“Tractor” uses half rhyme to portray the extreme conditions in the weather “sinking/deepening.” Ted Hughes also describes how man’s only defence proves to be useless against the forces of nature. “ Hands are like wounds already, inside armour gloves, and feet are unbelievable as if toenails were all just torn off.” This poem uses narrative in the first person, which in my opinion feels more realistic, because it makes us feel as if we are going through with the narrators anguish as well. These are some of the characteristic techniques used by Ted Hughes in many of his poems to emphasise or highlight the concept or the point he is making.
In this poem the tractor is given a mind of its own. At one point it almost seems as if Ted Hughes is criticising mankind. “Suddenly it jerks from its solidarity with the concrete and lurches towards a stanchion.” After all the effort the narrator has gone through the tractor goes off in another direction. Even though the tractor says “where where” the other parts of the tractor are still defiant and are still not willing to move.
Similarly in “Wind” we perceive the image of a storm being in full force and having the strength to have hills quaver as if they were tents. “The tent of the hills drummed and strained its guy rope.” Mankind is obviously inferior to nature and have nothing in control so they hide in their houses, “we grip our hearts and cannot entertain book, thought or each other.”
Another characteristic we can look at while studying these poems is instinct. The poems all have hidden messages and one could argue that nature is superior because we have something to learn from it.
Mankind thinks of itself as the domineering race hence we become too arrogant. However nature is something beyond our reach because it works with the power of instinct, thus mankind tends to ignore the amazing features of nature by ignoring it because they are too ignorant to understand it.
In “Thrushes” Ted Hughes presents a bird with an interesting interpretation. This is another typical Ted Hughes poem because it reflects his view on nature very clearly. He says that thrushes are driven by instinct for every move they make, whilst making that move they never procrastinate (or delay) doing what is necessary. “No indolent procrastinations, no yawning, no signs or head scratching. Nothing but bounce and stab.” Whereas humans have to, depend on a form of nature to become a hero. “Heroisms on horseback.” They pretend to work hard and in the end they are without a purpose. “Carving at an ivory ornament for years.”
Alternatively it could be argued that “Tractor” is somewhat different from others. At the end we are left with an image of a foal being born and taking its first steps. “And the tractor, streaming with sweat, raging and trembling and rejoicing.” This could also be seen as a defeat for nature because although the power of the snowy weather seemed undefeatable the narrator won and the tractor came to life again.
It is very interesting to see that the majority of Ted Hughes poems have a conflict between man and nature. Poems such the ones I have looked at in this essay. I feel that Ted Hughes probably sympathises with nature because o f how he was brought up. He stayed close to aspects of nature i.e. mountains, moors, farms etc, therefore he was very enthusiastic about nature which is reflected in his poetry. This is why “Tractor” is a very characteristic poem by Ted Hughes.
Nasimah Sabina Chowdhury.
12C.
