‘Slate’ Edwin Morgan

‘There is no beginning’ The opening line links to James Hutton’s Theory of the Earth, 1788 in which he explores how the earth was created. Hutton was the man who pretty much established geology as a science. Through his observations of the earth and rock formations across Britain, he theorised that, that we find no vestige of a beginning,–no prospect of an end By which he means that there is no identifiable beginning to Earth and that it will keep reforming and changing over time

Sonnets from Scotland The 1979 independence referendum In 1979 Scottish voters were offered a referendum on whether Scotland should have its own Assembly. (When Scottish voters were asked this again in 1997, they voted yes, leading eventually to the political situation we have here now.) The majority of voters in 1979, 51.62%, did support an Assembly, but Scotland did not get one. Why not? Because of the ‘40% rule’. This was a special condition attached to the result of the vote. The 40% rule said that it would not be enough just to get a majority of those who voted supporting an Assembly. This rule added an extra condition: that 40% of the electorate – in other words a number equal to 40% of all Scottish people aged 18 or over – had to opt for an Assembly. So, although the vote showed support for an Assembly, Scotland did not get one.

Sonnets from Scotland Edwin Morgan was a nationalist. (When he died in 2010 he left over £900, 000 to the SNP.) He had a strong response to the 1979 Referendum result. This is what he said about the writing of his sonnet series: ‘[Sonnets from Scotland] began with the idea of writing one or two, I think as a kind of reaction, probably, to the failure of the Referendum to give Scotland political devolution and any idea of a Scottish Assembly. (…) It's a kind of comeback, an attempt to show that Scotland was there, was alive and kicking (…) and that one mustn't write it off just because the Assembly had not come into being.’ He also said the sonnet sequence: ‘represents both a determination to go on living in Scotland and a hope that there might be some political change . . . I feel the present moment of Scottish history very strongly and I want to acknowledge it.’

Sonnets from Scotland Perhaps he uses a very proper form like the sonnet to say that, even without a government or an assembly, Scotland is still a proper country, a true nation. So what is a sonnet?

Sonnets from Scotland One last sonnet technique which writers traditionally include is a volta: this is a ‘turn’ suggesting a different mood, tone, argument or idea Why doesn’t this poem have a volta? Keep this in mind as we’ll come back to it…

Drumlins, bens, and glens

Verbs Let’s do our normal exercise: highlight all the action verbs. What is the difference compared to all of the other poems? What does this mean? Analyse the verbs you highlighted. Aim for literal definitions and then sum up: what do these words all suggest? Are there any present tense verbs? Where and why?

Personification Through many of the verbs, the formation of the land is personified and so, even though the ‘Memory of men’ is in the future, this is still a poem full of life. What are two body parts mentioned in the poem? What are three things Scotland did? What is the purpose of using personification in this poem? Think about Morgan’s views of this country and the purpose behind the collection of poems ‘Slate’ is included in.

Voice In June we noted that the voice seems to be some sort of alien or being who must have been around millions of years ago, observing the planet from a distance and watching it’s violent formation Their interest seems to be Scotland. What message does this send the reader about this country? What do they think of this place? Do they approve of what they see? How do you know?

‘O changing times! Hope of the people!’

Sound Assonance Alliteration End rhyme Internal rhyme All these sound effects draw our attention, and also give us a sensory experience: we don’t just read the poem with our eyes but also almost hear it. This has the effect of making us feel more involved in the poem. The sound effects support Morgan’s overall message about the vital importance of Scotland by making it feel lively, vibrant and noisy, and by making Scotland feel like something we just have to pay attention to.

Wild and energetic language 1. a word in line 2 that suggests wild weather 2. a word in line 3 that suggests extreme geology 3. a word in line 7 that means to leave a mark on 4. a word in line 7 that means to hit 5. a phrase in line 8 that accepts things will not happen gently 6. a word in line 8 that suggests rough movement 7. a word in line 9 that suggests wild weather 8. a word in line 10 that suggests physically rejecting something 9. a word in line 13 that suggests energetic creativity

Politics This is a poem about the painful and difficult creation of a nation. How might this link to politics? We said earlier that there was not volta..how might this link it with our idea of Scotland as a nation or the process of change? What link could these line have with Morgan’s feelings about Scotland post the 1979 defeat? ‘empty hunger’ ‘sorry glory/of a rainbow’ ‘Their heels kicked flint, chalk, slate’ ‘slate’

Techniques Chart Sonnet form Opening line Present tense First person plural narration, witness from another world, no volta, word choice: wild energy, alliteration, assonance, internal rhyme, personification, embodiment, simile, metaphor, Scottish dialect, well chosen final word

Techniques Chart First person plural narration Witnesses from another world No volta

Techniques Chart Word choice: wild energy Alliteration assonance

Techniques Chart Internal rhyme personification embodiment

Techniques Chart simile metaphor Scottish words Well chosen final word

Comparison Question How does Morgan use language to create a sense of threat A B C Find two language techniques for each

Comparison Question Realistic characters to explore his key ideas A B What key techniques/ideas do each of these poems have in common in creating these characters?

Comparison Question Compare how Morgan uses setting to bring out a key theme or idea A B C Two examples from each poem…

Comparison Question Several of Morgan’s poems explore hope…explore how he does this by comparing with at least one other poem A B C