Knowledge Builders

what techniques are used in the poem war photographer

by Ryleigh Gerlach Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
image

What techniques are used in the poem war photographer?

  • STANZA ONE: sibilance. "spools of suffering"
  • simile, suggesting imagery of a priest preparing a funeral.
  • sound that reminds reader of gunshots.
  • Metaphor taken from the New Testament.
  • STANZA TWO: sibilance.
  • irony.
  • vivid imagery.
  • STANZA THREE: metaphor.

The lines of the poem get connected by the use of enjambment. There are some caesura and occasional use of pauses in the poem. Apart from that, the poet uses the anapestic meter, iambic meter, and spondee in the poem. The poem also contains some trochaic feet.

Full Answer

What techniques are used in war photography?

Jun 07, 2020 · What techniques are used in the poem war photographer? STANZA ONE: sibilance. "spools of suffering" simile, suggesting imagery of a priest preparing a funeral. sound that reminds reader of gunshots. Metaphor taken from the New Testament. STANZA TWO: sibilance. irony. vivid imagery. STANZA THREE: ...

What are the three main features of the poem war photographer?

Nov 15, 2021 · Readers ask: What techniques are used in the poem war photographer? November 15, 2021 Nora FAQ ‘War Photographer’ contains several literary devices. Likewise, in the line, ‘spools of suffering set out,’ the poet uses alliteration as well as a metaphor wherein the harsh ‘S’ sound reminds us of the harsh world he operates in.

What is the last stanza of the poem war photographer about?

What poetic form is a war photographer? War Photographer is a verse poem, that is, it has four stanzas of six verses each, for a total of twenty-four verses. What is the tone of the poem War Photographer? It literally describes the dark room in which red lights are used so as not to damage the photos during development.

What are some good documentaries about war photography?

Ask a question. Ask a question. "War Photographer" is a poem by Scottish writer Carol Ann Duffy, the United Kingdom's poet laureate from 2009 to 2019. Originally published in 1985, "War Photographer" depicts the experiences of a photographer who returns home to England to develop the hundreds of photos he has taken in an unspecified war zone.

See more

And by doing so, a large variety of literacy techniques were used. The iambic pentameter was used throughout the poem which can give a regular beat and rhythm to the readers; this can then help to persuade his father to fight death since the iambic pentameter can give out a continuous sense to the reader.

image

What technique is half formed ghost?

'Twist' also suggests pain in the face of the subject of the photograph. “a half-formed ghost.” – This is a double entendre.

What type of poem is war photographer?

War Photographer is a stanzaic poem, that is, it has four stanzas each with six lines, making a total of twenty four lines.Sep 11, 2020

What language is used in war photographer?

Alliteration. The use of alliteration in "War Photographer" is particularly prevalent in the opening stanza. Note, for instance, the "spools of suffering set out in ordered rows" (line 2) and the alliterative list of cities affected by bombing atrocities: "Belfast.

How is caesura used in war photographer?

' The use of caesura makes the reader focus closely on the photograph the photographer is developing. Due to the use of enjambment, the reader experiences the emotion of the photographer and it helps us to understand the torment caused to him as he develops the photographs.

What structure does war photographer have?

The poem is laid out in four regular six-line stanzas, with each stanza ending in a rhyming couplet. This structure is interesting since its very rigid order contrasts with the chaotic, disturbing images described in the poem.

What are the key themes in war photographer?

The poem focuses on two main themes:the horror of war.our increasing indifference to the victims of conflict.

Is war photographer an anti war poem?

Duffy's poem is about how we deal with the suffering of others, who might be faraway. It takes the character of a war photographer to represent someone more involved and committed than we are. Duffy appears to admire the photographer, and be critical of the rest of us. The poem is powerfully anti-war.

How is guilt shown in war photographer?

Guilt - he takes a picture, because he has to show people what is happening, but can't do anything else to help. Emphasises the misery and suffering they show. Shows the lack of emotion that the Editor shows when faced with these images - he doesn't have the emotional connection the photographer does.

Why is religious imagery used in war photographer?

In 'War Photographer', religious imagery is used to compare the photographer's actions with that of 'a priest preparing to intone a mass'. The photographer is also preparing his photographs for a 'Sunday supplement', which suggests that they will be seen on what is often considered a religious day of the week.

