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In 'Revelation', Liz Lochhead was inspired by her everyday life and also by a childhood experience. The poem is symbolic of the dangers some men pose as they threaten women, however, the poem is physically about her childhood experience of being shown a bull at the farm. The title of the poem "Revelation" indicates that something will become clear or be revealed in the poem like an epiphany. Firstly, I will analyse the opening lines of the poem and discuss Lochhead's use of symbolism and syntax: "I remember...
when a child" "I remember" refers to the adult persona "when a child" refers to the child persona.
She still remembers what happened when she was very little. This gives the effect that this event changed her life or had a big effect on her. Lochhead uses syntax by putting "black bull" at the end of a line. The connotations of the colour black conveys darkness or evil, for example a sinister figure at night.
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Also there is clear alliteration on the positive letter "B" and this emphasises even more how big the creature really is. In contrast "eggs and milk" shows how fragile some women are and it also symbolises women's fertility.
Later in verse one, Lochhead describes the persona's impression of the bull at the time of the incident and the effect it has on her: "At first only black and hot reek of him" This line gives the reader a clearer picture in their head that, it is something sinister and has the connotations of evil through the use of syntax and synaethasia.
Her eyes were adjusting to the darkness and she was therefore relying on her other senses. The picture created is made more dramatic by appealing to two senses at the same time, smell and touch. As the girl's eyes start to adjust the bull becomes clearer:
"Then he was immense, his edges merging with the darkness" The girl sees the bull for the first time. The connotations of "immense" are extremely large, immeasurable. She cannot tell where the bull ends or where he starts; to her it looks as if the bull fills up the whole outhouse. Clearly at this stage in the poem the little girl must feel threatened. Later Lochhead uses an example of alliteration and synecdoche: "Just a big bulk and a roar to be really scared of" This comparers the little girl to the size of the bull saying he is so much bigger than her. This is followed by the use of present participle and onomatopoeia: "trampling" and "clanking" clearly indicate the bull is really angry and is pulling at his chains to get away.
Lochhead is describing that the bull is crazy and really angry: "His eyes swivelled in great wedge of his tossed head" The connotations of "swivelled" are of craziness or loss of control. Near the end of verse one Lochhead continues this idea once again; "He roared his rage" This emphasis how the bull wants to escape and his anger. "His nostrils gaped", continues this theme by further demonstrating how the bull is filled with rage and just about to lose control.
At the beginning of verse two Lochhead uses the conjunction "And" to show that she is changing direction. The poet then goes on to use contrasts to highlight the poem's themes: "and in the yard, oblivious hens picked their way out" "And" is a turning point, telling us that something different is going to happen. "And" also indicates the persona changes. Additionally, "outside" shows the reader that there has been a change in scenery, which indicates that something different is going to happen. "Oblivious hens" is symbolism, referring to the woman being unaware, or none the wiser, of the dangerous "big bull" in the outhouse.
"Revelation" by Liz Lochhead. (2020, Jun 02). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/the-connotations-of-swivelled-8909-new-essay
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