James Honeyman: How does Auden tell the story (Part 1)

Hi folks,

As you know, I have a feeling about James Honeyman being the named poem for Auden, which is why I've set you an essay on it. I'll get those marked so that you can have it back next lesson. If there is no next lesson, please drop in for it or email me for feedback.

In the meantime, I thought it would be a good idea to put together some notes on the poem to help you should you get this question. I'll steal any good ideas I find in your essays too.

I've broken this post into two parts.

Here goes:

James Honeyman - Key points

• The poem was written in 1938, at a time when Auden was predicting the start of the war. In the same collection of poems that James Honeyman appeared in, he wrote:

In the nightmare of the dark
All the dogs of Europe bark,
And the living nations wait,
Each sequestered in its hate.
  

• The poem obviously links with Miss Gee and Victor as they make up a trio of satirical ballads from the same period. They also use accentual verse, in this case there is a pattern of three stressed syllables per line which creates a steady rhythm of 1, 2, 3 pause & etc. This musical rhythm lightens the tone and creates a sense of time moving on swiftly. As one critic commented: 'the whirr and chime of clocks can be heard throughout Auden's poetry'.

• The poem has an abcb rhyme scheme, which adds to the sense of regularity and musicality. Note the awkward moments however. The first stanza's rhyme (cry/curiosity) suggests that the character is awkward and struggles to fit in from the very start.

• We get the whole life story of James Honeyman from childhood until death, told in a linear fashion.  It can be usefully broken down into the following sections:

 1-5: Childhood

• The eponymous hero is immediately marked out as someone who lacks emotion (he didn't laugh or cry) and instead possesses 'curiosity', foreshadowing his scientific and intellectual pursuits.

• His name suggests sweetness and benevolence (ironic, when you consider his invention of a poison gas), but could also suggest a connection with bees: perhaps their restlessness, productivity and the sting in the tail?

• In the second stanza, there is a sense of distance between mother and son. He is literally observed to be playing with fire - an idiom suggesting that he's going to get burned.

•  Stanzas 3-4 highlight the contrast between a normal childhood and James's. His only interest is in chemistry.

• Stanza five brings in an outside perspective (just like we get in Miss Gee and Victor) to point out the (anti)heroes character flaw: he doesn't play with others.

6-7: College

• Again, he is characterised as being isolated, extraordinary and driven. The 'black coffee' and 'glasses' use simple, concrete images to sum up his driven nature and studiousness. Similar use of synecdoche is used in Miss Gee in particular (no bust, slight squint etc)

 8-12: Growing up and moving on

•  As elsewhere in Auden, James takes a trip into the country where he looks for answers and seeks inspiration. The reference to 'phosphorous' reminds us of the earlier image of him striking matches.

• Lewisite was used in chemical weaponry but was developed too late for WW1. The use of the phrase 'pretty decent stuff' in connection with a poison gas demonstrates James's sense of perspective and ignorance of the consequences.

•  Again, a fresh perspective (the landlady) points out an obvious issue: James Honeyman only has one life and ought to have some fun. These outside perspectives help us identify the target of Auden's satire.

• Some readers comment that the connotations of alkali are less harmful than the corrosive acid. Perhaps his research work is linked to alkali while his more dangerous experiments in his shed are on the other side of the spectrum. The word 'Imperial' is used ironically. It is suggestive of the British Empire - and yet the gas is eventually used by a foreign power.
•  
• Stanza 11 reveals James's motivation: 'I'll be famous before I die'. Like Miss Gee, James harbours a secret and burning desire to be noticed and appreciated.

13-21: Marriage, becomes a father, doing experiments

•  There is humour in James's encounter with Doreen. He is able to offer iodine when she cuts her finger, and wants to 'stroke her hair'. It's quite a childlike, innocent response. Perhaps this hints at the absence of warmth in his childhood. It reminds me of the childish curiosity Lennie has in Curley's Wife in Of Mice and Men.

•  The significance of the dairy and the cinema? Perhaps the diary suggests a benign substance associated with innocence (milk) in contrast to the poisonous substances he is experiemnting with. The cinema could represent the neglected need for entertainment, escapism and relaxation. Also note the repetition of 'green' in the poem. The earliest use of gas as a chemical weapon (chlorine) was known for it's green (or green-yellow) colour. So it is suggestive both of nature and the poison gas - just as James is both at once family man and killer.

• In stanzas 17 and 18, the repetition of 'I'll finish my experiment' helps give an idea of time passing while James obsessively puts his life on hold until his work is done.

• Stanza 19 juxtaposes two lines about domestic bliss and the desire to care and nurture (helped to push the pram) and the sharply contrasting desire to destroy (kill a man). This stanza sums up perfectly this antithetical character.

• In stanza 21, time moves on again. The summer nights pass, but James carries on working in isolation in his shed, despite the symbolic red roses, which are suggestive of love. Both this image and summer itself suggest that he is spending the prime of life in isolation and is oblivious to his surroundings. Like 'Honeyman', the rose image suggests both something sweet but also painful. (Note the name of the doc in Miss Gee). Of course, the use of red at this point could also be a warning sign.

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Part 2 of this post is coming soon. I'll also be posting some more useful Auden resources.

 

I'm also happy to organise a revision session for next week if anyone is keen. How would after school on Wednesday and/or Thursday be?

 

 

Mr M