Lecture Notes: Analysis of "Anniversary" by Ted Hughes

Introduction

• Presenter: Kaylee from "English with Kaylee"
• Topic: Analysis of "Anniversary" by Ted Hughes
• Resources: Available on Test Account and Teacher's Pay Teachers

Poem Overview

• Subject: Reflective elegy on Ted Hughes's mother, Edith Hughes
• Themes: Family, spirituality, memories, and transcendence
• Personal Context:
  • Edith Hughes supported Ted Hughes's writing
  • Belief in afterlife and angelic imagery
  • Hughes's familial relationships, including with Sylvia Plath

Poem Summary

• Diary Entry: Hughes recalls his brother's diary and the vision of his mother and sister Miriam
• Imagery: Mix of memories with natural and religious symbols
  • Memories of Edith and events like dragging Hughes from a reservoir
  • Disappointment over not being invited to Hughes’s wedding
• Vision: Edith and Miriam appear as angelic figures
• Ending: Reflects sibling rivalry and perceived favoritism towards Hughes's brother Gerald

Themes

• Childhood and Family: Explores Hughes's memories and familial relationships
• Spirituality and Transcendence: Angelic imagery and Hughes's belief in the afterlife
• Nature and Memory: Use of natural imagery to convey memory

Detailed Stanza Analysis

Stanza 1

• Imagery of Wings: Feathers of flame symbolize angelic presence
• Enjambment: Used to emphasize the vision's appearance

Stanza 2

• Cosmic Imagery: Creation and destruction, illustrating life and afterlife
• Northern Lights Simile: Connects natural and spiritual realms

Stanza 3

• Mother's Voice: Direct speech introduces personal history
• Religious Allusions: References to altars and sacrifices
• Purification Symbolism: Red coals and Biblical references

Stanza 4

• Vision Fading: Shorter stanzas as vision fades
• Continuing Protection: Mother's enduring watchfulness

Stanza 5 and 6

• Sibling Rivalry: Complex relationship and perceived favoritism
• Memory of Mistaken Identity: Emphasizes Hughes’s feelings of inferiority

Form, Meter, and Rhyme

• Structure: Six stanzas of varying lengths, no set meter or rhyme scheme
• Free Verse: Allows for fluid expression of memories and themes

Essay Question

• Prompt: "How does Hughes present his feelings towards his family in 'Anniversary'?"

Conclusion

• Next Steps: Stay tuned for essay-writing mini-series for GCSE preparation
• Engagement: Encouraged to discuss and leave comments for deeper understanding