“Now is the globe shrunk tight.

” Explaining how the winter has shrunk

the globe by enclosing it in a blanket of severe and harsh winter. The
‘Snowdrop’, an octave and monologue, by Ted Hughes presents, as the
title suggests, depicts a valiant flower that battles her way through the
stringent course of winter. Through the personification of Snowdrop,
Hughes intricately proclaims that all it takes is resilience to survive the
brutality of nature. Hughes incorporates themes, diction, form and
structure, making the poem memorable.

Paragraph 1 (Theme)
Point - With the help of the theme of brutality of nature, Hughes makes
the poem note- worthy
Evidence- “now is the globe shrunk tight”
Explanation- Nature has shrunk the globe by enclosing it in a blanket of
severe and harsh winter. It has restricted all the creatures to their
dwelling places and they feel the frozen earth to be small and limited for
them.
Exploration- The tone is sombre, depressing chilly and bleak, zooms in
and thereby reflects the acts of shrinking, gripping tightly with a hand.
Therefore, showcasing a hostile atmosphere, and harsh conditions.
Linkback- Readers understand the brutality of nature, however, they also
understand the struggle to survive alongside it.

Paragraph 1 (Theme)
Point - With the help of the theme of brutality of nature, Hughes makes
the poem noticeable.
Evidence- “the mouse’s dulled wintering heart”
Explanation- The active mouse’s heart has been dulled and deactivated
by the chilly, harsh winter, this situation portrays that survival is crucial.
The winters are cruel and intense.
Exploration- Most creatures die or perish in this season and many
animals decrease their daily activities and movements because of the
threat of death due to chilly winter.
Linkback- Readers understand the brutality of nature, however, they also
understand the cyclical nature of life alongside it.

Paragraph 1 (Theme)
Point - With the help of the theme of brutality of nature, Hughes makes
the poem mesmerizing.
Evidence- “Brutal as the stars of the month”
Explanation- Snowdrop is as tough as the brutal stars. She been
specifically made for winter, and she is a resilient being unlike the other
animals.
Exploration- She, the snowdrop appears to juxtapose the dying animals
in the poem during the harsh winter. Snowdrop is shown as strong and
reselient. Snowdrop is determined to shine regardless of the harsh winter
conditions.
Linkback- Readers understand the brutality of nature, however, they also
understand the brutal nature of winter, and how it spares no one.

Paragraph 2 (Langauge)
Point - With the help of the gruesome imagery depicted in the poem,
Hughes makes the poem interesting.
Evidence- “as if moulded in brass”
Explanation- The cold has stripped the animals of their energy, and
turned them into statues. Birds are usually described as soaring and light
as a feather. This line shows the stark contrast, shows how the winter has
taken a heavy toll on the animals. The weather has transformed them
into stoneline statues, not living things.
Exploration- Suggests that the animals are as good as dead, numb,
lifeless, cold solidity and lack of vibrancy. Lack of article suggest this
can be generated to a large number of animals, not a specific one.
Linkback- Gives the reader a creeping feel as if the animals are hunting
or being hunted by the harsh winter.

Paragraph 2 (Langauge)
Point - With the help of the gruesome imagery depicted in the poem,
Hughes makes the poem unforgettable.
Evidence- “weasel and crow”
Explanation- The winter spares nobody, which the lack of articles
clarify, thus displaying suffering. The animals suffer a lot due to the
winter season.
Exploration- Their movements are curtailed; everything appears to be
dull, gloomy and dark; even the days seem similar to nights and it
becomes difficult for them to hunt for prey
Linkback- Gives the reader a creeping feel as if the animals are being
targetted one by one by the harshly winter.

Paragraph 2 (Langauge)
Point - With the help of the gruesome imagery depicted in the poem,
Hughes makes the poem impressive.
Evidence- “pale heavy head”
Explanation- ““Pale” would mean that either all the blood has gone or
that the skin is malnourished due to severe winter. This makes it appear
as though its extremely difficult to move
Exploration- The flower is personified and juxtaposes the dying animals
we met earlier in the poem. Her physical appearance is also juxtapose
with regard to her resilience and strength.
Linkback- Gives the reader an idea about how winter creates havoc in
the life of all the creatures.

