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The demon goes to kill death

The Demon Goes to Kill Death by Edwin Morgan will writing service milton keynes Choose a poem in which the poet explores an important theme. By referring to different features of the poem, show how the poet succeeds in conveying his ideas to the reader.

Throughout the poem ??? The Demon Goes to Kill Death???, Edwin Morgan explores the theme of Death and also the idea of the finality of Death. Several different features are used by the poet to succeed in conveying his moral ideas to the reader effectively. However it is the idea that the Demon has no respect for anything other than the one thing that can destroy him ??“ Death ??“ that fuels the poem and allows the reader to fully understand the poet??™s ideas.

It is this idea that helps to develop the character of the Demon. Morgan??™s central character and narrator in the poem, the Demon, is shown to have a dark and complex personality. His lack of respect is central to the main idea conveyed by Morgan, as the demon can be seen to have no respect for anything, even the dead. The alliteration of ??? gravel, grubs??? in the first stanza creates a harsh, gritty sound, giving the idea of an obviously unpleasant atmosphere within the grave.

It is as if the poet is mimicking the digging of the grave through the Demon??™s thoughtless words. Morgan??™s listing sentence structure, ??? wood pulp, gravel, grubs, teeth???, creates the idea that the Demon is not concerned by the items sifting through his fingers, as if it were a daily occurrence. Clearly the grave is inhabited as the Demon finds ??? teeth???, which shows that he does not care what stands in his way, enforcing the idea that the Demon has no remorse, even for those already in the clutches of Death. However, Morgan also allows the reader to understand a more human quality that the Demon possesses.

The character??™s arrogance, which can be seen by the repetition of ??? I can??? in the last stanza, is central to his slight vulnerability, as it is as if the Demon is emphasizing the point that no human – ??? only a Demon??? – could endure the dangers that he can. The idea of the Demon overcoming ??? blizzards??? and ??? stench??? seem as if the poet is attempting to get a reaction from the reader ??“ snidely emphasizing that the Demon is better than us. This allows the reader to understand the Demon??™s lack of respect for the living, as the Demon appears superior through his lack of moral guidance. Throughout the poem, Morgan introduces the Demon to several different situations in which Death may be most prominent, like graveyards and battlefields, but as each passes the idea of Death becomes more prominent. The battlefield the character visits, however, is not one which we would have expected. The ??? shelled villages??? replace the traditional idea of a field, replacing it with a more modern image ??“ conflict now occurring in the centre of innocent places.

The word ??? shells??? helps to emphasize the idea of innocence, as if a sea-shell. However the word ??? smoking??? which precedes this removes all purity, as now the reader is left the image of a war-torn area. The internal rhyme in ??? shells or hells??? emphasizes the idea that these places are no longer safe. The Demon has no remorse for these innocent victims of war, as can be seen by this blatant removal of the peaceful and innocent image. The poet??™s image of the hospital also allows the reader to understand the Demon??™s approach to his search for Death more fully. The idea of ??? bedsores gaping??? and ??? weeping??? creates an image of physical pain for those with these wounds, whereas the pathetic fallacy, ??? gazed and wept??? develops the idea of emotional pain.

However these painful images, to any human, have no effect on the Demon ??“ he has no sympathy or morals, and so does not fully understand the suffering of either party. Once again this lack of understanding creates the idea of a lack of respect. However, in the Demon??™s quest there is one thing that, it seems, even the Demon is afraid of. In the final stanza the character seems to contradict his hunt for Death ??“ he appears to create such an image of Death that the reader can assume he is in fear of it. The word ??? ghastly??? leaves this image of Death ambiguous ??“ it is left up to the reader just how terrifying Death actually is. This in itself is more frightening than an actual description as the reader??™s imagination may conjure up any image.

It is as if the Demon holds too much respect for Death to lessen its hold o him by mere words. The final line confirms the reader??™s suspicion of the character??™s fear of Death. The Demon??™s hesitation is shown by parenthesis in ??? Or sooner ??“ look ??“ that white ??“ O???, as if he is quivering before Death – the only being who can bring him down. The rhetorical question ??? O is she there??? creates the idea that Morgan is trying to evoke sympathy for the Demon, as his lack of remorse for any being has led him to the very thing he holds respect for ??“ Death. Edwin Morgan??™s overlying theme, the only thing the Demon respects is the one thing that can destroy him, is addressed throughout the poem ??“ from the Demon??™s personality to the ambiguous image of Death itself.

This in turn can allow the reader to reflect on man??™s own ??? inhumanity to man???, the famous Robert Burns??™ quote, as the only thing we truly respect ourselves is death.

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