`Hag-Seed
Quote Technique Effect
Imprisonment:
Felix talking about sorrow: - Sentient Imagery The sentient imagery gives the audience a
“It was like an enormous - Anaphoric Start thorough idea as to what Felix’s relationship with
black cloud boiling… No: it sorrow is like. It is dark and sweltering hot, and
was like a blizzard. No: it confusing. But it is also like a chilling, cold to the
was like nothing he could touch, and blinding entity.
put into language”
The Anaphora is used to show the confusing
duality of the emotion, sorrow. It is both
everything and nothing simultaneously.
Intertextual reference to the Tempest
Felix talking about the - Exaggeration Atwood exaggerates the idea that they have
prisoners: never been loved to enforce upon the reader the
“Grins, nods of thanks, shy fact that the prisoners are mistreated from birth.
smiles… For once in their Most of them have been raised in a society where
lives, they loved their fate has already been destined. They are
themselves”. imprisoned from birth.
Felix: - Simile The connotation of misery being an enchantment
“The smell of misery, lying - Metaphor allows an understanding that it can be broken.
over everyone like an Felix recognises this and is set on ‘breaking’ the
enchantment. But for brief ‘spell’ and freeing the prisoners of the miserable
moments, he knows he cell.
can unbind that spell.”
Leggs talking about - Rhetorical Question The use of rhetorical questioning here allows
Caliban: audience engagement. It urges the reader to
“Why should the others get question their own thoughts on racial othering
a second chance at life, and prejudice, and they are trapped.
but not him?... He never
asked to get born.”
Reality vs. Illusion
Felix: - Alludes to the tone The introduction to Felix as a pessimistic and
“He smiles: the illusion of a of the plot fake persona gives the audience an insight into
smile. Pretence, fakery, but the upcoming depth of regret and sadness that
who’s to know?” Hag-Seed analyses.
Wonderboy: - Irony As Wonderboy states, there is great irony in a
“A con man playing an con man, someone who acts for a living, playing
actor. A double unreality.” an actor, someone else who acts for a living. It
boldens the correlation between the two texts, as
well, revealing the Tempest acts out Hag-Seed
Felix to himself: - Dramatic Felix is a dramatic, self-absorb theatre-goer. So
“He couldn't let himself Exaggeration much so, that everything he does and says is
turn into one of those dramatised, often to the point of unreality.
desiccated recluses
discovered months after
they’ve died of starvation”
Vengeance vs. Forgiveness
Felix: - Sensory Imagery Felix uses metaphorical imagery to describe the
“It rankles. It festers. It manifestation of vengeance. The anger and evil
brews vengefulness.” that one has toward another continues to thrive
and grow, and eventually, take over their life.
Felix: - Metaphorical Felix’s self righteous and self glorifying image of
“Felix, the cloud-riding Imagery himself is a strong depictional of his attitude
enchanter, Tony, the - Hyperbola throughout the text. His forgiving attitude is only
earth-based… derived from his corrupt attitude.
Gold-grubber”
Felix: - Statement It requires a condition for Felix to forgive,
“Under these conditions, I highlighting the fact that Felix believes
pardon all of you, and we’ll forgiveness is a gift, something that must be
let bygones be bygones” bought.
Felix: - Rhetorical Question Felix's unsupported belief that a successful
“Anyway, I succeeded”... revenge will be their resolution to all his sorrows
“why does it feel like a is finally disproved. Still unbelieving that this is
letdown? The rare action is the case, Felix begins to question everything he
/ In virtue than in set out to achieve in the past 12 years.
vengeance, he hears
inside his head”.
Felix: - Characterisation Felix had got his revenge, which in itself was a
“He had got his revenge, great feat for him, and already put him in a
such as it was. His position of power. However, there was an added
enemies had suffered, bonus that was that he had ‘strewn forgiveness
which had been a around’ and miserated his enemies even more.
pleasure”. “Then he had
strewn forgiveness
around… which had been
a greater pleasure”.
Felix: - Metaphor The idiom, ‘a dish best served cold’ is an
“It's taken a while, but - Idiom accurate representation of Felix’s position. Not
revenge is a dish best only has he waited 12 years to get this revenge,
served cold”. but he now gets to reap the benefits of his
festering anger.
Performance and Magic
Felix:
“Let’s make magic!”
Felix: - Fragmented Felix is evidently thoroughly confused as to what
“It’s not my play… it's our Sentences he believes. Though he would like to take an
play” ‘Does he believe entire credit for the play he is a part of, he knows
this? Yes. No. Not really. just as well that it is a combined effort.
