Giuseppe - Roderick Ford

Title

Title

• The title of the poem is simply the first name of the speaker's uncle - Giuseppe - without giving him a title, such as 'uncle' or even 'Mr'. This could suggest that the speaker feels disconnected from his uncle by the story he is telling, as he does not acknowledge their family relationship.

• This humiliates the uncle as the poem with his name as the title, describes his complicity in a gruesome murder.

• Italian word for Joseph : suggests religious influence

Enjambment and caesura

• The use of enjambment + caesura (for example, "She, it, had never learned to speak, because she was simple, or so they said.") creates pauses in the middle of phrases, implying that the speaker's uncle is reluctant to continue telling his story, perhaps out of guilt, or fear of judgement.

Extended metaphor

• the woman killed by the men in the poem is described as being a "mermaid". 

• This creates a more fairytale-like atmosphere which distances the reader (and the teller) of the story from the reality of the situation it describes, which makes it less shocking.

Rhyme Scheme

Written in free verse, the structure helps to layer additional meaning into the poem in a story-like way. The lack of specific rhythm or rhyme makes the poem sound more like something that would be naturally spoken aloud in conversation, therefore helping to create a more personal connection to the poem.

Sentence length

There are specific changes in line and sentence length in order to impact the pace of the poem. For example, the entire fifth stanza is one sentence split across five lines, whereas the next stanza only has one sentence on each of the two lines. —> more conversational tone.

Power

The men have power over the mermaid, which could symbolise traditional male power over women and also the way society maintains power over those who are different, imparting guilt and shame onto them.

Religion and Superstition

• Cutting off of the head and hands are superstitious rites to ward off evil spirits and prevent the dead returning - as in vampire legeds - indicating that they are uncomfortable about their actions.

• Giuseppe = Joseph in Italian, biblical name which shows that even religion did not stop them from murdering the mermaid.

• The presence of the priest is ironic - he relies on the religious classifications of the Church to justify his complicity. He holds her hand, to give the last rites, but confirms she is just a fish - and therefore cannot learn to speak.

• "I thank God" - appalled reaction of the nephew is clear from the exclamation, as he grapples to come to terms with the enormity of what he has just been told and his uncle's complicity.

About the poet

• Welsh poet living in Ireland

• Has autism and openly explores themes of alienation in his works as a reflection of his experiences.

• Uses surrealism to depict certain situations as uncomfortable or odd

Historical context

• There was a joke regarding hungry troops that stated that the war was so gruesome the soldiers would even eat a mermaid.

• Set in Sicily during WW2 - Mussolini’s rule was harsh and controversial.

• Fascist regimes would spread propaganda dehumanizing their opponents during the war.

• Nazis would depict Jews as mice, rats or bugs in illustrations and different forms of media to justify their persecution.

What does the mermaid symbolize?

• An embodiment of make desires and ideals of femininity.

• This mermaid does not conform to these norms as she “screamed like a woman in terrible fear”

• Men will prey on women in cases of desperation as they are often more vulnerable (especially in this case of war)

Poem conclusion

• Now that the war was over, Giuseppe could face his guilt. He could not look the speaker in the eye.

• The justification of war is no longer sufficient for Giuseppe to overlook his wrongdoings.

• “for which I thank God” the speaker is relieved at his uncle’s humanity. The use of the personal pronoun “I” separates the speaker from his uncle’s crime. Contrasts the speaker’s use of “they” to refer to the men as a whole earlier on.

Mistreatment of the troops in war

• The men (including a doctor, a fishmonger and a priest aka figures of authority/professionalism) lie to the troops by telling them that what they are eating is simply a big fish and not mentioning her humanity at all.