Critical Analysis of Mrs Lazarus Essay

Next line portrays that she must have got married on the mean solar day that her economize died if she had ripped her wedding clothes from her body. This stanza provides the reader with physicality by the use of the words ripped, howled, shrieked, clawed, rand so forthed etc. onomatopoeic portray a violent narrator. howled, clawed anthropomorphic. Repetition over and over, dead, dead. interpret that she thought of him repeatedly. This stanza displays as her almost hating him because he died. Sentence expression Short sentence to start illustrates immediacy. vast sentence follows represent how long she has grieved over the one she had lost how long the process of recovery had been. verbiage emotional, aggressive, sinister, chilling. Overall tonus depressing, graphic/gruesome. Themes demolition, sorrow, aftermath. Stanza 2 Remains in past tense. Gutted associated with gutting fish unpleasant represent destruction of her home. Colour change from white to dark co nveys white as being before he died (symbol of purity, holiness), and dark as the world she is in directly that he is gone (symbol of evil, desperation)Symbolism of isolation bingle cot (relates to Mrs Quasimodo i. e. Single silver fish), widow, one empty g do it, half whiz of her feeling incomplete. White femur bones dust ashes relates to the fact that her husband is now reduced to this because he is dead. Stuffed dark suits into black bags implies a murder? Could reveal her suicidal nature her husbands death had, inevitably, driven her to her own death. noosed the double knot of the tie round my bare neck the only federal agency she can dispel the isolation is to kill herself. double sense of being whole again. Sense that her suffer continues. bare neck refers back to the 1st stanza where she had stripped herself of her clothes. Sentence Structure Short, simplistic, reflecting a childs dialect i. e. Gone home linguistic process unemotional could symbolise her met hod of recuperation Overall tone graphic, angry, vengeful, remorseful Themes neglect, isolation, suicide Stanza 3 Continues on from second stanza. Religious root gaunt nun reference to her imposed celibacy (duty to stay faithful to her dead husband). Stations of Bereave handst relates to Stations of the Cross symbolising that she, like Jesus, has to struggle. icon of my baptistry relates to statues and figures in churches also implies that her facial expression stops the same since the day of her husbands death. base herself conveys that the only pleasure she is able to achieve would be by touching herself. Following lines imply that these were the only memories that she had of him i. e. he dwindled away. Her only memories of him were of his illness. shrunk to the size of a snaps virulent modernisation a picture remains only a memory board, as had Mrs Lazaruss husband. Sentence Structure Long garbled with commas symbolises constant bereavementLanguage religious, frustrated yet sorrowful, modern Overall tone frustrated, resentful Themes celibacy, worship Stanza 4 Continues from third stanza with repletion of going displays the fact that she does not feel as though he is gone yet. Tangible memories of Lazarus i. e. the hair fallen from his head, his scent both vanishing the last hair, his scent went. mental imagery of their disappearing marriage no value, no meaning. ring supposed to symbolise eternal love ceremonious meaning is diminished in this case.He is no longer worth anything to her as he is now only a small zero. Sentence Structure Becoming shorter as she begins to forget to the highest degree him. She is beginning to dismiss him from her spiritedness. Language dismissive, unemotional Overall tone guilt-free, disgusted Themes independence Stanza 5 then he was gone simplistic sense of immediacy, perhaps unexpected he exists no more. legend disregarded he became just words language. schoolteacher perhaps he had taught her something in her life? gays strength protection But I was faithful for as long as it took as long as what took? Perhaps premeditated murder? Religious reference faithful to whom? God? Lazarus? Until he was a memory it took quite a while for her to come to terms with everything perhaps she was trying to remain celibate? Sentence Structure varied length symbolise the normality of her life now. Language colonized (i. e. no anger, no strong emotion) Overall tone defensive But I was faithful for as long as it took Themes deceit Stanza 6 Setting of scene field, moon night time Personification of atmosphere fine airObserving and admiring landscape. shouting disruption of new healed life. Were the men coming for her? Why were they shouting? Sentence Structure Long, flows illustrate the calm serenity of her current life until the interruption of shouting men. Language calm, descriptive Overall tone serene Themes admiration of the simple things in life Stanz a 7 Continues from stanza 6. Images of people chasing her. Building up of tension repetition of I knew. Personification of fainthearted sly even the light had betrayed her labelled her as the wife of an ill man. shrill eyes swell into her evil undeserved highlights that the community had a prejudice of her husband because of his illness. Overwhelmed by crowds of people feels consumed by the hot tang and the hands bearing her. Sentence Structure varied. Broken with commas to illustrate the break in her normality. Language anxiousOverall tone fearful Themes betrayal Stanza 8 Illustrates the resurrection of her husband. He lived shock, disbelief. the horror on his face even he was terrified of her situation. She cannot escape the memory of him, no matter how far away he may seem. saw, heard, breathed use of the senses immediacy rotting. This stanza could be her approximation revisiting the memory of Lazaruss dead body. This could symbolise her reuniting with him h er escape from isolation. From beyond the grave, Lazarus maintains control over Mrs Lazarus she is unable to rid him from her mind eternally married to him so she must be faithful. Does love defy death? Sentence Structure Long symbolise the return of bereavement. Language graphic/gruesome to describe disfigured body/their love Overall tone depressing, horrific