Paragraph 3 (Form and Structure)

Point - With the help of the apt form and structure in the poem, Hughes
makes the poem unique.
Evidence- Title, regular rhyme scheme, tone, structure
Explanation- half rhyme scheme, lack of meter, straight forward title,
tone that changes throughout, and octave
Exploration- The regular rhyme scheme suggests a continuous process
or growth, it is a half rhyme. However, it lacks of meter, meaning
inconsistency of rhythm which shows the unrelentless nature of the
world. The title is straightforward which shows a flower, which
symbolizes a new life, new beginning, resilience, strength, perseverance,
and a survivor of the cold. The structure, a short poem also an octave
reflects the constricting like nature of winter and the physical description
of the world shrinking. It is also a monologue. The tone, initially is
chilly bleak or weary, however it transforms intp heroic as snowdrop is
brought into the frame.
Linkback- Gives the reader an idea about how the form and structure of
a poem helps the poet depict a poem.

Paragraph 3 (Form and Structure)

Point - With the help of the enjambment in the poem, Hughes makes the
poem unique.
Evidence- “moves through an outer darkness”
Explanation- Enjambment
Exploration- Enjambbment emphasises on the darkness and its effect on
the animals and the earth, shows the hasiness of the outside world and
how it links to the inner world. Shows danger/ unknown
Linkback- Gives the reader an idea about how the caesura in a poem
helps the poet depict a poem.

Paragraph 3 (Form and Structure)

Point - With the help of caesura in the poem, Hughes makes the poem
unique.
Evidence- “with the other deaths. She, too, persues her end”
Explanation- Caesura
Exploration- Caesura creates an eeroe, anticipating pause. It feels like
something is different. The full stop cts as a caesura which also
emphasizes the tangibility of the deaths, and the suffering caused by the
harsh cold. The tone experiences a shift into a heroic and hopeful on
then onwards.
Linkback- Gives the reader an idea about how the caesura in a poem
helps the poet depict a poem.

The poem "Snowdrop" by Ted Hughes delves into the brutal realms of
the brutality of nature, by personifying Snowdrop to illuminate the
inherent coldness within the natural world. Snowdrop emerges as a
symbol of resilience, juxtaposing all the other animals in the poem who
are shrivelled with cold. Hughes artfully weaves a monologue that
parallels the flower's tenacity with the challenges posed by the
unforgiving environment. Hughes injects theme of brutality of nature,
imagery, form and structure, making the poem memorable.
ANSWER-
“Now is the globe shrunk tight.” Explaining how the winter has shrunk
the globe by enclosing it in a blanket of severe and harsh winter. The
‘Snowdrop’, an octave and monologue, by Ted Hughes presents, as the
title suggests, depicts a valiant flower that battles her way through the
stringent course of winter. Through the personification of Snowdrop,
Hughes intricately proclaims that all it takes is resilience to survive the
brutality of nature. Hughes incorporates themes, diction, form and
structure, making the poem memorable.

With the help of the theme of brutality of nature, Hughes makes the
poem note-worthy. In the poem, the “globe was shrunk tight”, meaning
nature has shrunk the globe by enclosing it in a blanket of severe and
harsh winter. It has restricted all the creatures to their dwelling places
and they feel the frozen earth to be small and limited for them. The tone
is sombre, depressing chilly and bleak, it also zooms in and thereby
reflects the acts of shrinking, gripping tightly with a hand. Therefore,
showcasing a hostile atmosphere, and harsh conditions. Readers
understand the brutality of nature, however, they also understand the
struggle to survive alongside it. Apart from the globe, “the mouse’s
dulled wintering heart” also shows the cold. The active mouse’s heart
has been dulled and deactivated by the chilly, harsh winter, this situation
portrays that survival is crucial. The winters are cruel and intense. Most
creatures die or perish in this season and many animals decrease their
daily activities and movements because of the threat of death due to
chilly winter. Readers understand the brutality of nature, however, they
also understand the cyclical nature of life alongside it. Even after the
harsh reality of the cold, snowdrop is “Brutal as the stars of the month”.
Snowdrop is as tough as the brutal stars. She been specifically made for
winter, and she is a resilient being unlike the other animals. She, the
snowdrop appears to juxtapose the dying animals in the poem during the
harsh winter. Snowdrop is shown as strong and reselient. Snowdrop is
determined to shine regardless of the harsh winter conditions. Readers
understand the brutality of nature, however, they also understand the
brutal nature of winter, and how it spares no one.