How does the structure of war photographer mirror the ordered rows of the photos?

This organisation mirrors the actions of the photographer, who lays out his films in ordered rows , as though in doing so he can in some way help to restore order to this chaotic world. The poem moves through a series of observations in the first three stanzas to a conclusion of sorts in the fourth.

What is a conflict photographer?

War photography involves photographing armed conflict and its effects on people and places. Photographers who participate in this genre may find themselves placed in harm's way, and are sometimes killed trying to get their pictures out of the war arena.

Who wrote the poem "War Photographer"?

Ask a question. Ask a question. Ask a question. "War Photographer" is a poem by Scottish writer Carol Ann Duffy, the United Kingdom's poet laureate from 2009 to 2019. Originally published in 1985, "War Photographer" depicts the experiences of a photographer who returns home to England to develop the hundreds of photos he has taken in an unspecified ...

What is the meter of War Photographer?

Several lines are in perfect iambic pentameter (meaning there are five iambs—da DUM units—per line), like line 3:

How many lines are there in War Photographer?

Formally, "War Photographer" is comprised of four six -line stanzas with a consistent rhyme scheme. There is no variation from this basic structure across the poem. Within each stanza, though, Duffy plays surprisingly with meter, internal rhyme, sentence structure, and enjambment, but these sometimes jolting shifts never interfere with the larger stanza-level shape of the poem. It is as if, from the outside, the photographer's life in rural England looks normal: he goes about his day and "he has a job to do" (line 7). Inside, however, at the level of the thought, the moment, the memory, the photographer is suffering from tremendous psychic trauma.

Where is the war photographer set?

"War Photographer" is set primarily in a photographer's dark room in rural England. The speaker describes the dark room's contents with its spools of photographic film in " ordered rows " (line 2) and its dimly glowing red light.

What is the speaker's relationship to the photographer in War Photographer?

In "War Photographer," the speaker is closely aligned with the photographer whose story is being told—a man from rural England who makes his money selling photos of war to a newspaper or magazine. Although the photographer is referred to in third-person, much of the text appears to get inside the photographer's head, sharing his memories and thoughts. Sometimes the distance between the seemingly omniscient speaker and the photographer is unclear: at the end of the first stanza, for example, does the photographer imagine the Mass himself, supplying the sarcastic text ("Belfast. Beirut. Phnom Penh. All flesh is grass.")? Or does the speaker make the comparison completely separately from the photographer, just as an observer looking in?

What is a dark room in photography?

A photographer's dark room is the space in which prints can be developed from photographic film. In "War Photographer," the phrase "dark room" is literally the photographer's work space but also suggests the layers of metaphorical darkness and isolation surrounding the photographer's work.

What is the poem War Photographer about?

The Strong Emotions In The Poem 'War Photographer'. In War Photographer, Carol Ann Duffy discusses the death caused by wars. She writes with strong emotions to convince the reader how horrific a war can be and can lead to endless misery. And through the poem she has use a metaphor ‘he a priest preparing to intone a mass’ to compare ...

How does Carol Ann Duffy use the metaphor in War Photographer?

And through the poem she has use a metaphor ‘he a priest preparing to intone a mass’ to compare the character as a priest showing how sorrowful the photographer is. Moreover he takes photos during wars which allows him to past on messages to other people about the victims like preaching. Furthermore, the comparison of the photographer and the priest also shows the job the photographer is doing is seem to be very sacred and he takes a high responsibility for this mission. In addition to the metaphor she has used an alliteration ‘spools of suffering’ to show how much suffering has happened over time and these events can be as long as a spool. And by comparing the time with a spool it also helps set out each event chronologically. In addition the ‘s’ sound from the alliteration also shows how much picture there are and the amount of suffering going on around the world. Moreover, using the technique listing ‘Belfast. Beirut. Phenom Penh.’ the pauses from this phrase make the reader think about the past events and the list of victims who have died in the past during the war in these places. And this helps to make the reader to consider about the roll of honor for the people. And with the literature devices use from the poem we can understand how the poet has shown her sorrow towards the victims in the wars.

