A Memory by Ted Hughes (Detailed commentary and analysis)

Detailed commentary and analysis by Claire's Notes of 'A Memory' by Ted Hughes
Cambridge iGCSE: Ted Hughes
In Ted Hughes' poem "A Memory," the speaker vividly recalls a poignant moment from the past involving the powerful figure of his father-in-law, Jack Orchard, engaged in the laborious task of shearing sheep in a cold, dark barn. The poem captures the physical and emotional intensity of the scene, depicting Orchard's struggle and skill amidst the harsh conditions. Hughes uses evocative imagery and sensory details to convey the sheer physicality and dedication of the shearman, contrasting moments of frustration with tenderness towards the sheep. The poem explores themes of labour, resilience, and the visceral connection between humans and animals.
A Memory by Ted Hughes
Your bony white bowed back, in a singlet,
Powerful as a horse,
Bowed over an upturned sheep
Shearing under the East chill through-door draught
In the cave-dark barn, sweating and freezing -
Flame-crimson face, drum-guttural African curses
As you bundled the sheep
Like tying some oversize, overweight, spilling bale
Through its adjustments of position
The attached cigarette, bent at its glow
Preserving its pride of ash
Through all your suddenly savage, suddenly gentle
Masterings of the animal
You were like a collier, a face-worker
In a dark hole of obstacle
Heedless of your own surfaces
Inching by main strength into the solid hour,
Bald, arch-wrinkled, weathered dome bowed
Over your cigarette comfort
Till you stretched erect through a groan
Letting a peeled sheep leap free
Then nipped the bud of stub from your lips
And with glove-huge, grease-glistening carefulness
Lit another at it
My poetry videos all have the same structure: I start by putting the poem into its historical and biographical context where this enhances its understanding and give a short summary of the poem itself; I then look at the poem in its entirety, picking out structural features, such as metre (rhythm), any rhyming and patterns in language which the poet uses; I finish by going through the poem on a line-by-line basis, giving definitions of words and offering an interpretation of the poet’s words with justification. Most of the terminology I use (in green) is provided with a definition below, so even if you haven’t come across it before, you should still be able to understand the points I am making.
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I have been an English teacher and private tutor for more than 20 years.
Please note that any literature analysis is highly subjective and may disagree with analysis by another person. All interpretations are valid if they can be justified by reference to the text. This interpretation is my own: it is not exhaustive and there are alternatives!
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[@mar.conde13]

Hi! I love your videos can you do Telegraph Wires, Anniversary or The other? Thank You☺☺

[@ClairesNotes]

Thank you so much! They are on the way.