Eden Rock - Charles Causley

Poem Summary Title Analysis Form

Memories
The narrator imagines that his parents are both Lossnoun
The and “Eden”
Longingcould be a Biblical reference to Family
Elegy / Ode Form The poem as a whole could be
young again. They are both on the bank of a the Garden of Eden, an idyllic paradise. This idea considered an elegy or an ode, as it is written
The narrator creates a vivid imagery using Most of the poem is spent describing memories, The family seems close-knit and unified. The
stream and his mother is setting up a picnic, of perfection could suggest that the narrator finds largely about Charles' dead parents. Nostalgic
childhood memories. The descriptions of ordinary which creates a strong feeling of nostalgia for the descriptions of the parents mimic each other in
creating an idyllic image. The narrator is on the perfection in his parents’ company, suggesting imagery Causley's use of colloquialismssuch as
things are detailed and specific but highlight the narrator, as his father died when he was young. structure, which reflects the closeness between the
opposite bank to his parents, and they encourage their bond is strong. Mythical, religious place, “H.P sauce bottle”, “tin cups painted blue”, “of
importance of these things to the narrator, as well The narrator longs to be with his parents and parents. However, at that point, the speaker, their
him to cross the reiver to join them. The setting which is deliberately vague and subtly suggests Genuine Irish Tweed” create a sense of nostalgia.
as the significance of the way his parents did therefore commits small details about them to son, is across the river, but they “beckon” him to
may be based on a real memory, or it may be an the mystery of death. The noun “rock” suggests
things, which indicates his great love for his memory so that while he is not physically with join them and encourage him. The encouragement
imagined scene of the time before the narrator was the strong and stable presence of a person in your
parents. The beautiful details show how precious them on the bank of the stream, they are together they provide indicate their care for their son, but
born or when he is near death – his parents could life.
this memory of his mother is to the narrator. in his memories. also their love as they want to be with him. The
be beckoning him to join them in life, or in the
last line is ambiguous, but it suggests that he is
afterlife.
Tone with his parents, and that therefore, he loves his
Structure
parents in return and wants to be with them.
The poem suggests the deep and lasting bond In the first three stanzas, the narrator
Key Quotes: between
Semantic thefields
parents and their son. The parents affectionately describes his parents showing his
Context have been waiting for him. If the narrator is love for them. In the last stanzas, his parents
The semantic field of
he memories
They are waiting for me somewhere beyond Eden is prominent in he Compare
turned the with:
attention to him under courage him to
talking about death, isn't scared, as he knows
Causley was brought up in Cornwall. The poem the be
poem. The narrator
with his uses
Rock. his childhood join them. The poem is made bonds
up of five stanzas,
will reunited parents, so it's just like Follower: close, long-lasting of parent/child
can be considered as partly autobiographical as his memories to create a vivid scene. The abeautiful mostly four lines long and nearly every line has 10
In the same suit. Still trembling. going back to childhood. There is also deep
father died when he was around 7The same
years old,three
upon and peaceful descriptions of his parents reflect relationships.
syllables- this regular structure reflects the study
plates. (continuation from memories) sense of nostalgia. As the poet’s father died when
his return from World War One and never how special his childhood is to him. Language BeforeofYou
nature the Were Mine:relationship
narrator’s Childhoodwith
memories.
his
he was seven, the narrator’s affection for a time
recovering from hisHP
injuries. Causley was
tinprivate abouthelight
andandhis references
Ribbon in her hat. sauce bottle. The cups to the colouraswhite parents. The final line is separated fromisthe rest of
when parents were together a family Letters From Yorkshire: How distance overcome
and believed
painted blue. that everything people needed to
(details) throughout the poem may suggest a heavenly the stanza - this could emphasise the narrator’s
could reflect the poet’s own desire to see his
know about him was in his poems. The poem was setting,again.
hinting his parents
feelingare
of in the afterlife. The current separation from his parents, or it could
Beckon. parents there's peace throughout
publishedFromafterthe
his other
motherbank.
had died, when he was semantic field ofcould
ordinariness in narrator’s
specific details show that he has now crossed the stream and is
the poem which reflect the
well into his oldasage. such as the as“H.P
Crossing is not hard as you might think. sauce bottle”when
indicate the looking at what is beyond. The poet mainly uses
emotions, he feels at peace he thinks
narrator’s nostalgia for the details of everyday life half rhymes which create a gentle natural rhythm.
I had not thought it would be like this. about his parents and imagines being reunited with
when he was a child. The use of ordinary language
them.
reflects how life was simple and uncomplicated
back then and suggests the narrator’s fondness for
this time.