Anna Seward - To the Poppy

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 5

Welcome

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Today

• Life of Anna Seward
• Her works
• To the Poppy

Anna Seward (1742-1809)

Daughter of a clergyman - Lichfield

Educated at home - progressive views

Father died 1790 - £400 annually

Correspondence with Sir Walter Scott

Swan of Lichfield

Never married

Rumors: lesbian

Her works

• Novels, letters, poems
• Many poems published quite some time after having written them.
• Major impact for other female poets
• Influence in a male-dominated part of life

What did you think of 'To the Poppy'?
Did you understand it?

The poem

• Sonnet
• Rhyme scheme  - all over the place
• 14 lines
• +/- Iambic pentameter
• 
  

What is a 'poppy'?

Roses vs Poppies

Roses	Poppies
Love, joy, glory	pathless, misfortune, wild and lone

• The maid is like the poppy.
• The maid is standing there with 'brain-sick visions'
• Her 'grief and pain' has been lulled. 
• How?

What has happened to the maid? Why does she have brain-sick visions?

DRUGS

- During the Romantic Period, many authors/poets used opium or other similar types of drugs.

- Some did it to inspire themselves (ST Coleridge)

- Some did it to make their lives bearable

- To deal with having just a domestic life