GCSE (9-1): Literature: Poetry: AQA Love and Relationships: Walking Away: Context

Author's name

Cecil Day Lewis

1904

when Cecil Day Lewis was born

tragedy in C. D. Lewis's childhood

his mother died when he was 4

C. D. Lewis's relationship with his sons

Sean saw him as a somewhat terrible father

the focus of 'Walking Away'

Sean, his son whom Cecil had initially sent away to boarding to school before Sean failed the entrance exam

C. D. Lewis's schooling

went to a boarding school

C. D. Lewis's relationship with his father

Had a distant relationship with his father; initially looked up to his father, a vicar but began to feel as though their bond began to 'strangle' him and he sought to break free of it

C. D. Lewis's education after school

went to Oxford but didn't do well because he was writing poetry

poet laureate

a poet given a special position by the king or queen, who is asked to write poems about important public occasions

1968 - 1972

when he was appointed Poet Laurette, a role where he is expected to write verse on occasions of national significance.

the year C.D. Lewis died

1972

C.D. Lewis's profession

As well as being appointed Poet Laureate, he became a teacher in 1968, however, he didn't like teaching and devoted more time to writing books and poetry

C.D. Lewis's relationship with community

At about the time he was appointed Poet Laureate, he had also lost faith in community and started writing more personal poetry. He also wrote books on crime. He wrote them under the pseudonym Nicholas Blake.