is an unusual poem because it takes the form of a question and answer session between two people who are looking back at the culture of Vietnam, following the Vietnam war (1955-75). Sign in, choose your GCSE subjects and see content that's tailored for you. Did they hold ceremonies To reverence the opening of buds? Her father, raised a Hasidic Jew, had converted to Christianity while attending university in Germany. Download the adaptable Word resource (subscribers only) Download the free PDF resource (free members and subscribers) See other resources: Anthology poetry for Edexcel (2015 onwards) Conflict | Anthology poetry for OCR (2015 onwards) | Levertov, Denise More resources by this contributor (1) … What Were They Like? Had they an epic poem? Priscilla Denise Levertov (24 October 1923 – 20 December 1997) was an American poet. The poet was also influenced by Charles Olson’s essay “Projective Verse,” published in 1950, in which the entire focus remains on “the possibilities of breath” and the kinetics of a poem. Did they use bone and ivory, Jade and silver, for ornament? Levertov's 'What Were They Like?' She had strong antiwar feelings that she expressed through her poetry. Did the people of Viet Nam use lanterns of stone? It packs back ground information and analysis. Content, ideas, language and structure are explored. This poem has not been translated into any other language yet. The responder's identity is also not clear; s/he might be a Vietnamese person, a junior soldier, a tour or museum guide or a student. Through her poetic skills, she is able to build up a new poetic vision. Second slide may be used as a starter activity by asking the students to respond to the imagery. What Were They Like By Denise Levertov 1. Her father, Paul Levertoff, was a descendant of Schneour Zalman, who founded Throughout her poem, Levertov plays with this dualism revealing at the same time that the … Did they distinguish between speech and singing? by Denise Levertov. It is not remembered whether in gardens I knew that line was wrong but couldn't quite remember the correct line. it is not remembered. Created: Jun 29, 2017 | Updated: Feb 22, 2018. Underneath all of this, however, is the poet's voice. Denise Levertov And A Summary of What Were They Like? How you ‘read’ the questioner and responder characters will affect the way in which the attitudes and themes within the poem are revealed. by Denise Levertov (no rating) 0 customer reviews. It features in the Edexcel anthology of Literature exam poems. In it, Levertov imagines a future in which the Vietnamese people and their culture have been more or less wiped out by the war. Denise Levertov ⇒ What Were They Like? The questioner could be a reporter, an army officer, a tourist, an anthropologist or any number of other people. Beyond's What Were They Like analysis GCSE worksheets are perfect for use as exam preparation, homework or basic revision under the Edexcel syllabus. Our tips from experts and exam survivors will help you through. Denise Levertov was born in Ilford, Essex, England, on October 24, 1923. 'What Were They Like?' Did they distinguish between speech and singing? Levertov writes her poem with a sense of sadness. Innocence. The title of the poem suggests that the people of Vietnam are no more because of the war, they've been wiped out. Please add your comments. What Were They Like? All the bones were charred. in protest against the Vietnam War. The poem opens with the oxymoron title “Life at War” that “prefigures the ‘impossible’ juxtapositions” that will appear later on in the poem (Rodgers 85). The next half is the same structure as the first numbered one to six with responses correlating to the questions almost like an interview process. Were they inclined to quiet laughter? By the time Denise was born he had settled in England and become an Anglican parson. The questioner could be a reporter, an army officer, a tourist, an. They should read: There is a mistake in the following lines: Denise Levertov, an English-born American poet, published "What Were They Like" as part of her 1967 collection The Sorrow Dance. Sir, laughter is bitter to the burned mouth. Sir, their light hearts turned to stone. By the time Denise was born he had settled in England and become an Anglican parson. Comparisons and alternative interpretations are considered. And she certainly didn't mince words about it. The message to the reader is that war only causes death and destruction. Try reading the poem using different combinations of tone to get this effect. There are clearly two speakers in this poem (the questioner and the responder) but it is not immediately clear who they are or what attitudes they have. or any number of other people. Although she is critical about the way a nation and its culture could be disregarded, this is done very subtly through the way the poem is set out. What were they like? A dream ago, perhaps. The poem was written in protest of American involvement in the Vietnam War. During the course of a prolific career, Denise Levertov created a highly regarded body of poetry that reflected her beliefs as an artist and a humanist. 2. Try reading the poem using different combinations of tone to get this effect. Did they hold ceremonies to reverence the opening of buds? This is a lesson on a poem which explores the consequences of the American attacks on Vietnam during the war. The people of Vietnam are portrayed as gentle, peace-loving, and family-oriented. What Were They Like? Sir, their light hearts turned to stone. Did they distinguish between speech and singing? Denise Levertov was a anti war protester, who protested about the loss of the Vietnamese culture and the cruelty of the Americans. In "What Were They Like?" Read about our approach to external linking. Denise Levertov war die Tochter einer walisischen Mutter und des russischen Priesters der anglikanischen Kirche Paul Philip Levertoff, der vom Judentum konvertiert war.Sie erhielt ihre schulische Ausbildung durch Privatunterricht. Denise Levertov Poetry? Denise Levertov Poetry? 