The Cage

Short film of this poem.

§ Poem about Montague’s father, James – father-son relationship – effects of exile and return – interest to modern audience
§ Fled to New York – induced by militant patriotism – failed to earn adequate living – fondness for drink alienated wife who abandoned him – father lived in menial job until 1952.
§ Title becomes metaphor for father’s condition – opening line – sets tone –– concise account condenses a lot of information in a taut structure – accessible and easily understood – stunningly descriptive despite its brevity
§ Exile robs identity – deprives life of essential meaning
§ Vivid images – confinement – death – imprisonment – narrow, pointless life
§ Alternative to this – another form of imprisonment – state of forgetfulness and ignorance
§ Diction – suggests disapproval – son’s part – uneasy attempt to affirm father’s positive aspects undermined by certain words and phrases (diction)
§ Contrasts in description of place – Garvaghey – refuge
§ Father’s return means son’s exile – reference to Greek mythology – haunted by memory of father – suggestion that father is a double for son – symbolic wound – described in a way that suggests something hereditary
§ Implication – son’s memory of father also in a cage – trapped – particular time and place