prayer before birth

summary

Written during WW2 in the perspective of an unborn child fearful of the world’s harm and danger

Tone

Fearful, and anguish = contrast of the hope and happiness of birth

Form

Free verse = irregularity

Dramatic monologue = indentation

Language

1. Alliteration and assonance = middle word sound the same = contrast the dangers of life giving off nursery rhyme tone

2. Repetition = plea for help and urgency of the situation = ‘I am, hear me ‘ . ‘Thing’ losing individuality and and humanity

3. Metaphors = ‘cog in a machine ‘ = dehumanising the soldiers

4. Asyndeton = gravity , danger. Speeds the rhythm

Structure

1. Cascading and varying sentence lengths = dangers of life

2. Prayer to god = Dramatic monologue

Theme

1. Horrors of war

2. Humanity

3. Fear

4. Racism

5. Manipulation of society