Analysis Of The Nettles Poem

Register to read the introduction… There are a lot of adjectives that are used in the poem to suggest the innocence and purity of the boy, which juxtaposition is used by the adjectives and verbs used to describe the invincibility and strength of the Nettles. The poem explores the connotations of the word ‘bed’ and ‘bed of nettles’ and there is a stark contrast to what we associate a bed with and what the bed represents in the poem. Line 1 tells us that the boy’s aged “three” to indicate the boy’s vulnerability, which is then followed by the verb “fell” to show that this was an accident. Later in the poem, we see adjectives such as “tender,” showing that the boy has tender skin, which makes the reader interpret that he is innocent and vulnerable. However, Scannell then uses juxtaposition again to the innocence of the boy with the “nettles.” The poet uses the words “slashed” and “honed his blade.” The word “slashed” presents quite an aggressive action, which shows how much strength the father must put in to win his battle. The word “honed” shows how sharp his blade must be. Some might say that the verb “honed” shows the father’s relentless desire to protect his son from the dark and menacing world. This contrast between the boy and the nettles could be show the contrast between Scannell and the other members of the army. The poem can also be compared to a sonnet. The poem is written in iambic pentameter, which makes it capable of being a sonnet, but the poem is written in quatrains and includes two extra lines. Also, another might say that the total of sixteen lines in the poem could represent …show more content…
This creates a tone of order and control as if the father is trying to manage his strength of feeling or if he is trying to control his environment in order to protect and shield his son from