another analysis of you cannot do this

8/13/2019 Another Analysis of You Cannot Do This

1/19

You Cannot Do This

Gwendolyn MacEwen

By Hazell F.

"Poetry has nothing to do with poetry. Poetry is how the air

goes green before thunder. Is the sound you make when you

come, and why you live and how you bleed, and the soundyou make or don't make when you die."


2/19

You Canno t Do This

Gwendolyn MacEwen

you cannot do this to them, these are my people;

I am not speaking of poetry, I am not speaking of art.

you cannot do this to them, these are my people.you cannot hack away the horizon in front of their eyes.

the tomb, articulate, will record your doing;

I will record it also, this is not art.this is a kind of science, a kind of hobby,

a kind of personal vice like coin collecting.

it has something to do with horses

and signet rings and school trophies;

it has something to do with pride of the loins;

it has something to do with good food and music,

and something to do with power, and dancing.

you cannot do this to them, these are my people.


3/19

Words you might not know

Art iculate Clearly express (an idea orfeeling)

Vice Habit regarded as a weakness in

someones character Signet r ings A small finger ring

containing a small seal (ones initials or

the like) Loins The womb or a euphemism for

the reproductive organs.


4/19

Gwendolyn MacEwen

Born in Toronto 1941

Died in Toronto 1987

Dropped out of high school to become awriter.

Became famous in the world of Canadianliterature.

Mother was in and out of mental hospitaland her father was an alcoholic.

She also became an alcoholic and it is

thought to be the cause of her death.


5/19

Ideas

What are your own ideas? There are manydifferent interpretations of this poem none ofthem write or wrong. I will focus on two of these

1. As a poem on aristocracy

2. As a war poem

(You might also want to check out this websitewhich has an interesting view on the poem

http://readingchildrensbooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/you-cannot-do-this-by-gwendolyn-macewen.html)
http://readingchildrensbooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/you-cannot-do-this-by-gwendolyn-macewen.htmlhttp://readingchildrensbooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/you-cannot-do-this-by-gwendolyn-macewen.htmlhttp://readingchildrensbooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/you-cannot-do-this-by-gwendolyn-macewen.htmlhttp://readingchildrensbooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/you-cannot-do-this-by-gwendolyn-macewen.htmlhttp://readingchildrensbooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/you-cannot-do-this-by-gwendolyn-macewen.htmlhttp://readingchildrensbooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/you-cannot-do-this-by-gwendolyn-macewen.htmlhttp://readingchildrensbooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/you-cannot-do-this-by-gwendolyn-macewen.htmlhttp://readingchildrensbooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/you-cannot-do-this-by-gwendolyn-macewen.htmlhttp://readingchildrensbooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/you-cannot-do-this-by-gwendolyn-macewen.htmlhttp://readingchildrensbooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/you-cannot-do-this-by-gwendolyn-macewen.htmlhttp://readingchildrensbooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/you-cannot-do-this-by-gwendolyn-macewen.htmlhttp://readingchildrensbooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/you-cannot-do-this-by-gwendolyn-macewen.htmlhttp://readingchildrensbooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/you-cannot-do-this-by-gwendolyn-macewen.htmlhttp://readingchildrensbooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/you-cannot-do-this-by-gwendolyn-macewen.htmlhttp://readingchildrensbooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/you-cannot-do-this-by-gwendolyn-macewen.htmlhttp://readingchildrensbooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/you-cannot-do-this-by-gwendolyn-macewen.htmlhttp://readingchildrensbooks.blogspot.com/2011/03/you-cannot-do-this-by-gwendolyn-macewen.html


6/19

Aristocracy Being Overturned

One idea is that this poem is about theupper classes being challenged by the

lower classes and an uprising occurring.

Voice:The narrator in the poem is maybea queen or someone high up in society

and is speaking out to the people who are

committing the atrocitys against herpeople.


7/19

Tone:The tone is challenging and defendingand also kind of shocked how can you do

this?

Structure:The poem is split into threestanzas. The first is her standing up and

declaring you cannot do this. The second isexplaining how this is not just a poem but a

record of what is happening. The third (which

is longer than the others) is describing theirlives and how they should be. It is in free

verse representing the freedom they once

enjoyed and deserve to keep.


