but Justin Bieber rocks! xD :$

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  2. This was really helpful, especially since I have an assignment to do on these two poems. :) Fantastic work.

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  3. check out this link for a better explanation http://paynterliterature.weebly.com/ol-higue.html

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    Replies
    1. WOW THIS LINK IS REALLY GOOD THANKS ANONYMOUS

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    2. I checked out your site Anonymous. It's really helpful indeed. Thanks a lot. I will be using it from now on for references.

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  4. this waz kinda helpful since i have a pile of home work

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  5. Ms. Farika Atkins from WBS? A Lie!!!!!!!

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    Replies
    1. u need a cockmeat sandwich owa

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    2. hold on there, ms. atkins a really you that from wolmers

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  6. Thanks so much.. I have a test tomorrow and this really hepled me understand

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    Replies
    1. This really helps, especially like how my teacher just gave me this to study for tomorrow's test.

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  7. crap it doesnt even say the personas

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  8. It's alright, anybody writing CXC in 2016?

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  9. describe the folk belief on which the poem is based

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  10. she gat a fat firery cat meow look how de werewolf stan up wen e see she

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  11. same ting i say all de puss suckers put ya an in a de air

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    Replies
    1. you are so disgraceful you should brush your teeth

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    2. who de hell u speaking too you should shut up and stop polluting the f-ing atmosphere

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    3. feel u bad owa , doh talk to my bretheren like u better than him boi i will mash yuh up more than a big truck does stamp a stray dog

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    4. the man who a breed you ma a nighttime

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  12. I have Exam tomorrow....This totally helped me...I screenshot this Shxt..

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  13. I have Exam tomorrow....This totally helped me...I screenshot this Shxt..

    ReplyDelete
  14. These post are really helpful:)

    ReplyDelete