1. Full Moon and Little Frieda
Ted Hughes

2. Subject & Tone
Frieda was the daughter of Ted Hughes and his wife, American poet Sylvia Plath.
She was about two years old when this poem was written.
Summarise the poem in one sentence.
Identify the tone of the poem.

3. Imagery What scene do you envisage when you read this poem?
What words contribute to this effect?
Explain your thoughts to the rest of your table.

4. Imagery
"A cool small evening shrunk to a dog bark and the clank of a bucket.”
• Comment on the poet's description of it being a ‘cool small evening’.
• How could the evening be so small that it is ‘shrunk to a dog bark and the clank of a
Bucket’?

5. Imagery "And you listening. A spider's web, tense for the dew's
touch.”
Comment on the poet’s use of language.

6. “A pail lifted, still and brimming – mirror
To tempt a first star to a tremor.”
Consider the poet’s meaning in this sentence.

7. Imagery What poetic techniques has Hughes used in this phrase?
‘Cows are going home in the lane there, looping the
Hedges with their warm wreaths of breath –
A dark river of blood, many boulders,
balancing unspilled milk.’
Boulder – a large round rock
What poetic techniques has Hughes used in this phrase?
What is the effect?

8. What is interesting about the final image in the poem?
‘Moon!’ you cry suddenly, ‘Moon!’ Moon!’
The moon has stepped back like an artist gazing amazed
at a work
That points at him amazed.
What is interesting about the final image in the poem?

9. Form
The poem is written in free-verse and has no apparent rhyme scheme.
Enjambment has been used. What is the effect?
Why does the poet use hyphens after ‘bucket’, ‘brimming’ and ‘breath’?
What is the effect of using dialogue?
To whom is the poem addressed? How do you know?

10. Feeling The poet believed that poetry and magic
were one and the same thing.
How is this shown in "Full moon and little Frieda"?
Consider the way the Hughes has portrayed his daughter in this poem. What is revealed about his feelings for her?