Assisi Annotation Poetry of - PowerPoint Presentation

1. AssisiAnnotationPoetry of norman maccaig

2. Poet’s Main IdeaThis poem is an encounter MacCaig has with a beggar outside the Basilica of St. Francis of AssisiThis is a famous landmark build to commemorate the life of St. Francis of Assisi a saint famous for his compassion and kindness to the poor.MacCaig is angry and frustrated at the hypocrisy of the church; they ignore a beggar while celebrating the life of a man who would have cared for him.

3. Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi

4. In the interview ‘A Metaphorical Way of Seeing Things’, MacCaig maintained that poetry is a ‘psychological Optrex, it clears your eyes and you see things’. MacCaig reflects throughout the poem on the hypocrisy of the church and his angry and bitter tone is apparent throughout the poem. Reflective Nature of the Poem

5. Attack on the hypocrisy of the church and, in turn, human nature. We judge people by how they look and do not care for those outside of society in the way that we should. He also focusses on the suffering of the beggar and the fact that the tourists (and society in general) ignore this suffering in order to live their lives. Theme

6. Stanza One – Description of the dwarfStanza Two – Focus on the priest and the church Stanza Three – Focus on the tourists and ends with another description of the beggarStructure

7. The dwarf with his hands on backwardssat, slumped like a half-filled sackon tiny twisted legs from whichsawdust might run,outside the three tiers of churches builtin honour of St Francis, brotherof the poor, talker with birds, over whomhe had the advantageof not being dead yet.Stanza OneThink about:What happens in this stanza? Is there a point where the stanza changes? What is your impression of the beggar?What mood or emotion is the poet feeling?

8. Stanza OneThe dwarf with his hands on backwardssat, slumped like a half-filled sackAlliteration (‘s’)Emphasises how deflated he is Word ChoiceSlumped – no energy/almost lifelessSimileShapeless and unattractive Shell of a human beingBeggar is twisted and deformed. Outwardly uglyFocus of stanza oneDerogatory comment at start of poem

9. Stanza Oneon tiny twisted legs from whichsawdust might run,Reinforces sack imagery – weak and lifeless Unable to stand on his legs. Cannot support him AlliterationUncomfortable to say suggests dwarf is uncomfortable

10. Stanza Oneoutside the three tiers of churches builtin honour of St Francis, brotherof the poor, talker with birds,Description of what St Francis did. Contrast to way beggar is being treated nowOstentatious nature of the church. Grand and impressiveWord ChoiceBeggar is outside church but also society

11. Stanza Oneover whomhe had the advantageof not being dead yet.Suggestion that the beggar may soon be dead. Creates more sympathy Only advantage that the beggar has as he is living a miserable lifeBitter tone due to the disconnect between St Francis and the church. Beggar is not getting help that he should Suggestion that he will only find peace when he is dead

12. A priest explainedhow clever it was of Giottoto make his frescoes tell storiesthat would reveal to the illiterate the goodnessof God and the sufferingof His Son. I understoodthe explanation andthe cleverness.Stanza TwoThink about:What is your impression of the priest?What is the priest’s opinion of the people he is talking to?What mood or emotion is the poet feeling?

13. Stanza TwoA priest explainedhow clever it was of Giottoto make his frescoes tell storiesthat would reveal to the illiterateShowing off his cleverness not the word of GodAdmiring the artwork rather than the word of GodDisparaging Tone – looking down on people he should be helping

14. Stanza Twothe goodnessof God and the sufferingof His Son. I understoodthe explanation andthe cleverness.Reminds the reader of what the priest should be focussing on.Critical of patronising nature of the priestAmbiguousThe cleverness of GiottoOr the cleverness of the priest at commercialising church

15. A rush of tourists, clucking contentedly,fluttered after him as he scatteredthe grain of the Word. It was they who had passedthe ruined temple outside, whose eyeswept pus, whose back was higherthan his head, whose lopsided mouthsaid Grazie in a voice as sweetas a child's when she speaks to her motheror a bird's when it spoketo St Francis.Stanza ThreeThink about:What is your impression of the tourists?What is the tourists’ impression of the beggar?What is the poet’s opinion of the beggar?

16. Stanza ThreeA rush of tourists, clucking contentedly,fluttered after him as he scatteredthe grain of the Word. Alliteration to mimic the sounds of the chickensExtended metaphor – comparing the tourists to chickensPaying attention to the tourists and not the beggar (As St Francis would have wanted) Lightweight and not thinking Shows numbers and speed of tourists – only there to see the sights

17. Stanza ThreeIt was they who had passedthe ruined temple outside, whose eyeswept pus, whose back was higherthan his head, whose lopsided mouthIgnore the beggar/message of St Francis of AssisiJuxtaposition of something beautiful with something wasted. Descriptive language which shows the beggar is outwardly revoltingShows MacCaig sees himself as separate and different from the other touristsRepetition of outside – again shows beggar is outside of society and emphasises the beggar outside the beautiful church

18. Stanza Threesaid Grazie in a voice as sweetas a child's when she speaks to her motheror a bird's when it spoketo St Francis.Simile shows his inner beauty – he is as innocent and as beautiful as a childThe spirit of St Francis lies within the beggar. Emphasises important of message of St FrancisEmphasises MacCaig’s difference – saying thank you because he helped himReference to St Francis – again shows innocence and purity of the beggar

19. Poem of contrasts Stanza One – Starts with description of beggar and moves on to reveal the message of St Francis. Reveals the suffering of the beggarStanza Two – Starts with description of the priests and moves on to show his anger at the hypocrisy of the churchStanza Three – Starts with description of the tourists and their unthinking approach to the church and beggar. Shows the inner beauty of the beggar and the importance of the true message of St Francis. An Overview of the Stanzas

20. Revision TasksTo help you remember the key points of the poem you should:Write a summary of the poem showing how the poet moves from experience to reflection. Identify a key quote for each of the following points:The poet highlights the suffering of the beggarThe poet reveals his anger and frustration at the priestThe tourists mindlessly follow the priestThe inner beauty of the beggarWrite down and analyse any images used