Speaker or Narrator, and Point of View

The poem’s point of view is in the third-person perspective. The omniscient speaker narrates about a war photographer prepping the photos for sale to a newspaper.

Form and Meter

It is made up of four six-line stanzas and written in mostly iambic meter.

Metaphors and Similes

The “dark room” is a metaphor for the photographer’s state of mind after returning from the war. Furthermore, the content of his work depicts horrors of war and human suffering which is symbolized by the darkness. The speaker uses a simile to compare the resemblance of the red-lit room to a church during a mass.

Alliteration and Assonance

The second line has an example of alliteration with repetition of the “s” sound. The lines “without words to do what…” and “…between the bath and pre-lunch beers” also have alliteration.

Irony

Amid the danger and horrors of war, the photographer has composure while taking photos. However, the terrors and trembles affect him at the safety and comfort of his home away from the war.

Setting

The poem is set in a darkroom studio in rural England as the photographer’s memories take the reader to the warzone he just left.

Protagonist and Antagonist

The protagonist in the poem is the war photographer. The antagonist is the horrors of war that cause human suffering.

Who wrote the poem War Photographer?

Poem Analysis; War Photographer by Carol Ann Duffy. Task: Explore how Duffy depicts the trauma experienced by the photographer and how he feels disconnected from society. The poem ‘War Photographer’ written by Carol Ann Duffy examines the life of a war photographer who takes pictures of conflict for British newspapers.

What does the word "dust" mean in the poem?

However, the photographer is respectful towards them. Using words such as ‘ghost’, ‘blood’, ‘dust’ implies a shocking, deathly image symbolising pain, suffering and violence. By developing the tension throughout the stanza, Duffy implies the trauma that he had to suffer taking pictures with full of blood during the war.

What does the third stanza of the poem mean?

In the third stanza, it shows an image of a man who died in the war. Duffy described him as a ‘half-formed ghost’ as a metaphor. This implies that the photographer is being haunted by the wife whose dead husband he photographed and shows horror. However, the photographer is respectful towards them. Using words such as ‘ghost’, ‘blood’, ‘dust’ ...

What does the color black and white mean?

The colour black and white also implies the contrast of good and evil. It is simplified and less human-artistic which causes reader to feel the sombre mood of poem. Photographer is not pleased with the reaction among citizens after war. The idea of ‘supplement’ , it shows the level of attitude towards the war.

image

Summary

  • In ‘War Photographer’ by CarolAnn Duffy, the photographer finds himself alone in his darkroom. He notices as photographs develop before his eyes. He thinks of the differences between the places he has just visited and the place he calls home. He remembers the people in the photos and what they were doing when he was taking their images. He recollects how he looked to one man’s wif…
See more on poemanalysis.com

Context

  • War photographers are those real people who endanger their lives to take photographs of war and help people visualize the horrors of war anywhere in the world. The photos we see in Sunday supplements, embellishing headlines or posters are taken by these courageous people. Carol Ann Duffy’s ‘War Photographer’depicts the poet’s opinions toward society and the agonies of war, in …
See more on poemanalysis.com

Structure

  • ‘War Photographer’ consists of four stanzas and each stanza has six lines in it. The poet uses an interesting rhymescheme in the poem. Except for the slant or imperfect rhymes, the poet uses the ABBC DD rhyme scheme. So, each stanza ends with a rhyming couplet. As an example, in the first stanza “rows” and “glows” rhyme together. And, “Mass” rhymes...
See more on poemanalysis.com

Literary Devices

  • ‘War Photographer’contains several literary devices. Likewise, in the line, ‘spools of suffering set out,’ the poet uses alliteration as well as a metaphor wherein the harsh ‘S’ sound reminds us of the harsh world he operates in. In ‘as though this were a church and he a priest; he employs simile, which means how he sees himself and his mission – to show the truth and to convert people. B…
See more on poemanalysis.com

Themes

  • ‘War Photographer’contains several themes. In this poem, the poet uses the themes of the brutality of war, destruction, death, terror, impassivity, and ignorance. The most important theme of the poem is the brutality of war. Through the pictures taken by the photographer, the poet presents how shocking the effect of war is. Even the pictures threaten the poetic persona of the …
See more on poemanalysis.com

