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Litmosphere

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To Posterity
Louis MacNeice

Introduction

Louis MacNeice (1907-1963) is an Irish poet.

He had a rough childhood with bad memories. His father was a very strict Protestant
clergyman. His mother suffered from mental illness and she died in 1914, when the poet was a
small boy of 7. He completed his studies from the University of Oxford. He then became a
lecturer in Classics in the University of Birmingham.
From 1941 onwards, until his death in 1963, he worked for the BBC (British
Broadcasting Corporation).

The poem summary

Books (made of paper) are becoming insignificant. They are pushed into the graveyards
of the past. Reading and speaking are replaced by the social media that are less difficult. The
poet wonders if the modern generation finds the flowers have the same colour as in the past; if
the fruits taste the same. A lot of good things were written in words about the colourful flowers
and tasty fruits. MacNeice wonders whether the grass, in future, will be green, their sky blue
and their birds wingless.

I. Answer the following questions in one or two sentences:

1. Comment on the opening line of the poem "To Posterity".

The opening line sums up the theme of the poem, the poet’s concern about the future
of books. MacNeice shares it with the readers whether books have become like the books in
graveyards, made of stone or marble.

2. What are the apprehensions of the poet about the future?

The poet has many apprehensions about the future. As the new media has replaced
reading and speaking, the poet wonders if the flowers have the same colour as in the past; if
the fruits taste the same.

3. What does the poet mean by "framed in words"?

The colours of the flowers and the taste of the fruits were contained in words, “framed
in words.”

4. What does the poet mean by "wingless birds"?

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The word “wing’ becomes meaningful only when it is written down as a word. In a
world where there are no books, the word “wing” becomes non-existent; and the birds become
“wingless birds”.

II. Answer the following questions in a paragraph:

1. Comment on the use of images in the poem.

MacNeice uses a series of images to bring out the horrible picture of a world without
books. “The books in graveyards” gives a graphic image of a world without books. The poet
raises several apprehensions about the future through a sequence of images such as flowers,
fruits, colour and taste framed in words, green grass, blue sky, and wingless birds. He wonders,
in a world without books, what will happen to the colour of the flowers. He asks if the fruits
will taste the same. The final question, “will your birds be wingless birds?” sums up the
concerns of the poet. In a world without books, the birds might become “wingless birds”.

2. Comment on the language of the poem.

In the poem ‘To Posterity’, Louis MacNeice uses simple words to convey the ideas
effectively. The opening line sums up the theme of the poem, the poet’s concern about the
future of books. MacNeice shares it with the readers whether books have become like the books
in graveyards, made of stone or marble. The poet has many apprehensions about the future. As
the new media has replaced reading and speaking, he wonders if the flowers have the same
colour as in the past; if the fruits taste the same. The poem ends with a rhetorical question, “will
your birds be wingless birds?” In a world where there are no books, the word “wing” becomes
non-existent; and the birds become “wingless birds”.

3. Comment on the tone and effect of the poem.

Louis MacNeice’s poem, ‘To Posterity’, looks beyond the horizon of his own
contemporary reception. In a prophetic tone, the poet shares his concerns with the readers about
the future of books. He is sad at the gradual replacement of books by the “less difficult media”.
The poet asks whether books have become like the books in graveyards. As the new media has
replaced reading and speaking, the poet wonders if the flowers have the same colour as in the
past; if the fruits taste the same. “Will your birds be wingless birds?” In a bookless world, the
word “wing” becomes non-existent; and the birds become “wingless birds”.

III. Answer the following questions in about 300 words.

1. Comment on Louis MacNeice's perspective on posterity.

‘To Posterity’ by Louis MacNeice is a well-known poem that tells us about the changes
that are taking place in the cultural sphere. The poet is sad that the rise of the social media is
making books irrelevant. The poem tries to look beyond the present. It also wants to see the
continuity and reception of literature.
The opening line sums up the theme of the poem. The poet says, “When books have all
seized up like the books in graveyards”, our world is going to be different. It shows the poet’s
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concern about the future of books. MacNeice shares it with the readers whether books have
become like the books in graveyards, like the books made of stone or marble. The images of
the past have become solid and frozen and they are unreadable.
The poet says that books have become insignificant. They are pushed into the
graveyards of the past. Reading and speaking are replaced by the “less difficult” media, such
as radio, television and the Internet. Reading and speaking have become rare. As the new media
has replaced reading and speaking, the poet wonders if the flowers have the same colour as in
the past; if the fruits taste the same. He wonders whether the colour of grass will be green, and
the sky blue. In a world where there are no books, the word “wing” becomes non-existent; and
the birds become “wingless birds”.
The poem refuses to give a clear answer. MacNeice shares the same concerns that
trouble us today, in a blend of hope and nightmare. The poet tries to look beyond the present
into the future. Being a man of letters, he is speaking up for words. MacNeice is worried about
how poetry will survive in a world where printed letter is a thing of the past.

Prepared by:
Prof. Murukan Babu C.R.,
Principal, Nirmala College of Arts and Science, Chalakudy,
formerly Associate Professor of English, Panampilly Memorial Govt. College, Chalakudy.