Yes.”
Felix: - Internal Once again, Felix is confused by his own ideas.
“Prospero is not crazy. Questioning His entire past 12 years has been the basis of
Ariel exists… The this play. He has lived for this moment. And now,
enchantments are real. as it is about to start unfolding, he starts to
Hold on to that. Trust the wonder whether this is the right way to go about
play. But is the play things
trustworthy?”
Bitterness
Felix: - Characterisation Felix is obviously characterised by Atwood to be
Won't ‘feel sorry for them’ - Idiom an unkind, powerfully manipulative, and a man of
- Not regretful commitment. This is strengthened by these four
Felix: quotes, which are perfect analyses toward Felix’s
‘Take pleasure in their interpretation of what people deserve. The idiom
suffering’ ‘settle the scores’ allows an understanding that
Felix believes he has the right to revenge, as they
Felix: did it first. He is simply evening it all out.
‘Settle the scores’ Moreover, the certainty with what he says, and
the apparent lack of no regret becomes a strong
Felix: standpoint for this idea. However, previous
‘Anyway, they had it uncertainty about the issue on Felix’s behalf begs
coming’ the question of ‘Does Felix really believe it
himself?’
Remorse
Miranda: - Irony Felix is questioned by a criminal and a ghostly
‘I would, Sir, were I human’ representation of his inner self on whether he
feels sorry for his victims. Ironically, it is his innate
8Handz: human self, and someone who belongs in jail
‘Don't you feel sorry for who must lead him to ask himself if he thinks this
them?’ is right.
The Tempest:
Quote Technique Effect
Vengeance vs. Forgiveness
Prospero: - Dialogue Prospero shows amazing forgiveness to his
‘Forgive [Antonio’s] rankest - Characterisation enemies, only after gaining a realisation for its
fault’ - Contrast importance
‘Hearty welcome’ to ‘thy
company’
‘Pardoning’ of ‘[Caliban’s]
wrongs’
‘Vengeance’ resolved by
‘acts of virtue’
Prospero: - Characterisation Prospero is temperamental, as revealed through
If they don't do as he - Irony the dialogue. He is so consumed with getting
wants he will ‘rack thee - Contrast revenge, he puts other people into pain, and
with old cramps, fill thy threatens them.
bones with aches’
Prospero to Ariel: - Mirrored Felix frees Miranda from the confines of his
‘Thous shalt be set free’ imagination after forgiving Sal
Bitterness
Prospero: - Characterisation Ironic how Prospero is so brutal toward the
‘Wicked… Poisonous… ‘rightful owner’ of the island
Slave’
Prospero about Antonio: - Reflection Prospero reflects upon the mistakes that brought
‘Awakened an evil nature’ him to the island
in his ‘false brother’
Magic
Prospero: - Foreshadowing The dark arts foreshadow the evil nature of power
‘Dark arts’ that is about to be exerted over the occupants of
Prospero’s scheme
Prospero:
‘Wrapt in secret studies’
Prospero: - Characterisation Prospero neglected his dukedom to instead
‘Neglected all worldly ends’ selfishly make himself a better person
to instead focus on the
‘bettering of [his] mind’
Remorse
Ariel recounting Ferdinand: - Characterisation Ferdinand is a scared and afraid person.
‘Hell is empty, and all the
devils are here!’
Ariel to Prospero: Guilt Ariel uses the fact that he isn't human to guilt
‘Your charm works so Irony Prospero into
strongly’ that if he were to
see them ‘[his] affections
would become tender’
‘Mine would, sir, were I
human’
Obedience
Ariel:
‘All hail, great master… to
answer thy best
pleasure...Ariel and all his
quality!’
Ariel:
‘Let me remember thee
what thou hast promised
me’.... ‘My liberty’
Power and Authority
Propero:
‘Dukedom’ he once ‘prized
below’
Prospero about Caliban:
‘Prison[ed him] up to make
[him] behave’
Caliban about Prospero:
‘This island’s mine’ by
‘Sycorax my mother’ which
‘thy takest from me’
The Crucible:
Quote Technique Effect
Fear, Fanaticism and Hysteria
Abigail Williams: -
‘I want the light of God, I
want the sweet love of
Jesus!’ ‘I danced with the
Devil’ but now she ‘Goes
back to Jesus’ and
‘kiss[es] His hand’
Reverend Parris: -
‘The Devil is alive in salem’
John Proctor: -
‘Common vengeance
writes the law!’
