Module B Essay - Death

Kenneth Slessor’s poetry exudes death. Indeed, every nook and cranny of his poetry is stuffed with allusions to death in some way or another. To jam even more meaning into his already rich poetry, Slessor utilises language devices and techniques that explore the theme of death. One could go so far as to say that death is a trademark of Slessor’s poetry, which can be seen particularly well in his poems Sensuality, Beach Burial and Five Bells.

Firstly, the theme of death has been very powerfully conveyed in the poem Sensuality. The poem is a raw, yet powerful expression of the senses. Death is conveyed throughout the poem through the use of techniques. The use of repetition at the end of each line communicates a pulsing feeling, almost like the slow beat of a heart or the race of a pulse, as though there is a fluctuation between life and death throughout the poem. The beat is ceased at the end of the poem, conveying the idea that after the climax of feelings and senses, the heart had abruptly stopped. The line ‘death in hand’ conveys the idea that death is literally in a persons hands, and can be taken away quite easily, possibly indicating suicidal tendencies. The poem has a cyclical nature, which could be an allusion to the cycle of life; Just as life comes to an end, the poem itself must also come to an end. The poem comes across as almost impersonal because of the truncated sentences used, yet it is also strongly conveys feelings. This impersonal nature implies the coldness and insensitivity of death, yet at the same time, the waves of raw emotion that come with it.

Death is also prominently featured in ‘Beach Burial’. This is conveyed through the description of the ‘convoy of dead sailors’. This idea of dead sailors comes after the battle of El Alamein. The sailors were killed in combat, and slessor embodies the dead sailors as they make their journey into the afterlife. Slessor uses the imagery of a cross to describe the sailors ultimate sacrifice, just as jesus was sacrificed, they were too. The use of internal rhyme in the line ‘they pluck them from the shallows and bury them in burrows’ conveys the ebb and flow of the tides that claimed the lives of the sailors. They are all described as one single group or convoy, despite their opposing sides. This demonstrates that in death, they are unified, and that they can finally come together after such useless conflict. The water also symbolizes this unity, and demonstrates that nature is the final unifying element. The irony of the idea that in death they are together reflects the uselessness of battle and war, and reflects Slessor’s view on it, especially after his experiences as a war correspondent. Enjambment is also used to continue the flowing nature of the poem, as if the tide is an unstoppable force that will eventually claim all.

Finally, death is also expressed in the poem Five Bells. This poem is particularly focused around death due to the fact that it is an elegy. Slessor is the mourning the death of his friend Joe Lynch in a ferry accident on Sydney Harbour. The idea of death is expressed throughout the poem, as Slessor grapples and deliberates with the idea of his death and losing him. This can be seen through the use of repetition of lines, which demonstrates Slessor’s constant deliberating over what happened, and how it happened. Slessor evokes  elements of doubt about Lynches death by alluding to the fact that Lynch was a drunkard by using repetition of the ‘p’ sond in stanza 4 to evoke the sound of a rambling drunk man. The use of the line ‘deep and dissolving verticals of light’ also evokes the idea of mystery and the enshrouding nature of water. The idea that Lynch drowned in the deep and ominous sounding water evokes more sinister sentiments on death. The poem uses dark imagery throughout to evoke the idea of death, and the nihilistic tone of the poetry makes death sound as if it is a welcoming escape from the trials and tribulations of the world.

Kenneth Slessor has clearly been exposed to death in his life, that has acted as a well for inspiration. Some would argue that his best work has been due to his expression of the idea of death. The poetry is quite haunting, and through the use of devices and techniques in Beach Burial, Five Bells and Sensuality, Slessor has been able to imbue the readers consciousness with ideas and values associated with the exploration of death.