Tes Global Ltd is registered in England (Company No 02017289) with its registered office at 26 Red Lion Square London WC1R 4HQ. The Question and Answer section for Skunk Hour is a great Confessional poet Robert Lowell expresses his personal trauma in his poem Skunk Hour through his syntax, multiple themes, and his gothic tone. BACK; NEXT ; Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer. The two used to write letters to each other constantly, and were very concerned about what one thought of the other's work. Occasionally a person or an animal surprises a Skunk in a situation where he/she cannot retreat and the Skunk will spray in self-defense. GradeSaver, 9 September 2018 Web. In the warmer months, the chances of meeting up with a skunk increase. The poem starts with the speaker reflecting on a coastal town in Maine. Q. The speaker, an ambiguous “we” dangling over the story, tells the readers bluntly that the heiress' son is a bishop, a farmer on her farm holds a place in the local government, and that she is beginning to grow senile. and find homework help for other Skunk Hour questions at eNotes Compare Lowell’s (Robert Lowell, “Skunk Hour”) view of nature with Pound’s (Pound, “In a Station of the Metro”). Their taste for berries, garbage, lawn insects and other attractive food sources bring them closer in proximity to our homes. The characters seem to exist on a different plane of existence from him and emphasize his loneliness. Skunk Hour Summary. About 3 hours ago (it is 5:30 PM Eastern right now) I get a frantic call from my across the street neighbor, that there is a skunk rolling around on my front lawn (acre area) and sure nuf, I have what appears to be a large adult, dis-oriented, walking in slow circles, unaware of my presence and just generally screwed up. Love-letters again, broaching the ‘wife’ Like a stored cask, as if its slender vowel. Q. Not affiliated with Harvard College. Her son's a bishop. Here's the poem, "Skunk Hour": "Nautilus Island's hermit heiress still lives through winter in her Spartan cottage; her sheep still graze above the sea. Where can I get help with my skunk problem? What effect does this have? Swarnima Prajapati 4 months, 2 weeks ago. Night after night. Causes of Skunk Spray in Dogs. In the last scenes of the poem, the speaker shifts to focus on the skunk and finds solace in them. Instead, they float, isolated like the speaker. We find this out right away. The reader can give the mother skunk a number of different meanings. Q. I am having some trouble identifying some of the symbols and themes.' The speaker exists only under the surface of the first several stanzas; he (or she; from what we know of Lowell, he was almost certainly writing from his own perspective, but there isn't actually evidence in the poem to prove that) leaves only a trace of himself in the cynicism regarding the millionaire's clothing choices. Do they share an understanding of when it comes to its importance in human lives? How do you think the speaker feels about the people in town? Common Skunks Questions & Answers FAQs. “Skunk Hour” indicated a new chapter in Lowell’s poetry, where his poetry became confessional but never dramatic or verbose. How does the speaker's voice change over the course of the poem? The poem falls into eight stanzas with six lines each. Robert Lowell’s “Skunk Hour” appears as the last poem in his career-altering book Life Studies, published in 1959, but as Lowell described to Al Alvarez, a fellow writer and critic, the poem was the first in the book to be completed. It's well known that famous poets Elizabeth Bishop and Robert Lowell were very close friends, and it's even rumored that he proposed to her once and she refused – we wouldn't keep you out of the gossip loop! Q. Firstly, she seems defined in relation to her kittens; the speaker seems to be missing such close relationships, and though at least the heiress's family is mentioned, the three characters are described in isolation and interact with nobody. How can one interpret the final stanza? Get an answer for 'What does "the red fox stain covering blue hill" symbolize in "Skunk Hour"?' Small oranges loomed in the orange tree. The speaker also may be inspired by how undisturbed she is by her own repulsiveness. Skunk Hour study guide contains a biography of Robert Lowell, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. ” There is no question but that its so-called “confessional” poetry was something radically new in American literature. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. By describing other people, Lowell distracts himself from himself and his insecurity. When the institutions of religion fail, the skunk rooting through trash cans takes on symbolic power through its earthliness. Solin, Alana. Lowell’s poem seems divided in half by the startling admission, “My mind’s not right…” Write a … The skunks, on the other hand, are dripping with color and character, with fire in their "moonstruck eyes." “Skunk Hour” might be simply another poem about humankind’s inability to live within its own history, an alien creature on the earth. The skunks in this poem appear at first in front of the Trinitarian church in town, but their presence acts in opposition to the church, which Lowell describes as "chalk-dry." Skunk Hour Analysis 1108 Words | 5 Pages. Paraded the skunk. Skunk Hour essays are academic essays for citation. In the context of the entire Volume, "Skunk Hour" articulates a ground of values that make it possible to endure, if not to overcome, the anxieties of contemporary life and the loss of traditional grounds for value. Lowell’s (Robert Lowell, “Skunk Hour”) view of nature with Pound’s (Pound, “In a Station of the Metro” Compare Lowell’s (Robert Lowell, “Skunk Hour”) view of nature with Pound’s (Pound, “In a Station of the Metro”). Not affiliated with Harvard College. These characters also serve to broaden the sense of fear and decay in the final stanzas so it applies to a wider audience than just the speaker. Moreover the wizard was the hero according to Jo and Roger’s ‘stupid’ mommy could not understand why Roger wanted to change his smell. When do skunks come into houses? Solin, Alana. These characters seem to act as a critique of wealth, or a critique of society's limited norms regarding the gay decorator, but they are not written in a pointed manner. Jo knew now again Roger skunk would have no friends. Collapse All Expand All My pet has been sprayed by a Skunk, what do I do? His observations track an elderly, wealthy woman who seems to have a ton of property, but who is quite alone in her older years. The mother skunk acts as a murky metaphor with religious undertones. Finally, she "does not scare," and the speaker finds this admirable. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Skunk Hour by Robert Lowell. He seems to be afraid of himself; part of him sobs while another part of him holds it by the throat. Skunk Hour Introduction. Try to write a poem that, like Lowell’s, moves through different points of view before ending with “I.” 3. Circle all the pronouns in “Skunk Hour.” What do you notice about they organize the poem? "Skunk Hour Essay Questions". Get an answer for 'I am writing a poetry explanation on "Skunk Hour," by Robert Lowell. Lowell's Ancestry and Connections to Judaism, From “Cooked” to “Raw”: Rhyme in Robert Lowell’s Poetry. Study Questions ; Best of the Web ; How to Read a Poem ; Lit Glossary ; Table of Contents ; Skunk Hour Analysis. I expected her like a visitor. Why did the skunks pick my house? An oily liquid produced by glands under its large tail society and the speaker 's voice change the. Mother makes her a bringer of salvation, but the decorator is different in that way my pet been. He comes across as self-effacing, while she is low and earthly in comparison to the vertical.. Of `` Skunk Hour is a great resource to ask questions, answers! 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