abse - return to cardiff
HOW DOES OUR READING OF ‘RETURN TO CARDIFF’ ADD TO OUR UNDERSTANDING OF ABSE’S VIEW OF WALES IN ‘DOWN THE M4’?
In ‘Down the M4’, Abse doesn’t portray a particular fondness of Wales or the time he spends there in the present day. And yet it is clear that this wasn’t always the case, from where he says “this time/ afraid”. We can infer from this that he has enjoyed these visits in the past. However this time he is a “dutiful son”, showing that he is not on this journey for his own pleasure but is simply playing his role as a son. “Afraid” is on its own line, emphasising his fear of the fact that he may not be a son to his mother in her “ninth decade” much longer, perhaps showing us the main reason that Wales has fallen in his esteem.
We can see Abse create a similar effect in ‘Return to Cardiff’. Although this time he is not afraid as such, we get a sense that his opinions towards Cardiff have changed over time from the lines “the journey to Cardiff seemed less a return than a raid/on mislaid identities”. Again there is that sense that some time has passed since Abse thought so highly of his hometown. His journey is not a glorious return to beloved places but instead he is indulging in the memories of these places whilst realising that these places have changed with him as throughout his life he has chosen certain routes and laid aside possible identities in doing so.
This can help us to understand the sad and monotonous tone of ‘Down the M4’, showing that
In ‘Down the M4’, Abse doesn’t portray a particular fondness of Wales or the time he spends there in the present day. And yet it is clear that this wasn’t always the case, from where he says “this time/ afraid”. We can infer from this that he has enjoyed these visits in the past. However this time he is a “dutiful son”, showing that he is not on this journey for his own pleasure but is simply playing his role as a son. “Afraid” is on its own line, emphasising his fear of the fact that he may not be a son to his mother in her “ninth decade” much longer, perhaps showing us the main reason that Wales has fallen in his esteem.
We can see Abse create a similar effect in ‘Return to Cardiff’. Although this time he is not afraid as such, we get a sense that his opinions towards Cardiff have changed over time from the lines “the journey to Cardiff seemed less a return than a raid/on mislaid identities”. Again there is that sense that some time has passed since Abse thought so highly of his hometown. His journey is not a glorious return to beloved places but instead he is indulging in the memories of these places whilst realising that these places have changed with him as throughout his life he has chosen certain routes and laid aside possible identities in doing so.
This can help us to understand the sad and monotonous tone of ‘Down the M4’, showing that