Religious Danger
Hale: -
‘We cannot look to
superstition in this. The
devil is precise, his mark
as definite as stone!’
Abigail: -
‘God's work I do’
Danforth: -
‘Witchcraft… by its nature
[is] an invisible crime’
Danforth:
‘I would hang ten thousand
that dared to rise against
the law’
Good and Evil
Danforth: -
‘Twelve are already
hanged for the same
crime’
John Proctor:
‘Do that which is good, and
no harm shall come onto
you’
John Proctor:
‘Is the accuser always holy
now? Were they born this
morning as clean as God’s
fingers?’
Lies and Deceit
Abigail Williams: - Irony
‘Don't Lie!’
Abigail Williams:
‘I saw Sarah Good with the
Devil, I saw Goody Osborn
with the Devil!’
John Proctor: - Metaphor
‘I have seen the devils feet’ - Ironic
John Proctor: - Metaphor
‘Vengeance is walking in
Salem!’
Hale: - Metaphor The metaphor is that their questioning is so
‘We burn a hot fire here, it - Ironic symbolism intense, that any secret will be found out.
melts down all Ironically, the hot fire is symbolic of Hell, parallel
concealment’ with the theme of the devil throughout the script.
Reputation and Honour
Abigail:
‘My name is good in the
village’... ‘Goody Proctor is
a gossiping liar’
Elizabeth about Giles:
‘More Weight!’
John Proctor:
‘But I wilted, and like a
Christian, I confessed.
Confessed!’
Abigail:
‘I am a good girl, a proper
girl!’
Reverend Parris:
‘I have fought here three
long years… and now,
when some good respect
is rising for me… you
compromise my very
character.’
John Proctor: - Desperation John is desperate. He is all consumed. He is guilt
‘Because it is my name, I ridden. He is afraid, confused and distraught. He
lie and sign myself to lies. has given so much of his life, his ‘soul’ already,
Because I am not worth and now they ask for the one thing he has left.
the dust on the feet of
those who hang. You have
taken my soul, now leave
me my names’
Elizabeth Proctor:
‘He have his goodness
now. God forbid I take it’.
John Proctor:
‘A man will not cast away
his good name!’
Selected Poems by T.S Eliot:
Quote Technique Effect
Preludes: - Sentient Imagery
‘The winter evening settles - Simile
down, like the smell of
steaks in passageways’
Preludes: - Pathetic Fallacy
‘The morning comes to
consciousness’
Preludes: -
‘With the other
masquerades / That time
resumes’
Preludes: -
‘Press / to early-morning
coffee stands.’
Preludes: -
‘One thinks of all the hands
/ that are raising dingy
shades / in a thousand
furnished rooms’
Preludes:
‘Sawdust-trampled street’
Preludes: -
‘The faint smell of beer’
Preludes: -
‘The thousand sordid
images / From which your
soul was constituted.’
Preludes: -
‘You heard the sparrows in
the gutters’
Preludes:
‘The notion of some
infinitely gentle, infinitely
suffering thing.’
Hollow Men: -
‘We are the hollow men,
the stuffed men’
Hollow Men:
‘A shape without form. A
shade without colour. A
paralysed force. A gesture
without motion’
Hollow Men:
‘This is the way the world
ends. Not with a bang, but
with a whisper’
Hollow men:
‘Between the act and the
motions falls a shadow’
Hollow Men:
‘Sightless, unless the eyes
reappear’
Hollow Men:
‘The only hope of Empty
Men’
Hollow Men:
‘We grope together and
avoid speech’
Lovesong of Prufrock:
‘Like a patient etherised
upon a table’
Lovesong of Prufrock:
‘I do not think they will sing
to me… and we drown’
Lovesong of Prufrock:
‘The muttering retreats’
‘Half deserted streets’
Lovesong of Prufrock:
‘Restless nights in
one-night cheap hotels’
Lovesong of Prufrock:
‘The overwhelming
question’
Lovesong of Prufrock:
‘The yellow fog rubs it's
back upon the
window-panes’
‘Lingered upon the pools’
Lovesong of Prufrock:
‘There will be time’
Lovesong of Prufrock:
‘Prepare a face for the
faces you meet’
Lovesong of Prufrock:
‘Time yet for a hundred
indecisions, and time for
visions and revisions’
Lovesong of Prufrock:
‘I have seen the eternal
footman hold my coat, and
snicker / and in short, I
was afraid.
Lovesong of Prufrock:
‘Do I dare eat a peach?’
Picture a Vacuum (Kate Tempest) & Politics and The English Language (George Orwell):
