The narrative of “Old man Old man” and “Warning” differ greatly.
“Old man Old man” focuses on the negativity of old age. How in his old age he has become even more obstinate in his “contracted world”. The poem describes how he used to be independent, “lord once of shed, garage and garden”. Although now he cannot accept he has become helpless, “you who hate being helpless”. Now he is “self-demoted in his nineties to washing up”, and yet still “missing crusted streaks” Fanthorpe, who we assume is a daughter, describes the old man in a very desolate tone. It seems as though she has always tried to help him, but he’s always believed he’s a “world authority”. Now the old man has become surly in his old age, and helpless. Despite this, he still refuses help from his daughter. Towards the end of the poem, she offers her aid, “let me walk with you to Drury lane”.
Whereas in “Warning” Jenny Joseph talks about how she will enjoy her liberation in old age. She tells us how she what she wants to do when she grows old. She wants to act like a child and “wear purple”. Throughout the poem she only talks about herself no one else is mentioned. For her old age represents the liberations. She talks about the restrictions that are imposed on her now, and how she will do differently when she grows old, like eat “only bread and pickle for a week”.
Another way we can compare two poems is from the persona. In ‘Old man Old man”, there are two personas. The old man himself, and the poet. We assume the poet is a daughter, as they are very pessimistic towards the old man, this could be from the way she was treated by him “not good with daughters”. She describes her father in quite a negative manner, and at times nearly mocks him. She speaks about how old age affects their relationship. She describes the things he is no longer capable of doing. She moans about him and is very cynical about him. Towards the end she mimics him, “you said to me, but only as a cloud”. Throughout the poem the weakness of the old man is repetitively mentioned. Showing now how he has become weak and incapable in his old age.
The persona in “Warning” is just one woman talking about herself. She is a strong willed and independent woman. She wants to “make up for the sobriety of her youth. She will act reasonably for now, to “set a good example for the children”, but when she becomes old, that will be her rebeliion. She is very positive about old age, and focuses on all the good points of old age, like the freedom. Jenny Joseph has self-determination, whereas the “Old man in Old man” seem to have nearly given up in his weakness.
The poets use language in contrasting ways to express their ideas and opinions of old age.
“Old man Old man” begins with a stanza in the past tense. Describing the way he lives and is. The direct speech in italic, in the second stanza, its “I’ve lost the hammer” which the old man would be saying, but towards the end, the direct speech is from the poet to the old man “Let me find your hammer”. This is to evoke bathos in the reader. The poet expresses her words in a tender way, showing how she does care for her father but nee s him to let her help him. She begins to lightly mock him in the third stanza, calling him a “world authority”. A Wife is mentioned later on in the poem, and instead of the poet calling the old man’s wife ‘mum’; she refers to him as “your wife.” This could be showing that he was re-married, and the daughter was not with her mum anymore, therefore she cares a great deal about her father, and when he refuses to help her and shuts her out, it hurts her even further. The semi-colon after “your surliness” splits up the pitiable image of the old man, and halts the rhythm of the poem. Here we stop and remember the man who no longer “tells jokes”. Verbs are taken out of the poem to help the flow of it. Whereas in “Warning” the sentences are complex, with two or more verbs in them. The stanzas are groups of three, to remember them and separate it clearly. The stanzas in “Warning” are not separated equally. Although there is a circular structure, “wear purple” is repeated at the beginning and end of the poem. “Old man old man” is in a disheartened tone. “Warning” is in a childish tone, for example she wants to “grow more fat”. This could be because the things she wants to do a re also quite childish like “learn to spit”. Which is quite un-lady like but simply expresses her desire for freedom. Also the title “Old man, Old man” is repeated throughout he poem, this seems to emphasize his old age. The first stanza is “Warning” is free verse, she creates a list of short sentences, all the things she wants to do when she grows old.
“Youth is wasted on the young”. After analyzing both poems “Old man, Old man,” and “Warning”. I think that “Warning,” argues this title more than “Old man Old man”. As she speaks of how she will do youthful things when she grows old, so it is not wasted on the young. I myself preferred “Old man old man”. I preferred the seriousness of it, as “Warning” was in quite a childish tone. I found it interesting to see the relationship of the father and daughter, and her mocking of him was quite humorous. “Warning” was more like a big list of juvenile things she wanted to do when she was old. The two personas are at crossroads in their life, the turning point of becoming old. “Old man Old man” is how becoming old is a negative thing, how you become incapable of certain things. “Warning” is how she will enjoy her liberation of old age.
I contend that “Old man, Old man” is a more accurate description of how life will be when old age attacks. I would prefer for it to be how jenny josephs perception of old age is, but as you grow old, as I said earlier, you become incapable of things. Like memory loss and moving about. “Old man, Old man” shows this. In “Warning” she is still young and does not know how it really is to be elderly.
