‘Chainsaw Versus the Pampas Grass’ is a poem by Simon Armitage which considers the relationship between man made, physical objects, with nature and the natural world, specifically using the symbolism of a chainsaw to show man’s interaction. ‘Chainsaw Versus the Pampas Grass’ Key ThemesPower: There is extreme power exhibited by the chainsaw throughout the poem, with the potential of harm adding to the sense of power and brutality. The use of different sounds created through the language in the poem makes ‘Chainsaw Versus the Pampas Grass’ a very interesting which is notable in the anthology for its ease and enjoyability of reading.
Armitage makes use of personification throughout this poem, using it to describe the chainsaw as a snarling dangerous animal, but also its victim, the pampas grass. The fifth stanza opens with a metaphor comparing the chainsaw to a sledgehammer and the pampas grass to a nut it opened. In the final stanza of ‘Chainsaw Versus the Pampas Grass,’ the speaker describes the anger, the chainsaw felt over being defeated.
The contemporary British poet Simon Armitage allowed his poem ‘Chainsaw versus the Pampas Grass’ to be published online on the Oxford Today site, so we hope he wouldn’t mind our offering a few words about this poem, by way of tentative analysis. In summary, ‘Chainsaw versus the Pampas Grass’ is about a man taking a chainsaw and cutting down the pampas grass of South America. Despite the chainsaw mowing down the grass with ease, the poem ends with a vision of the grass growing back, enduring despite the chainsaw’s best efforts to destroy it.
This free verse poem is about the constant battle between man and nature, and Simon Armitage has demonstrated so beautifully that man will never win, which is the sad and unavoidable truth. The difference between figurative and literal language here is very pertinent because Armitage has shown that it is the perpetrator that matters in a fight, not the weapon they use, implying that the fight between man and machinery is over because man has won. The man is trying everything to cut the pampas grass down, such as ‘lifted the fringe of the undergrowth, carved at the trunk’ and ‘ripped into pockets of dark, secret / warmth.
The pampas grass represents nature, which of course ultimately wins. The thrusting, posturing masculinity of powerful machinery – of which the poet seems rather nervous – ultimately loses, while the pampas grass has feminine-sounding ‘feathers’ and ‘plumes’. The metaphorical femininity of the pampas grass is expressed in its ‘plumes’ and ‘feathers’.
chainsaw vs the pampas grass analysis Related Question:
What is chainsaw vs the pampas grass about?
In summary, ‘Chainsaw versus the Pampas Grass’ is about a man (we assume the speaker is male) taking a chainsaw and cutting down the pampas grass of South America. The chainsaw is ‘overkill’ where such a simple task is concerned: one doesn’t need to use an electric chainsaw to cut grass.
How is power presented in chainsaw vs pampas grass?
‘Chainsaw Versus the Pampas Grass’ Key Themes Power: There is extreme power exhibited by the chainsaw throughout the poem, with the potential of harm adding to the sense of power and brutality. However, the grass also shows power albeit more subtly in that it is able to survive.
How is masculinity presented in chainsaw vs pampas grass?
In conclusion, both poems centre around a female versus male contest. Through the use of the chainsaw and the gun we see masculinity being a passionate, angry power while the pampas grass and the speaker in “The Gun” express femininity as consistent and gentle.
What is Simon Armitage’s most famous poem?
Simon Armitage was born in 1963 in Yorkshire. He was a probation officer in Greater Manchester. He is the current Poet Laureate of the U.K (2019-2029). His most well-known poems include ‘Kid’, ‘Homecoming’, ‘Poem’, and ‘Remains’.
What is a minor role about?
‘A Minor Role’ by UA Fanthorpe explores the concept of an individual’s place in society, and the way that illness can impact it. Fanthorpe was born in London in 1929 and died in 2009, having become very well known for her work and her style of writing.
What is the poem material about?
‘Material’ by Ros Barber is an amusing, moving, and clever poem that speaks on the past and tradition through the symbol of a handkerchief. The poem takes the reader through the speaker’s youth and delves into her mother’s love of handkerchiefs. She always kept them on her person, usually up in her sleeves.
What is the poem Giuseppe about?
Summary. ‘Giuseppe’ by Roderick Ford tells of the moral consequences associated with the violent murder of a mermaid during the Second World War. The poem begins with the speaker setting the scene. There was a group of people in Sicily and in their desperate starved state they butchered a mermaid behind the aquarium.
What is history by John Burnside about?
Within ‘History’ Burnside explores themes of war, loss, and human nature. The mood is solemn throughout with a few more peaceful and wistful sections woven in. Even when the mood lightens and the speaker depicts a scene that is more peaceful, it is never without the presence of darkness.
How is power presented in Eat Me?
Power: Throughout ‘Eat Me’ the idea of power is very important because it is fundamental to the ‘feeder’ relationship. Without this power it wouldn’t be able to operate, and the objectification and possession would not be able to take place.
What was the original purpose of a chainsaw?
Two doctors invented the chainsaw in 1780 to make the removal of pelvic bone easier and less time-consuming during childbirth. It was powered by a hand crank and looked like a modern-day kitchen knife with little teeth on a chain that wound in an oval.
When did they stop using chainsaws in childbirth?
In light of this success, the chainsaw was eventually mechanized in the later 19th century to increase its ease of use by OB/GYNs on expectant mothers. However, shortly after this, the chainsaw was superseded by the Gigli twisted wire saw, which was most commonly used to cut bone.
What is Ted Hughes most famous poem?
1. ‘The Thought-Fox’. This poem, from Hughes’s first collection The Hawk in the Rain (1957), explores the writer’s struggle to find inspiration, which is depicted in the poem by the fox.
What inspired Simon Armitage to write remains?
‘Remains’ is based on the experiences of a soldier who served in Basra in Iraq. He suffered severe PTSD as a result of his experiences and the poem recalls one particular event where the soldier shot the looter of a bank and was left with horrendous flashbacks reliving the moment of the man’s death.
What is on her blindness about?
‘On Her Blindness’ by Adam Thorpe describes a mother’s life, her struggle with blindness, her death, and the family’s inability to understand what she went through. The poem takes the reader through several emotional passages that depict the poet’s mother’s frustration at her disability.
What is from the journal of a disappointed man about?
‘From the Journal of a Disappointed Man’ by Andrew Motion describes the actions of construction workers who labor to build a pier. The poem takes the reader through the narrator’s initial impression of the men and then how that impression evolves as he studies them.