Derek Mahon - After the Titanic

Bruce Ismay

Chairman of the White Star Line and a passenger on the RMS Titanic; survived the sinking, later criticised for leaving on a lifeboat. Poem explores his perspective.

Bruce Ismay portrayl after disaster

Criticised, blamed for tradgedy. Villified and condemed

Derek Mahon insight persepective of Ismay

Not sure how involved Ismay was in disaster, but suffered nontheless and is also human.

‘I sank as far that night as any hero’

Brucy Ismay saying his life ended after Titanic.Truama, PTSD?

Most immersive part. Appeals to senses. Great example of Mahon’s style

As I sat shivering on the dark water / I turned to ice to hear my costly life go thundering down in a pandemonium of / prams, pianos, sideboards, winches, / boilers bursting and shredded ragtime.

onomatopoeia

thundering, busrting

sibilance

As I sat shivering

Imagery representing lonliness

‘lonley house’ Would expect a house to be full of life and people. Ismay has no comfort, is alone

Metaphor for the haunting reminders

‘Where the tide leaves broken toys and hatboxes’

For bruce life is meaningless now

‘The showers of April, flowers of May mean nothing to me’

Bruce Ismays’ zombie-like existence

‘the old man stays in bed on seaward morings after the nights of wind, takes his morphine and sees no one’

Ismay re-lives

‘I drown again’

Mahon challenges in final line to see other perspectives

‘Include me in your lamentations’