Subaltern’s Love Song Paper

Robert A. Powell

ENG 125-Introduction to Literature

Ms. Maria Rasimas

December 14, 2012

Subaltern’s Love Song Paper I have chosen to write my paper on John Betjeman’s poem “A Subaltern’s Love Song.” This poem is a humorous look at a romantic relationship from the poet’s point of view, who is ultimately the speaker as well. It is a satire and an imaginative work, which I will elaborate on further in the paper. I will cover the analytical approach on this poem, evaluate the meaning of it and discuss how it captured my interest. The poem is actually a satire because he wrote it about a woman who he really was in love with in real life and ended up being friends with for over fifty years. Satire is the literary art that calls attention to the difference between what a particular thing should be and what it actually is. It can also be the way a particular person should behave and how that person is actually behaving. The writer of satire exaggerates or criticizes such conditions, but blends ridicule with gentle humor. This often intends to encourage change or improvement (Clungston, R. W. 2010.) He also uses imagination in this poem by the way he shapes the setting of the poem. Imagination is the human power that shapes artistic expression; it enables a writer’s work to become an expression of meaning in our world and allows readers to engage in identifying with what the writer’s work has to say about things that matter (Clungston, R. W. 2010.) The poem “Subaltern’s Love Song” by John Betjeman captured my attention because of the way he was able to draw me in with the humor and the descriptive manner of the emotions and the places. I felt as though I was there with him and her during the tennis match all the way through the ride and