4.Did they use bone and ivory jade and silver, for ornament? Remember, most were peasants; their life was in rice and bamboo. Preview. Content, ideas, language and structure are explored. In this unusually structured poem, Denise Levertov makes the reader think about the effect war has on the population and culture of a country, with specific reference to the Vietnam War (1955 – 75). Were they inclined to quiet laughter? Did they use bone and ivory, jade and silver, for ornament? What Were They Like?, Talking To Grief, Aware by Denise Levertov. Apart from “What Were They Like?,” the poem “Life at War” is one of Levertov’s well-known political poems. Did the people of Viet Nam use lanterns of stone? stone LANTERNS illumined pleasant ways. She was a recipient of the Lannan Literary Award for Poetry . What Were They Like? " Did they hold ceremonies to reverence the opening of buds? Did the people of Viet Nam use lanterns of stone? Author: Created by flabs84. The speaker asks about their use of decorative stones, lanterns and ceremonies. 3.Were they inclined to quiet laughter? Complete summary of Denise Levertov's What Were They Like?. 'What Were They Like?' What Were They Like The Poem we have studied is 'What Were They Like' which was written in the 1960's by Denise Levertov. Did they use bone and ivory, jade and silver, for ornament? - questions A straightforward question sheet to follow a reading of the poem. is currently included in the Pearson Edexcel GCSE (9–1) English Literature poetry anthology, [4] and the Conflict cluster of the OCR GCSE (9-1) English Literature poetry anthology, 'Towards a World Unknown.' Thank you. There are clearly two speakers in this poem (the questioner and the responder) but it is not immediately clear who they are or what attitudes they have. Life and war are terms in complete opposition. Did they hold ceremonies to reverence the opening of buds? She was staunchly against the violence of war and the cost of its destruction to humanity. The poem "What were they like?’’ is presented as a conversation between the people. The responder's identity is also not clear; s/he might be a Vietnamese person, a junior soldier, a tour or museum guide or a student. 5.Had they an epic poem? What Were They Like? Denise Levertov wrote "What Were They Like?" Did the people of Viet Nam use lanterns of stone? The first speaker, for instance, may be curious, annoyed or calm; the second may be polite, sarcastic or upset. Denise Levertov is well-recognized to combine her own personal experience with historical facts. stone gardens illumined pleasant ways. What Were They Like? Had they an epic poem? Poems are the property of their respective owners. Had they an epic poem? The first person asks the second man how the people from ‘’Viet Nam’’ were like and also about their way of life. Sir, their light hearts turned to stone. Her work embraced a wide variety of genres and themes, including nature lyrics, love poems, protest poetry, and poetry inspired by her faith in God. Resource with a powerpoint lesson presentation on the poem What were they like? by Denise Levertov criticises the destructiveness of war. is a poem by Denise Levertov written as a protest against the Vietnam War, envisaging a future where the " genocide " that the American bombing campaign began has been completed, and nothing is known of Vietnam or its culture. One such protester was Denise Levertov, a British-born poet who moved to America and added her voice to the fray. of poet Denise Levertov. The poem What Were They Like? by Denise Levertov criticises the destructiveness of war. by Denise Levertov, reprinted by permission of New Directions on behalf of Denise Levertov. Jump to navigation Jump to search. " The last few slides have been reformatted in the question answer format. Ornament is for joy. Denise Levertov, one of the most important American poets, was born in Ilford, Essex, England, in 1923. by Denise Levertov. How you ‘read’ the questioner and responder characters will affect the way in which the attitudes and themes within the poem are revealed. 6.Did they distinguish between… What Were They Like Analysis GCSE Worksheet. The first half of the poem, above, are questions a citizen might ask a soldier returning from war. What Were They Like? Sir, their light hearts turned to stone. Her father, raised a Hasidic Jew, had converted to Christianity while attending university in Germany. Did they hold ceremonies to reverence the opening of buds? Did they distinguish between speech and singing? Loss, regret and even anger also run subtly throughout the poem. Were they inclined to quiet laughter? What Were They Like? Sir, their light hearts turned to stone. The poem What Were They Like? Did they distinguish between speech and … It is not remembered whether in gardens Did the people of Viet Nam Use lanterns of stone? She deliberately used the matter of fact questioning to portray what Americans were seeing every night on television. Major themes within the poem include: war, culture and anger. Did the people of Viet Nam use lanterns of stone? About Denise Levertov. Levertov could be using sound to represent the path of her marriage, with the happiness they once had being disrupted by the ‘ache’ that began to set in, unhappiness beginning to take over. As part of english coursework I have to find out why, on the first line of this poem are the words Viet Nam seperated. Had they an epic poem? Denise Levertov was born in Ilford, Essex, England, on October 24, 1923. This is furthered by the use of caesura , ‘tongue, beloved,’ disrupting the meter of the line and causing a breakdown of metrical flow, representing Levertov’s failing marriage. Did they use bone and ivory, jade and silver, for ornament? Poem Hunter all poems of by Denise Levertov poems. The Destruction of Sennacherib by Lord Byron, Climbing My Grandfather by Andrew Waterhouse, Home Economics: Food and Nutrition (CCEA). Had they an epic poem? 77 poems of Denise Levertov. The images Levertov uses in "What Were They Like"—clouds reflected in … eNotes plot summaries cover all the significant action of What Were They Like?. Perhaps they gathered once to delight in blossom, but after their children were killed there were no more buds. Here you will find the Poem What Were They Like? Were they inclined to quiet laughter? Were they inclined to quiet laughter? The first speaker, for instance, may be curious, annoyed or calm; the second may be polite, sarcastic or upset. Did they hold ceremonies to reverence the opening of buds? Levertov makes a very interesting point with her poem her not just in content but also they way it is laid out. Did they use bone and ivory, jade and silver, for ornament? Leben. 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