White Hawthorn in the West of Ireland (Leaving Cert English): Revision Notes
White Hawthorn in the West of Ireland
Overview
"White Hawthorn in the West of Ireland" by Eavan Boland is a deeply personal poem that explores the speaker's journey from urban suburban life to the mystical landscape of rural Ireland. The poem contrasts the artificial world of cities with the authentic, ancient language of nature, using the hawthorn tree as a powerful symbol of Irish landscape and tradition.
This poem represents a classic example of Irish poetry that explores the relationship between urban and rural identity, making it an important work for understanding modern Irish literary themes.
Summary
The poem follows a speaker who drives westward from her suburban home into the Irish countryside during a transitional time "between seasons." She leaves behind the familiar world of "lawnmowers" and "small talk" to encounter the natural beauty and superstitious atmosphere of the west of Ireland. The white hawthorn tree becomes the central focus, representing both the beauty of the landscape and the deep-rooted traditions and superstitions of Irish culture.
Throughout her journey, the speaker feels drawn to become part of the natural world but respects the traditional customs that govern the relationship between humans and nature. The poem concludes with the idea that nature speaks its own language - one that transcends human words and connects directly with those who understand the land.
The hawthorn tree is not just decorative imagery - it carries deep cultural significance in Irish folklore and represents the bridge between the physical landscape and spiritual traditions.
Structure and form
The poem is constructed as seven quatrains (four-line stanzas), creating a structured journey through the speaker's experience. This form reflects the stages of her journey both physically and emotionally.
Rhyme and sound patterns:
- Half-rhyme appears through assonance and consonance, such as "seasons" and "gardens" in the first stanza
- Internal rhyme occurs within lines, like "West" and "left" in the first stanza
- Full rhyme (end rhyme) can be seen in the fifth stanza with "forfeit" and "it"
- The varied rhyme schemes create a natural, flowing rhythm that mirrors the landscape itself
Rhyme Pattern Example:
Half-rhyme through assonance: "seasons" / "gardens" - the 'e' and 'a' sounds create musical connection
Internal rhyme: "I drove West" / "I left behind" - 'West' and 'left' rhyme within the opening lines
Key themes
Urban versus natural world
The poem opens with a clear contrast between suburban life ("suburban gardens," "lawnmowers," "small talk") and the natural world of western Ireland. This juxtaposition highlights the speaker's desire to escape artificial, mundane existence for something more authentic and meaningful.
Journey and transformation
The physical journey westward represents an inner journey towards understanding and connection with Irish landscape and identity. The speaker moves from observer to someone who wants to become part of the natural world.
The westward direction is symbolically significant in many cultures, often representing endings, reflexion, and spiritual journeys towards deeper understanding.
Tradition and superstition
The hawthorn tree carries superstitious aura, and the speaker acknowledges traditional customs about not bringing it indoors. This shows respect for Irish folklore and the wisdom embedded in cultural traditions.
Language and communication
The poem explores how nature has its own language that speaks to those who listen. The final stanza refers to nature as "the only language spoken in those parts", suggesting that true communication with the landscape goes beyond human words.
Poetic techniques
Alliteration
Boland uses repeated consonant sounds to create musical effects:
Alliteration Examples:
- "season," "seasons," and "suburban" in the first stanza
- "skies," "splashes," "shyness," and "superstitious" in the second stanza
These repeated 's' sounds create a soft, flowing effect that mirrors the speaker's gentle transition into the natural world.
Enjambment
Lines flow into each other without pause, particularly between the first and second lines of the opening stanza. This technique creates momentum and reflects the speaker's journey, forcing readers to move forwards just as the speaker moves through the landscape.
Caesura
Strategic pauses break up lines for emphasis. Examples include "Small talk" and "Lawnmowers" as isolated phrases, which draws attention to these symbols of suburban life the speaker is leaving behind.
The use of caesura in "Lawnmowers. Small talk." creates abrupt stops that emphasise the speaker's rejection of these suburban elements.
Repetition
Words and phrases recur throughout the poem to reinforce key themes. The repetition of natural imagery (water, light, landscape) emphasises the speaker's growing connection to the environment.
Stanza-by-stanza analysis
Stanza one
I drove West / in the season between seasons. / I left behind suburban gardens. / Lawnmowers. Small talk.
The opening establishes movement and transition. The "season between seasons" suggests a liminal time - neither one thing nor another - which mirrors the speaker's own transitional state. The fragmented phrases "Lawnmowers. Small talk" emphasise what she's rejecting about suburban life.
Stanza two
Under low skies, past splashes of coltsfoot, / I assumed / the hard shyness of Atlantic light / and the superstitious aura of hawthorn.
The speaker begins to absorb the qualities of the western landscape. She doesn't just observe but "assumes" or takes on the characteristics of this place - the "hard shyness of Atlantic light" and the magical quality surrounding the hawthorn tree.
Key Transformation Moment: The verb "assumed" is crucial here - it suggests the speaker actively takes on the characteristics of the landscape rather than simply observing them. This marks the beginning of her integration with the natural world.
Stanza three
All I wanted then was to fill my arms with / sharp flowers, / to seem from a distance, to be part of / that ivory, downhill rush.
Here the speaker expresses her desire to become one with the landscape. She wants to hold the flowers and appear to be part of the natural "rush" down the hillside - to blur the boundary between human and nature.
Stanza four
The speaker acknowledges traditional knowledge about hawthorn customs. The enjambment from stanza three leads into her recognition that there are rules governing the relationship between humans and this tree - specifically that it shouldn't be brought indoors.
Stanza five
The poem explores the superstitions more deeply, explaining that bringing hawthorn inside might bring bad luck. The speaker respects this tradition and decides to "leave it" where it belongs in the natural world.
Stanza six
stirring on those hills / (...) / to redefine land.
The landscape becomes dynamic and alive. Boland uses simile to compare the hills' movement to water, suggesting fluency and the ability to "redefine land." The speaker wants to embody this same fluidity and connection to place.
Stanza seven
for anglers, / (...) / the only language spoken in those parts.
The conclusion reveals that nature communicates in its own way. For those who understand it (like "anglers" and "travellers astray"), the natural world offers guidance through a language deeper than human words.
This final stanza suggests that true understanding of the Irish landscape requires learning to "read" nature's signs rather than imposing human language and concepts upon it.
Key quotes and analysis
"I drove West in the season between seasons"
This opening line establishes both literal and metaphorical journey. "Between seasons" suggests transition and change, while driving "West" connects to traditional associations of the west with endings, reflexion, and the mystical.
The phrase "between seasons" creates a sense of liminality - a threshold state where transformation becomes possible.
"the superstitious aura of hawthorn"
The hawthorn tree becomes a symbol of Irish folklore and mysterious power attributed to certain aspects of the natural world. It represents knowledge that exists outside rational, modern understanding.
"the only language spoken in those parts"
This final phrase suggests that true communication with the Irish landscape happens through understanding nature's signs and rhythms rather than human speech.
Key Points to Remember:
- The poem contrasts urban suburban life with the authentic experience of rural Irish landscape
- The hawthorn tree symbolises Irish tradition, superstition, and the power of the natural world
- The speaker's journey is both physical (driving west) and spiritual (connecting with Irish identity)
- Boland uses varied rhyme schemes and enjambment to create a natural, flowing rhythm that mirrors the landscape
- The poem celebrates the idea that nature has its own language that speaks to those who listen respectfully