Waking with Russell Lecture Notes

Vocabulary flashcards covering the key themes, metaphors, and literary allusions in the poem 'Waking with Russell' by Don Paterson.

Russell

The narrator's $4$-day-old son whose smile leads the poet to realize a new sense of innocent joy and life-changing purpose.

Mezzo del cammin

Italian for "midlife" and the opening lines of 'Dante's Inferno,' used to show the narrator was lost in limbo before his son's arrival.

Dante's Inferno

A literary allusion representing the narrator's feeling of being lost from the path to heaven and stranded in a state of limbo or hell.

Hard-pressed grin

A description of the narrator's previous smile, which was ungenuine, shallow, and devoid of true joy before the birth of his son.

True path

A metaphor for the path to enlightenment and heaven, representing the just purpose the son has now provided to the narrator.

Pledged

Word choice with connotations of committing to a duty or signing up, representing the narrator's total devotion to his son's welfare for the rest of his life.

Poured through us like a river

Imagery used to describe the shared happiness between father and son as something unstoppable, vast, and continuous.

Waking

A metaphor for a new beginning and a new perspective on life, mirroring the phrase "walking amongst men" to show the narrator realizing his role in society.

True gift

A concept referring to selfless love and care; it suggests that by caring for his son, the narrator is also improving his own life and happiness.

Dual Self

A central concern of the poem that contrasts the narrator's life as a responsible parent with his former self who had no happiness, joy, or purpose.

Face-to-face like lovers

A simile used in lines $1$-$6$ to emphasize the intimacy, privateness, and total focus of the moment between the father and son.

Dawned

A metaphor used to represent a new beginning or a new life, suggesting the smile is a new experience for both the child and the narrator.

Lit

A metaphor used to show how Russell provides direction to the narrator's previously directionless life, showing the way to a new found sense of joy.

Rolled on

A metaphor suggesting the narrator's smile and its effects are long-lasting and have an everlasting impact on his life.