POEM

THAT MORNING
BY TED HUDGES

Presented by: Seema Memon

CONTENT
1.INTRODUCTION
2.BACKGROUND
3.SUMMARY
4.EXPLANATION
5.THEMES

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INTRODUCTION TO AUTHOR

 Edward James Hughes

 Born: August 17, 1930 in Mytholmroyd, Yorkshire England.
 Died: October 28, 1998. London Cause of death, Myocardial infarction
(heart
 attack).
 20th century famous poet.
 Hughes was married to American poet Sylvia Plath at the age of 30.
 Ted Hughes was an English poet, Animal writer and children's writer.
 Critics routinely rank him as one of the best poets of his generation.
 He studied anthropology and archaeology.
 He worked as a rose gardener, night-watchman, zoo attendant, school
teacher.

 Major Works
1. Wodwo (1967)
2. Crow (1970)
3. Wolf watching (1989)

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 BACKGROUND
• Taken from collection of poems rivers published in
1983
• Also called Salmon poem
• Reflection of his personal experience in Alaska in
1980s
• Poem revolves around river

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 ABOUT POEM
 Taken from poetry collection river
 It is a symbolic poem lyrical poem and coherent poem
 It tells how a poet goes for fishing and transform into a spiritual experience in visionary experience
 Poet goes with his son Nicola for fishing and whatever he experienced there he brought in this poem
 Poet have used some symbols in this poem like salmon which symbolizes blessing of God journey for and beer
symbols instinct violence and human beings like how human beings instinctive like animals.
 Attitude of poet in this poem is romantic and his approach is mystical
 2 references are given, one was the fishing with his son and other with native Lancaster’s town at point where he
sees a lot of salmon swimming
 It is a highly symbolic poem about the reality of life .

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 SUMMARY
 In the gloomy early morning of South Yorkshire, Hughes opens "That Morning" with the breathtaking sight of a bounty of fish in a stream
surrounded by mountains.
 The fishing trip taken by the author turns into a mystical experience. When they see fish, the writer was blessed by the holy light of the gift.
 Even though he had gone to the location to kill fish, the divine light left him a visionary who was filled with admiration and tenderness for the
creature—the salmon, its silver scales reflecting the glorious and amazing light.
 The poet wasn’t the only one who is concerned about fishes' sacredness; The same is felt by his son, Nicholas, who was also present.
 The fishes' rites of passage have not, however, ended; The poet and his son can sense an improvement in the holiness of salmon with each
passing second.
 In the wake of seeing fishes, his considerations associates with nature. The poet is imagining his own world, where he experiences joy,
harmony, and peace. He might be concerned that any erroneous thought could end this blessing. Salmons are having a great time in their
devoted world.
 They were amidst some green crops and stunning mountains that looked like bows. However, the poet and his son witness a terrible moment
right away. Two bears arrived from somewhere, cut up the salmons and ate them. It was the finish of their excursion.

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 EXPLANATION
• One morning the poet goes to a river side with his son. In this
poem he describes the experience he had that morning. The
poet shows us two worlds in just a position.
• First one is the world of salmon where there is fullness and
abundance. It is peaceful and harmonious. Then there is our
world, human world, the world that is sinking because of the
negative destructive activities. Our world is dark and
destructive.

• In the third stanza poet tells us that he and his son are
standing on the river side where there is green pollen light.
The kind of greenness that is visible in the river. The wild
salmons are slaying and they are watching them. These
salmons are a work of God and they are experiencing
complete harmony. After the full stop at the end of this
line, “as from the hand of God.”, we see a strange
experience. 7
There the body separated,…Here the phenomenon that has occurred is the separation between physical body and soul. This
shows the power of salmons and now the poet has made them a thing of beauty.

In fifth stanza, Dazzle of blessing is a reference to time beyond time, when there was actually no time. When there was no
imprisonment of the physical world.

Then comes the pause, he has this fear that one dark thought might disappear the whole experience. Here he is swaying between
two worlds. Immortality lies with the salmon and this world is perishable. Mountains are personified as if they are tingling
atoms. Water is moving so tingling atoms that are small particles of light are showing light. This is a pictorial image that poet is
trying to make. Till now the experience is complete and beautiful.

Then comes a new entity there. Two gold bears came and swam like men and dived like children. The poet and son are having
company while 2 gold bears come. They are some divine beings fascinated by animals. Supreme beings are personified as gold
bears and they are here to keep company with the poet and his son. These bears are the supreme beings or kings that are eating
salmons. In the previous stanzas, salmon was divine inspiration but here it is only fish and he is celebrating.

ADD A FOOTER 8
 THEMES
 Good vs Bad: Ted Hughes has shown us the two sides of nature by depicting good in
salmons while bad in bears. The salmons in the poem were showing the blessings of
God, the spirituality and the light of creation while the bears were showing the
negative aspect of nature.

 Cruelty/violence: Cruelty is shown in bears that they are cruel in nature. Bears also
depict humans like how they destroy nature for their own purpose and advantage.

 Power of fulfillment: It is shown by how bears want to sit on the thrones by hurting
other people and rule everything they can. They want to fulfill their thirst for power
and want to be dominant on the world which in actual humans want to do.

 Power of animal: It is shown by how one animal is innocent while other animal is
evil. Salmon throughout the poem shows innocence while bear is shown as the symbol
of violence
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THANKYOU!
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