'A Scene from Married Life' .
Summary.
There is no question about what this poem by Abse really is about, but it isn't just any marriage to Abse - It's his marriage and the struggles that he and his wife Joan have experienced as a married couple. Abse writes this poem so that any married couple can also connect to Abse and his marriage which just shows that the poet is a normal everyday husband that enjoys writing poems in his free time and being a doctor for most of his living days. The poem is left as an open ending so the reader can guess what happens after the couple kiss and make up and I do have to say that it is rather predictable what happens next...
Key themes and ideas.
One of the key themes in this poem is the struggles and difficulties in a marriage that has endured and will continue to endure for the years yet to come. Abse mentions the "squabble" he had with his wife and how the two would offend the other purposefully by using "fast, barbed words that made the other squirm". The fact that Abse describes the words as being "fast" and "barbed" suggests that they were harsh insults that they both felt the need to quickly get off their chest.This depicts a normal couple arguing and I almost find it quite comical how the other seems to be provoked to say something more offensive than the other, it's almost as if they are competing for who can be the most offensive. The comical side of this is that the nature of this argument seems childlike as children usually try to offend the other more than they have been offended just to prove that they can take an insult. This idea is reinforced when Abse describes the other feeling a "flushed indignation, verbal revenge". This shows that whatever one said to the other, the one being criticized begins to have a fury build up inside them probably making their cheeks go red as they get a feeling of strong displeasure of the insulting comment made by the other. This therefore seems to lead to a feeling of strong anger to be aroused within them which provokes them into getting revenge verbally and saying something worse!
The atmosphere of the poems begins to change after his argument with his wife as Abse physically removes himself from the escalating tension between the two. Significantly, Abse begins to look out to the "far dank confusion of the sea and sky in resentful wedlock". This depicts Abse reflecting on the insults and the "fast barbed words" that he and his wife exchanged out of anger. Abse describes seeing the "confusion of the sea and sky" shows that the argument is now all a blur and a big mess as he reflects on it. I also find it interesting how Abse uses the sky and the sea as a metaphor for their marriage as he describes the two elements being in a "resentful wedlock".
The "monstrous Tusker Rock" is a representation of their strong and worthy relationship and the bond they have built over the years, despite all the insults that thrown at each other. However, Abse also explores the theme of mystery and the fact that the rock is "crammed with ghosts" implies that the couple have gone through more difficult times in the past. The "ghosts" shows that the couple's past is haunted by things in the past that have tried to break their marriage or could it suggest that one has been unfaithful to the other? the depiction of the ghosts of the past could also be linked to those seagulls that "drifted above it like lost thoughts of the damned". This gives the idea that both Abse and his wife Joan have questions of their own about the other that haven't been answered. The atmosphere in this particular section is therefore enigmatic and we as readers also develop questions and wonders of our own about what the ghosts of the past could possibly be an embodiment of.
As the poem progresses into a better light, Abse begins to compare his married life to a "B movie to enact my great climactic scene". This gives the impression that that is what Abse wants his married life to be like - full of adventure, excitement and mystery. However this shows that maybe Abse isn't satisfied with the life he has and so he would want to live his life like the characters from an adventure movie. This is seen ass thought provoking hallucination that Abse has to distract him from the fact that he is going through a difficult time in his marriage.
In stanza 6, we see Abse coming to realize how much his wife and their marriage truly means to him. We see Abse snap out of his desire to want to live a different life in a B movie and he finally comes to look past what really is behind all the the anger.
The atmosphere of the poems begins to change after his argument with his wife as Abse physically removes himself from the escalating tension between the two. Significantly, Abse begins to look out to the "far dank confusion of the sea and sky in resentful wedlock". This depicts Abse reflecting on the insults and the "fast barbed words" that he and his wife exchanged out of anger. Abse describes seeing the "confusion of the sea and sky" shows that the argument is now all a blur and a big mess as he reflects on it. I also find it interesting how Abse uses the sky and the sea as a metaphor for their marriage as he describes the two elements being in a "resentful wedlock".
The "monstrous Tusker Rock" is a representation of their strong and worthy relationship and the bond they have built over the years, despite all the insults that thrown at each other. However, Abse also explores the theme of mystery and the fact that the rock is "crammed with ghosts" implies that the couple have gone through more difficult times in the past. The "ghosts" shows that the couple's past is haunted by things in the past that have tried to break their marriage or could it suggest that one has been unfaithful to the other? the depiction of the ghosts of the past could also be linked to those seagulls that "drifted above it like lost thoughts of the damned". This gives the idea that both Abse and his wife Joan have questions of their own about the other that haven't been answered. The atmosphere in this particular section is therefore enigmatic and we as readers also develop questions and wonders of our own about what the ghosts of the past could possibly be an embodiment of.
As the poem progresses into a better light, Abse begins to compare his married life to a "B movie to enact my great climactic scene". This gives the impression that that is what Abse wants his married life to be like - full of adventure, excitement and mystery. However this shows that maybe Abse isn't satisfied with the life he has and so he would want to live his life like the characters from an adventure movie. This is seen ass thought provoking hallucination that Abse has to distract him from the fact that he is going through a difficult time in his marriage.
In stanza 6, we see Abse coming to realize how much his wife and their marriage truly means to him. We see Abse snap out of his desire to want to live a different life in a B movie and he finally comes to look past what really is behind all the the anger.
"I swivelled for a last winsome longshot, saw
on the high cliff my wife dressed in blue and all
the best of the world true and desirable.
With surrendering waves I crawled to shore."
In this stanza Abse now explores the theme of explores one big theme of truth, sincerity and forgiveness. Here, Abse's wife Joan is seen in a blue dress and the colour blue symbolizes calmness and peace which could show that the argument between the two has now come to a halt, for now. Maybe the fact that Abse pictures his wife beautifully dressed in blue could have been what made Abse realize that in reality, he desires nothing more true and sincere than his wife and their marriage. As he "crawled to shore" shows that Abse is the one is on the floor apologizing and hoping to have forgiveness.
In stanza seven, Abse talks about how insignificant their arguments were compared to the love they both have for each other and their children as he looks back to this particular scene of their married lives. He describes their past arguments and their "own cold cars during the real Cold War" as being "few and brief" which shows that the couple didn't dwell on the difficulties of their marriage. The best poems tell simple stories on the surface, but if you really delve in to the meanings of the poem you can see much more and 'A Scene from Married Life' is definitely a poem that does this.
In stanza seven, Abse talks about how insignificant their arguments were compared to the love they both have for each other and their children as he looks back to this particular scene of their married lives. He describes their past arguments and their "own cold cars during the real Cold War" as being "few and brief" which shows that the couple didn't dwell on the difficulties of their marriage. The best poems tell simple stories on the surface, but if you really delve in to the meanings of the poem you can see much more and 'A Scene from Married Life' is definitely a poem that does this.
Superbly keeping up to date with these reflections. Interesting reading and excellent preparation for the exam
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