There's a certain Slant of light (258)

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There's a certain Slant of light,

Winter Afternoons -

That oppresses, like the Heft

Of Cathedral Tunes -

Heavenly Hurt, it gives us -

We can find no scar,

But internal difference,

Where the Meanings, are -

None may teach it - Any -

'Tis the Seal Despair -

An imperial affliction

Sent us of the Air -

When it comes, the Landscape listens -

Shadows - hold their breath -

When it goes, 'tis like the Distance

On the look of Death -

Rhyming Scheme - ABCB Exact rhymes/masculine rhymes, creates an effect of gloom or weight upon the feeling of oppression

'Afternoons - ' 'Tunes - ' 'scar,' 'are -' ' Despair -' ' Air - ' 'breath - ' 'Death - '

Devices - Dash at the end, suggesting immorality. Capitals to emphasis certain words. Alternation for emphasis 'Heavenly Hurt' 'Landscape listens'. Simile for emphasis upon Synasthesia 'like the Heft Of Cathedral Tunes -'. Synasthesia to create a sense of disturbance and uneasy. Personification - To project human feelings/emotions upon the landscape, 'Landscape listens - / Shadows - hold their breath -'.

Mood - Despairing, however emphasizing these emotions cannot be directly described. Oppressed.

Setting - Internal 'Where the Meanings, are -' and the External landscape 'the Landscape listens - '

Characters - Speaker, the light, Landscape, Shadows

Messages -

Themes - Religion,

Oppressive winter light generates a transformation in the observer. The poem moves from a description of the external landsacpe to the inner landscape and them conflates the two in the final stanza

'Slant' - Blade like

Oppressive light is contrary to normal conventions surrounding light. Light is usually associated with brightness and clarity

Paradoxically a light that darkens the soul

Negativity of Religion - Oppressive Cathedral Tunes as opposed to enlightening and joyful

Simile

Aliteration

Synasthesia - Describing a sight like a sound (light like Tunes)

External

Internal

A religious experience that affects the reader dramatically - however it is unclear exactly how they are affected

A deeper understanding of feelings and emotions,

Words missed - creates further emphasis and makes it seem more powerful

Pathetic Fallacy is used in the final stanza as the external landscape has affected the inner landscape of the speaker and now their feelings are being projected back upon the external world.

No one can teach or explain these feelings, the impossibility of definition

Aliteration

Personification

The light - when it leaves it has an effect on all senses then all returns to normality?

' - ' no end, resists closure

Suggestions of immortality, as the 'look of Death' is unknown to the living - making it more appealing to the reader

'Heft' gives the light a physical oppressive weight, as well as mentally.

Heft

Editors originally changed 'Heft' to 'weight'

Heft generally refers to more to the feel of the the weight of something, as opposed to just how much its weighs

Therefore 'Heft' involves more personal feel with the oppression and is much more effective than 'weight'

'Heft' suggests more of an upward motion, as opposed to solely a downward force - emphasizing how oppressive the light is to push up against( also making the poem more uplifting)

'Tis the Seal of Dispair -

-fixed to a document of authentication,

-to secure

- Revelation 5:1 'a book ... sealed with seven seals'

-Calvinisms, sacraments are seals of the covenant by which God affirms his promise of salvation to the elect.

Dashes are used to slow speech and reflect a sense of breathless waiting

'breath - ' and 'Death - ' rhyme possibly suggests that death is not entirely negative as it symbolizes life

Poem

Technique

Notes