Page 1: Context and Structure of "Eden Rock"
Charles Causley, a renowned Cornwall poet, is famous for his straightforward and impactful poetry. "Eden Rock" is particularly autobiographical, drawing from Causley's experience of losing his father at age seven.
The poem's structure is significant:
- The first three stanzas affectionately describe the narrator's parents, showcasing his love for them.
- The last two stanzas depict the parents turning their attention to the narrator, inviting him to join them.
Form and style:
- The poem consists of five regular stanzas, each four lines long.
- Most lines have ten syllables, creating a natural rhythm.
- Causley primarily uses half rhymes.
- The final line is separated from its stanza, possibly symbolizing the current separation from his parents.
Highlight: The poem's title, "Eden Rock," carries religious imagery, symbolically referencing the Garden of Eden as a perfect, peaceful place.
Vocabulary: Half rhymes - A type of rhyme where the stressed syllables of ending consonants match, but the vowel sounds do not.
The poem was published after Causley's mother's death, adding to its poignancy. The imagery of light in his mother's hair creates an angelic, nostalgic atmosphere.
Quote: "Eden Rock takes on the light" - This line exemplifies the poem's use of light imagery to create a heavenly, nostalgic mood.