Imagery and nature

“níl mo ghrá-sa mar bhláth ná n-airní”.

Úsáideann an file gnéithe an nádúir chun a leannán a cháineadh, “níl mo ghrá-sa mar bhláth ná n-airní”.
(The poet uses elements of nature to criticise her lover, “my love is not like a flower or sloe berries”.)

Míníonn an file dúinn trí na híomhánna nach bhfuil aon chosúlacht aige le háilleacht an dúlra.
(The poet shows us through the images that he has no similarity to the beauty of nature.)

Feictear an file ag aoradh an ghrá rómánsúil.
(The poet is seen satirising romantic love.)

Ní léiríonn an file aon íomhá mholtach dá grá ar chor ar bith go dtí deireadh an dáin.
(The poet does not show any positive image of her lover at all until the end of the poem.)

Tá sé aisteach ar bhealach amháin nach gcuireann an file a leannán i gcomparáid leis na gnéithe is deise agus is fearr den dúlra.
(It is strange in a way that the poet does not compare her lover to the most beautiful and best aspects of nature.)

“a shúile (táid róchóngarach dá chéile ar an gcéad dul síos)”.

Baineann an file úsáid as greann agus searbhas chun íomhá a grá a neartú, “a shúile (táid róchóngarach dá chéile ar an gcéad dul síos)”.
(The poet uses humour and sarcasm to strengthen the image of her lover, “his eyes (are too close together in the first place)”.)

Faightear léargas sa dán seo ar an saghas íomhá a thugann sí do shúile a leannáin.
(We get an insight in this poem into the kind of image she gives of her lover’s eyes.)

Trí úsáid na lúibíní, tá a fhios ag an léitheoir nach bhfuil a leannán foirfe in aon chor.
(Through the use of the brackets, the reader knows that her lover is not perfect at all.)

“tá ribí a ghruaige mar bhean dhubh Shakespeare”.

Chomh maith leis sin, tugtar íomhá ghreannmhar dúinn de ghruaig a grá freisin, “tá ribí a ghruaige mar bhean dhubh Shakespeare”.
(We also get a humorous image of her lover’s hair, “his hair is like Shakespeare’s dark woman”.)

Is rud éifeachtach é an cur síos a dhéanann sí ar a leannán mar níl aon chomhartha dá chuid dathúlachta ann.
(The description she gives of her lover is effective because there is no sign of his attractiveness.)

“nuair a bheidh sé ocht dtroigh síos”.

Tugann an file íomhá ghruama agus díomách dúinn agus é curtha sa reilig, “nuair a bheidh sé ocht dtroigh síos”.
(The poet gives us a dark and gloomy image of him being buried, “when he is eight feet down”.)

Cuireann íomhánna diúltacha a grá le héifeacht an dáin, ach léiríonn an file an rud is tábhachtaí sa saol cé nach bhfuil a aghaidh mealltach.
(The negative images of her lover add to the effect of the poem, but the poet shows the most important thing in life even though his face is not attractive.)

 “tugann sé dom úlla” agus nuair a bhíonn sé i ndea-ghiúmar “caora fíniúna”.

Tá sé sin le brath trí íomhá a leannáin sa véarsa deireanach le húsáid na meafar: “tugann sé dom úlla” agus nuair a bhíonn sé i ndea-ghiúmar “caora fíniúna”.
(This is seen through the image of her lover in the final verse using metaphor: “he gives me apples” and when he is in a good mood “grapes”.)

Tugann an file íomhá dúinn dá fhlaithiúlacht agus dá chuid tacaíochta.
(The poet gives us an image of his generosity and support.)

An File

Scríobh Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill an dán seo (Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill wrote this poem).

Rugadh í i Sasana sa bhliain 1952 (she was born in England in the 1952).

Tógadh i gCorca Dhuibhne í (she was raised in Corca Dhuibhne).

Bhain sí céim amach sa Ghaeilge agus sa Bhéarla in Ollscoil Chorcaí (she got a degree in Irish and English from Cork University).

Tá ceathrar clainne aici (she has four kids). T

á sí pósta le fear ón Tuirce (she is married to a man from Turkey).

Is ball í d’Aosdána (she is a member of the ‘Aosdána’).

Scríobh sí ‘Féar Suaithinseach’ (1984) agus ‘Pharoah’s Daughter’ (1990)

(she wrote Féar Suaithinseach (1984) and Pharoah’s Daughter (1990)