Not only the themes, but with the help of the gruesome imagery depicted
in the poem, Hughes makes the poem interesting. The birds are
“moulded in brass”. The cold has stripped the animals of their energy,
and turned them into statues. Birds are usually described as soaring and
light as a feather. This line shows the stark contrast, shows how the
winter has taken a heavy toll on the animals. The weather has
transformed them into stoneline statues, not living things. Suggesting
that the animals are as good as dead, numb, lifeless, cold solidity and
lack of vibrancy. Lack of article suggest this can be generated to a large
number of animals, not a specific one. This gives the reader a creeping
feel as if the animals are hunting or being hunted by the harsh winter.
The “weasel and crow” are also not spared. The winter spares nobody,
which the lack of articles clarify, thus displaying suffering. The animals
suffer a lot due to the winter season. Their movements are curtailed;
everything appears to be dull, gloomy and dark; even the days seem
similar to nights and it becomes difficult for them to hunt for prey.
Gives the reader a creeping feel as if the animals are being targetted one
by one by the harsh winter. Even though Snowdrop is resilient, her
“head” is still “pale” and “heavy”. “Pale” would mean that either all the
blood has gone or that the skin is malnourished due to severe winter.
This makes it appear as though its extremely difficult to move. The
flower is personified and juxtaposes the dying animals we met earlier in
the poem. Her physical appearance is also juxtapose with regard to her
resilience and strength. This gives the reader an idea about how winter
creates havoc in the life of all the creatures.

Furthermore, with the help of the apt form and structure in the poem,
Hughes makes the poem unique. The title, regular rhyme scheme, tone,
structure make the reader understand the poem better. In the poem, half
rhyme scheme, lack of meter, straight forward title, tone that changes
throughout, and octave are present throughout. The regular rhyme
scheme suggests a continuous process or growth, it is a half rhyme.
However, it lacks of meter, meaning inconsistency of rhythm which
shows the unrelentless nature of the world. The title is straightforward
which shows a flower, which symbolizes a new life, new beginning,
resilience, strength, perseverance, and a survivor of the cold. The
structure, a short poem also an octave reflects the constricting like nature
of winter and the physical description of the world shrinking. It is also a
monologue. The tone, initially is chilly bleak or weary, however it
transforms intp heroic as snowdrop is brought into the frame. Giving the
reader an idea about how the form and structure of a poem helps the poet
depict a poem. Through the enjambment on“moves through an outer
darkness”, Hughes emphasises on the darkness and its effect on the
animals and the earth, shows the hasiness of the outside world and how
it links to the inner world. Shows a sense of danger unknown. Gives the
reader an idea about how the caesura in a poem helps the poet depict a
poem. With the caesura in “with the other deaths. She, too, persues her
end”, Hughes creates an eerie, anticipating pause. It feels like something
is different. The full stop cts as a caesura which also emphasizes the
tangibility of the deaths, and the suffering caused by the harsh cold. The
tone experiences a shift into a heroic and hopeful on then onwards.
Gives the reader an idea about how the caesura in a poem helps the poet
depict a poem.

The poem "Snowdrop" by Ted Hughes delves into the brutal realms of
the brutality of nature, by personifying Snowdrop to illuminate the
inherent coldness within the natural world. Snowdrop emerges as a
symbol of resilience, juxtaposing all the other animals in the poem who
are shrivelled with cold. Hughes artfully weaves a monologue that
parallels the flower's tenacity with the challenges posed by the
unforgiving environment. Hughes injects theme of brutality of nature,
imagery, form and structure, making the poem memorable.