Analysis, Stanza by Stanza

  • Stanza One
    Though the title is ‘War Photographer’, in reality, it brings to light the difference between “Rural England” and places where wars are fought (Northern Ireland, Lebanon, and Cambodia), between the indifference or comfort of the newspaper editor and its readers and the suffering of the peop…
  • Stanza Two
    In the second stanza of ‘War Photographer’, when Carol Ann Duffy writes, “He has a job to do,” readers notice the photographer justifying his work. And this is when he comes in front of the true reality, and contradicts his calm nature while photographing. The fact that he is home in “Rural E…
See more on poemanalysis.com

About Carol Ann Duffy

  • Carol Ann Duffy, on May 1st, 2009, became the UK’s twentieth Poet Laureate. She is the most admired and recognized poet in Britain. Through her poems, she appeals to those who usually don’t like to read poetry and they appear on the national curriculum.
See more on poemanalysis.com

Similar Poetry

  • Like ‘War Photographer’, one of Carol Ann Duffy’s best poems, here is a list of a few poems that present the horrid pictures of war. 1. War Photographer by Carole Satyamurti – This poem by Carol Satyamurticenters around a war photographer and how he visualizes the war. 2. The Next War by Wilfred Owen – Like his other poems such as ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’ and ‘Futility’, in this …
See more on poemanalysis.com

1.War Photographer by Carol Ann Duffy - Poem Analysis

Url:https://poemanalysis.com/carol-ann-duffy/war-photographer/

1 hours ago Jun 07, 2020 · What techniques are used in the poem war photographer? STANZA ONE: sibilance. "spools of suffering" simile, suggesting imagery of a priest preparing a funeral. sound that reminds reader of gunshots. Metaphor taken from the New Testament. STANZA TWO: sibilance. irony. vivid imagery. STANZA THREE: ...

2.War Photographer Poem Summary and Analysis | LitCharts

Url:https://www.litcharts.com/poetry/carol-ann-duffy/war-photographer

28 hours ago Nov 15, 2021 · Readers ask: What techniques are used in the poem war photographer? November 15, 2021 Nora FAQ ‘War Photographer’ contains several literary devices. Likewise, in the line, ‘spools of suffering set out,’ the poet uses alliteration as well as a metaphor wherein the harsh ‘S’ sound reminds us of the harsh world he operates in.

3.The Strong Emotions In The Poem 'War Photographer'

Url:https://www.ukessays.com/essays/english-literature/the-strong-emotions-in-the-poem-war-photographer-english-literature-essay.php

31 hours ago What poetic form is a war photographer? War Photographer is a verse poem, that is, it has four stanzas of six verses each, for a total of twenty-four verses. What is the tone of the poem War Photographer? It literally describes the dark room in which red lights are used so as not to damage the photos during development.

4.War Photographer Literary Elements - GradeSaver

Url:https://www.gradesaver.com/war-photographer/study-guide/literary-elements

20 hours ago Ask a question. Ask a question. "War Photographer" is a poem by Scottish writer Carol Ann Duffy, the United Kingdom's poet laureate from 2009 to 2019. Originally published in 1985, "War Photographer" depicts the experiences of a photographer who returns home to England to develop the hundreds of photos he has taken in an unspecified war zone.

5.Form and structure - War Photographer - National 5 …

Url:https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zsp82hv/revision/2

33 hours ago And by doing so, a large variety of literacy techniques were used. The iambic pentameter was used throughout the poem which can give a regular beat and rhythm to the readers; this can then help to persuade his father to fight death since the iambic pentameter can give out a continuous sense to the reader.

6.Poem Analysis; War Photographer by Carol Ann Duffy

Url:https://joanna8476.wixsite.com/joannakim/single-post/2016/01/05/poem-analysis-war-photographer-by-carol-ann-duffy

34 hours ago Written by people who wish to remain anonymous Speaker or Narrator, and Point of View The poem’s point of view is in the third-person perspective. The omniscient speaker narrates about a war photographer prepping the photos for sale to a newspaper. Form and Meter It is made up of four six-line stanzas and written in mostly iambic meter.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9