The Serf by Roy Campbell

Overview

• Poet: Roy Campbell (1901-1957), born in Durban, South Africa. A critic of white colonial rulers, he emphasised the arrogance of colonial powers.
• Poem Theme: Power and oppression.
  • Focuses on a poor farm worker (serf) doing hard, unchanging labour under harsh conditions.
  • The serf's connection to the land reflects resilience and a potential future reclaiming of the land.

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Themes

Power and Oppression:

• The serf is portrayed as powerless, bound to the land of a rich owner.
• Formerly a proud warrior, now subjugated to labour and humiliation.

Hope and Patience:

• The serf's patience and connection to the land hint at the possibility of reclaiming power.

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Structure and Form

• Type: Miltonic Sonnet (also known as Petrarchan Sonnet).
  • Octave: First 8 lines (problem).
  • Sestet: Last 6 lines (solution).
• Rhyme Scheme: abba abba cdcdee.

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Stanza Analysis

Octave (Lines 1-8)

• Problem Introduced:
  • Hard labour of the serf is described with vivid imagery and metaphors.
  • Key Imagery:
  • "Torrid mist": Serf's harsh environment, cloaking him in dust.
  • "Slow somnambulist": Serf's monotonous movements likened to sleepwalking.
  • "Crimson furrow grooves": Blood-coloured furrows symbolise suffering.
  • Metaphors:
  • The plough cuts through the soil as insult cuts the serf's pride.
  • "Fatal sheaves of corn": Growth (sheaves) associated with death (fatal).

Sestet (Lines 9-14)

• Solution Proposed:
  • Steady progress ("slow progress of his strides") reflects resilience.
  • Vision of justice: Serf's patience will overthrow oppressors ("ploughs down palaces, and thrones, and towers").
  • Oxymoron: "Surly patience" contrasts impatience with enduring strength.
  • Alliteration: "Falling flowers" emphasises steady, determined action.

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Key Literary Devices

Alliteration:

• Repetition of "s" sounds (e.g., "slow progress of his strides") to reflect monotony.
• "F" sounds in "falling flowers" to emphasise perseverance.

Metaphor:

• Plough's blade cutting the soil mirrors the serf's wounds.

Oxymoron:

• "Fatal sheaves" juxtaposes growth with death.

Imagery:

• Vivid descriptions like "naked skin clothed in the torrid mist" evoke the harshness of the serf's life.

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Tone and Mood

Tone:

• Octave: Despairing and depressing, reflecting hardship.
• Sestet: Hopeful and urgent, hinting at future justice.

Mood:

• Evokes sympathy for the serf and inspiration through his resilience.

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Definitions from the Poem

• Torrid (line 1): Very hot, scorching heat.
• Drives (line 3): Pushes forward like a machine.
• Somnambulist (line 3): A person who walks while asleep.
• Fallow (line 9): Empty, no crops planted.
• Surly (line 12): Bad-tempered, rude.

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Exam Tips

Key Focus Areas:

• Analyse the theme of oppression and how it transitions to hope.
• Highlight the symbolism in the imagery (e.g., ploughing as both labour and potential transformation).
• Understand the sonnet structure and its role in presenting a problem and solution.
• Use specific quotes to support your answers.