A Subaltern’s Love Song
I have selected to write my paper on John Betjeman’s poem “A Subaltern’s Love Song.” This poem is a witty approach at explaining passionate feelings from the poet’s point of view, who is also the speaker. It is a satire and imaginative written work, which I will go into detail further in the paper. I will explain the analytical style on this poem, assess the meaning of the poem and discuss how this poem captured my interest. The poem is a satire, for the reason that he wrote it about a woman whom he was infatuated with in real life. However, their relationship ended up as long companionship. The meaning of satire is the literary art that calls attention to the difference between what a particular thing should be and what it actually is. Or between the way a particular person should behave and how that person is actually behaving. The writer of satire exaggerates or criticizes such conditions but blends ridicule with gentle humor—often intending to encourage change or improvement. (Clungston, R. W. 2010.) John Betjeman furthermore uses imagination by writing a descriptive setting of the poem. Imagination is the human power that shapes artistic expression; it enables a writer’s work to become an expression of meaning in our world and allows readers to engage in identifying with what the writer’s work has to say about things that matter (Clungston, R. W. 2010.) “Subaltern’s Love Song” captured my interest because John Betjeman was capable to write a poem that appeals my attention with the wit and the descriptive method of explaining his emotions, the surroundings, and describing the use of the four senses.
He focuses on the smells, sights, and sounds. I felt as though I was there during the events that occurred during the day with his love interest Miss J. Hunter Dunn. It was remarkable the way he handled losing the tennis match and the subtle way he wrote of it. She smote him that he used amusing comments on how he enjoyed the company of his victor. His passionate feelings for Miss. Dunn played a factor throughout the poem. For example with confusion from his infatuation, he clearly could not state how
