Gwen_Harwood_-_the_Violets_Essay

Gwen Harwood's poem, 'The Violets', is an intricate depiction of a child's ignorant innocence that blossoms into knowledgeable maturity. Though the poem is simplistic in nature, it heralds rich use of imagery which appeals to the reader's mind. The use of simple structural and literal features alludes to the wider complexities of life that helps to convey the overall sombre and nostalgic mood that Harwood has created. For the reader to be properly immersed in 'The Violets', the use of imagery is intrinsic in Harwood's ability to communicate her vivid childhood despite the relatively simple language used. The olfactory imagery used in the last stanza where the "Faint scent of violets drifts in the air." allows the reader to experience what the poet does. The faint scent of violets symbolises the reminiscence of Harwood's innocence, a recurring motif throughout the poem; the line highlights the significance of memories in influencing the present which was conveyed in so few words. This conveys the power of Harwood's simple, yet effective style of writing which has resulted in her success. Harwood was also able to uphold the simple integrity of "The Violets" by allowing the reader to see outside the poem with the use of allusion. This allowed her to refer to deeper concepts without having to point them out to the reader. Her inclusion of "Scarlatti's song" which mentioned an Italian composer indicated that she is highly cultured and knowledgeable. Harwood also refers to "The Ode" in that "years cannot move nor death's disorienting scale distort those lamplit presences.” This also shows that despite her now knowledgable state, she does not wish to let go of her childhood innocence; expressed in such few terms, we as the reader are shown Harwood's success in communicating her feelings. The utilisation of structure in the poem also shows Harwood's skill in illustrating her transition from innocence to maturity. This is done by the establishment of tones that is seen throughout the poem, showing a gradual transition of a sad tone to one of acceptance. The simile of the "melting west" being "striped like ice-cream" in the first stanza shows Harwood's longing for the pleasures of childhood. The image of melting ice-cream symbolises the inevitable loss of childhood and that desire of wishing that it was frozen, like ice-cream. This sets a tone of sadness in the initial stanza, highlighting Harwood's acceptance of her place in life and her fondness of childhood. The clever word choice used here allows the reader to understand what Harwood is trying to convey, aiding in a deeper insight into the poem and not allowing the poem to just be easily read, even though it is simple in form. “The Violets”, however simple, has shown that life’s concepts need not be expressed in the most amount of words, but the most effective. Harwood’s success is thanks to her use of simpler language to illustrate detailed concepts, allowing the reader to think as well as read.