8/19

Imagery: One of the most striking imagesin this poem is in the metaphor you cannot

hack away the horizon in front of their eyesthe horizon represents the sunrise and anew day, so symbolizes the taking away oftheir future and their hope. The word hack is

also very brutal and suggests violence. Theonly other negative image in the poem is themetaphor of the tomb, articulate, will record

your doing; a tomb cant literally speak butit will show the generations after what hashappened and will serve as a record so noone is able to forget and all will know about

the deaths that occurred.


9/19

The last stanza contains a lot of imageryand gives us an insight into what theirculture and lives were like. The horsessymbolize grandeur and nobility, also notewild horses symbolize freedom somethingwhich is trying to be taken from them. The

signet rings are a symbol of power andusually engraved the coat of arms andwas passed down the generations sorepresent family history and tradition. The

pride of the loins is the pride felt for thedescendents and children which links withthe school trophies; representing all theiraccomplishments and achievements.


10/19

The good food and music creates animage of feasts and celebrations along

with the dancingwhich gives a sense ofenjoyment and happiness.

Diction: The poem starts with the wordyou which is in 2ndperson and is verydirect and helps to create the challengingtone in the poem and is almostaccusatory. The word my also gives a

real sense of maternal protectiveness likeshe is trying to shield them. It portrays thereal sense of grief and hurt she must befeeling.


11/19

Punctuation: The fact that there are nocapital letters at the start of sentences

means that all the letters are in the same

case maybe representing the fact that the

divisions between the social classes is

being removed and the upper classes arebeing stripped of their status, power and

money. Interestingly the only capital letter

in the poem is the I which shows how thenarrator is still standing up and trying to do

something to stop what is happening.

Mood: Is defiant, bold and strong.


12/19

A Womans Experience of War

Another idea is that this poem is about the

experience of war from a womans

perspective and how it effects not just the

soldiers but the community and women leftbehind.

Voice: The narrator in this poem is that ofa woman during war time who is trying to

stop the war and who is forced to stay and

watch as all the young men are taken

away to war.


13/19

Tone: Is challenging and protective but alsoin a sense futile and despondent.

Structure: The first stanza is about herstanding up against the war and speaking outagainst it. The second stanza is about how

this is a record of what is happening andbeing done just like the tombs of the soldiersnever to return. The third stanza is describingall the things that they will miss out on. The

poem is in free verse which contrasts the lackof freedom the soldiers and everyone elsehas on what happens. Interesting as arent

they meant to be fighting for freedom?


14/19


15/19

The metaphor the tomb, articulate, willrecord your doing shows how although

the tombs cant speak they will tell of thedeaths, what happened and what youcaused so no one is able to forget andfuture generations will know. The school

trophies represent the childhood theymissed out on and all the triumphs theynever got to experience. The pride of theloins represent the children and families

they will never have. The good food andmusic and dancingshow the parties andgood times they would have enjoyed.


16/19

Diction: The poem starts with a suddenchallenge as youis used as if directly to

the reader. The suddenness shows howwar can suddenly come upon you andtake away everything, the only life youhave ever known will suddenly be totally

changed forever. Also the use of myisvery inclusive and is non-judgmental sheis standing up for everyone who is affectedby war.

Repetition: The repeated you cannot dothis to them, these are my people is like adrill and is ironic as it using war/training

techniques to try and stop the war.


17/19

Punctuation: There are no capital lettersafter full stops or at the beginning of the

lines which doesnt follow the normal rulesrepresenting how there are no rules inwar. The only capital letter is I showingher standing up to the authority against

war even if she has to do it all alone.Mood: It is defiant and courageous but is

uncertain and ambiguous and the lack of

specificity shows the uncertainty about warand how know one is sure of what is goingto happen or what the future will hold.


18/19

Poems to Compare With:

Cambodia-James Fenton

Attack-Siegfried Sassoon

Anthem For A Doomed Youth-Wilfred OwenMy Dreams Are Of A Field Afar-A.E Houseman

For Heidi With Blue Hair-Fleur Adcock


19/19

Hopefully this has helped your

understanding of the poem You Cannot

Do This and given you some ideas and

different approaches you can work off.

another analysis of you cannot do this

Documents