Hitler s First Photograph Commentary
Param Patel
Mrs. Karen Vann
Period C6-7
IB SL English
6 January 2015
Commentary on Hitler’s First Photograph by Wisława Szymborska
The poet is Wisława Szymborska and the poem is written in third person omniscient. The literal meaning of the poem is that Hitler is just an ordinary child that is yet to become anything he wants to be. Keeping in mind that his impending future is not the brightest, Szymborska ironically represents Hitler as just another ordinary child. The title, Hitler’s first photograph goes to symbolise how Hitler looked like an ordinary child and nothing more. This is evident through her childlike language throughout. In this poem, Szymborska writes about the how no one would have predicted what would become of Hitler when he was a baby. This plays into the whole universality theme in the way that when a human is a baby, the baby has not formed an individual identity to be known by. Everyone is left guessing what will become of the baby, and the worst case scenario is never considered. Here, Hitler is described as anyone would describe any other infant. Through structural elements such as irony, alliteration, structure, and sound, Szymborska portrays a sardonic tone which strengthens the central idea of the poem.
The poem’s sardonic tone is evident through Szymborska’s childlike language throughout. She refers to Adolf as “tootsy-wootsies” (Szymborska 8) despite us knowing what he grows up to be. She uses childlike language when dealing with the terrible outcome of “fate’s footsteps” (31). She presents Hitler as innocent as can be, a horrible irony to what he becomes. Szymborska experienced her own turmoil as a result of living in Poland and saw it taken over by Nazi Germany and writes with painful irony. Hitler is seen in her “mother’s fateful dream” (17) as a “lucky fortune wrapped in rosy paper” (16) even though Hitler grows up to be the leader of Nazi Germany. This plays into the sardonic tone because it is almost mocking of the atrocious
Mrs. Karen Vann
Period C6-7
IB SL English
6 January 2015
Commentary on Hitler’s First Photograph by Wisława Szymborska
The poet is Wisława Szymborska and the poem is written in third person omniscient. The literal meaning of the poem is that Hitler is just an ordinary child that is yet to become anything he wants to be. Keeping in mind that his impending future is not the brightest, Szymborska ironically represents Hitler as just another ordinary child. The title, Hitler’s first photograph goes to symbolise how Hitler looked like an ordinary child and nothing more. This is evident through her childlike language throughout. In this poem, Szymborska writes about the how no one would have predicted what would become of Hitler when he was a baby. This plays into the whole universality theme in the way that when a human is a baby, the baby has not formed an individual identity to be known by. Everyone is left guessing what will become of the baby, and the worst case scenario is never considered. Here, Hitler is described as anyone would describe any other infant. Through structural elements such as irony, alliteration, structure, and sound, Szymborska portrays a sardonic tone which strengthens the central idea of the poem.
The poem’s sardonic tone is evident through Szymborska’s childlike language throughout. She refers to Adolf as “tootsy-wootsies” (Szymborska 8) despite us knowing what he grows up to be. She uses childlike language when dealing with the terrible outcome of “fate’s footsteps” (31). She presents Hitler as innocent as can be, a horrible irony to what he becomes. Szymborska experienced her own turmoil as a result of living in Poland and saw it taken over by Nazi Germany and writes with painful irony. Hitler is seen in her “mother’s fateful dream” (17) as a “lucky fortune wrapped in rosy paper” (16) even though Hitler grows up to be the leader of Nazi Germany. This plays into the sardonic tone because it is almost mocking of the atrocious
Cited: 1. Szymborska, Wisława. Hitler 's First Photograph. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.