Poetry Analysis

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Giuseppe

Original Poetry

Translation

My Uncle Giuseppe told me

that in Sicily in World War Two,

that in Sicily during World War Two,

in the courtyard behind the aquarium,

in the yard behind the aquarium,

where the bougainvillea grows so well,

where the bougainvillea grows well,

the only captive mermaid in the world

was butchered on the dry and dusty ground

was killed on the dry and dusty ground

by a doctor, a fishmonger, and certain others.

by a doctor, a fish seller, and some others.

She, it, had never learned to speak

She, it, never learned to speak

because she was simple, or so they’d said,

because she was simple, or so they said,

but the priest who held one of her hands

but the priest who held her hand

while her throat was cut,

said she was only a fish, and fish can’t speak.

said she was just a fish, and fish can't talk.

But she screamed like a woman in terrible fear.

But she screamed like a terrified woman.

And when they took a ripe golden roe

And when they took a ripe golden egg

from her side, the doctor said

this was proof she was just a fish

this proved she was just a fish

and anyway an egg is not a child,

and anyway an egg isn't a child,

but refused when some was offered to him.

but he refused when some was offered to him.

Then they put her head and her hands

Then they put her head and hands

in a box for burial

and someone tried to take her wedding ring,

but the others stopped him,

and the ring stayed put.

and the ring stayed.

The rest they cooked and fed to the troops.

The rest they cooked and fed to the soldiers.

They said a large fish had been found on the beach.

They said a big fish was found on the beach.

Starvation forgives men many things,

Hunger excuses many things,

my uncle, the aquarium keeper, said,

but couldn’t look me in the eye,

but he couldn't look me in the eye,

for which I thank God.

Explanation

The poem 'Giuseppe' by Roderick Ford tells a haunting story set during World War Two in Sicily. The narrator recounts a tale told by his Uncle Giuseppe about a mermaid who was captured and killed by a group of men, including a doctor and a fishmonger. The mermaid, described as simple and unable to speak, is dehumanized and treated as a mere fish. Despite this, she screams in fear, highlighting her sentience and the moral ambiguity of the act. The poem explores themes of dehumanization, the moral compromises made during wartime, and the justifications people use to excuse their actions. The mermaid's roe is used as proof of her being a fish, yet the refusal to eat it suggests an underlying recognition of her humanity. The burial of her head and hands, along with the attempt to steal her wedding ring, further complicates the narrative, suggesting a struggle between acknowledging her as a being with human-like attributes and reducing her to a mere resource. The poem ends with the uncle's inability to meet the narrator's gaze, indicating guilt and shame. The poem uses vivid imagery and a narrative style to engage with complex moral questions about humanity, identity, and the impact of war on ethical boundaries.

Word Dictionary15

Word	In English	Plain (English)	Pron.
bougainvillea	a flowering plant	a type of plant with colorful flowers	boo-gain-vil-ee-uh
captive	imprisoned	kept as a prisoner	kap-tiv
butchered	killed brutally	killed in a very violent way	boo-cherd
fishmonger	fish seller	a person who sells fish	fish-mong-er
simple	not intelligent	not very smart	sim-pul
roe	fish eggs	fish eggs	roh
troops	soldiers	military personnel	troopz
starvation	extreme hunger	extreme lack of food	star-vay-shun
aquarium	a place for aquatic animals	a place where fish live	uh-kwair-ee-um
mermaid	mythical sea creature	a sea creature with a woman's upper body and a fish's tail	mur-mayd
dehumanization	treating people as less than human	making someone seem less human	dee-hyoo-muh-nuh-zay-shun
wedding ring	ring symbolizing marriage	a ring that shows someone is married	wed-ing ring
forgives	pardons	lets go of anger	fur-givz
burial	act of burying	putting a dead body in the ground	ber-ee-ul
excuses	justifies	reasons to explain	ik-skyoos-iz

Poet & Context

PoetRoderick Ford

EraContemporary

Roderick Ford is a contemporary poet known for his exploration of themes such as identity, history, and myth. His work often delves into the darker aspects of human nature and society.

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WhenContemporary era, specific date unknown

WhyThe poem 'Giuseppe' by Roderick Ford explores themes of war, morality, and the dehumanization that can occur in extreme circumstances. It reflects on the moral compromises made during wartime and the blurred lines between humanity and monstrosity.

FormFree verse

Themes & More

Themes

dehumanizationmoral ambiguitywaridentityguilt

Literary devices

imagery: Vivid descriptions of the mermaid and the setting create a strong visual impact.narrative style: The poem tells a story through the perspective of the narrator's uncle.metaphor: The mermaid represents innocence and the loss of humanity.irony: The act of killing a mermaid, a mythical creature, is justified by calling her a fish.symbolism: The wedding ring symbolizes the mermaid's lost humanity and identity.