What is the meaning of the poem Vultures?

The poem “Vultures” speaks broadly about life and humanity, using the specific example that evil beings like vultures and the commandant in the Belsen camp are alike, both fighting for survival and happiness. The vulture,“perching high on broken bone of a dead tree” is fighting for survival by feeding off dead animals.

What is the extended metaphor in Vultures?

About “Vultures” 1 contributor The poem is an extended metaphor on the nature of evil. It portrays a picture of a concentration camp commander, but begins with an analogy; a description of a pair of vultures who nuzzle ‘affectionately’ together after gorging on a corpse.

What does the commandant’s child represent?

The commandant’s only physical description includes his “hairy nostrils” but his actions are kind and very human. He brings chocolate home for his child. It is almost as if his child represents his “good side” and the “vultures” represent his “bad side”.

What does bounteous Providence mean?

bounteous providence = all good things that God gives to mankind. perpetuity = going on forever. kindred = related by blood, close family.

What is the mood of the poem Vultures?

Sets tone of despair, gloom. drizzle of one despondent/dawn – the grimness is emphasised by the alliteration of the ‘d’. This adds to the gloomy mood. drizzle – this emphasises the miserable scene.

Why does the poet use the image of the vulture?

He uses the image of the vulture for Science. The argument appears that if Science takes away myth, then it takes away the reality of the human imagination. The poet also makes a reference to elfins or fairies, which Science would regard as a non-fact.

Who wrote the poem Vultures?

Chinua Achebe
Vultures/Authors
“Vultures” is a poem by Chinua Achebe which was formerly included in the AQA Anthology ‘Poetry from other cultures’ for study at GCSE.

What do Vultures feed on?

carrion
All vultures feed on carrion (animal carcasses), except for palm-nut vultures (Gyphohierax angolensis), which feed on the fruit of the oil palm. Some species also hunt small prey, such as insects, lizards, smaller birds and rodents.

What is the central idea of the poem Sonnet to science?

Because of Science, the old myths about nymphs and nature have lost their power, and poets can no longer dream easily. Analysis: “Sonnet – To Science” is a poet’s lament over the dangers of scientific development and its negative implications for poetry and creativity.

What do you think is the treasure in the Jewelled skies?

The line “To seek for treasure in the jeweled skies” refers to either the poet or science, as it may be that the wandering is for seeking (and thus the poet is seeking), or it may be that not leaving the poet is for seeking (and thus science is seeking).

What is special about vultures?

Vultures are carnivorous and eat carrion almost exclusively. They prefer fresh meat but can consume carcasses that may have rotted so much that the meat can be toxic to other animals. This gives vultures a unique and important ecological role because they help prevent the spread of diseases from rotting corpses.

What does it mean when vultures circle your house?

Those are the three scenarios of what’s most likely going on when you see circling vultures. They are either waiting for a turkey vulture to sniff out food, and just killing time, or they are searching by sight, or they are waiting for a larger, perhaps dangerous, predator or scavenger on the ground to finish eating.

What is the meaning of Chinua Achebe’s poem’vultures’?

This is a dark and brooding poem drawing an analogy between vultures as harbingers of death and the Commandant of the concentration camp known as Belsen. Achebe describes the presence of love and light in the camp that cannot tolerate the evil deeds done there.

What does Chinua Achebe mean by the charnel house?

What Achebe finds strange is that love is usually ‘so particular’, fussy about appearances perhaps, but in this case exists in a ‘charnel house’, a building where bodies or bones are stored. This idea marks a shift in the poem’s focus, away from the vultures.

How is the corpse described in’vultures’by Achebe?

What remained of the corpse is described as a ‘hollow remnant’ which the vultures observed with ‘cold telescopic eyes’. There is no inkling here, at the end of the first section, of any gentleness at all. In the second section of ‘Vultures’, Achebe comments on the nature of the love, using personification.

What kind of books does Chinua Achebe write?

of evil. *Chinua Achebe is one of the most recognized names in modern African literature. His book Things Fall Apart is one of the most widely read books from Africa. He has several books including volumes of poetry, short stories, novels, critical essays, children’s books as well as political commentary.