Summary of 'Piano' by D.H. Lawrence

Overview

• The poem 'Piano' by D.H. Lawrence is analyzed in this lecture.
• The poem is featured in Part Three of the Pearson Edexcel International GCSE Anthology, which exclusively features poems.

Main Themes

• Nostalgia: The poem reflects on a person's childhood memories triggered by the sound of a piano.
• Memory and Emotion: The intense emotional response to childhood memories and the power of music to evoke such emotions.

Structure and Form

• Rhyme Scheme: Regular AABB rhyme scheme throughout all three stanzas.
  • Creates a predictable rhythm reflecting the familiar nature of the memories.
• Narrative Voice: First-person narrative, emphasizing personal experience.

Literary Devices

• Sibilance: Soft, comforting sounds, especially in relation to the mother.
• Onomatopoeia: "Boom," "tingling," "tinkling" - used to convey the vividness of the musical recollection.
• Personification: The speaker's heart and the piano are personified to emphasize emotional intensity.
• Metaphor & Hyperbole: "Vista of years" to describe the succession of past events.
• Pathetic Fallacy: Use of 'dusk' and 'winter' to reflect the transient and melancholic nature of nostalgia.

Analysis of Stanzas

• Stanza 1

  • The speaker is taken back to childhood memories by a woman's singing.
  • Describes a child under a piano, recalling the intimate details of the mother’s poised feet.

• Stanza 2

  • The speaker struggles with the nostalgia invoked by the music.
  • Describes Sunday evenings at home as a symbol of comfort.
  • Music serves as a guide back to past memories.

• Stanza 3

  • The speaker expresses frustration at being taken back to these memories by the music.
  • Reflection on childhood and its contrast to present manhood.
  • Ends with a powerful metaphor of a 'flood of remembrance.'

Conclusion

• The poem vividly captures the complex emotions of longing and melancholy associated with childhood memories.
• The speaker's internal conflict between embracing nostalgia and the pressure of adult responsibilities is evident.
• The powerful imagery and literary devices enhance the emotional depth of the poem.

Additional Resources

• The lecture promotes a detailed course covering texts and poems from the anthology.
• Offers further resources such as worksheets, model answers, and online courses for various English syllabuses.

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