The Whipping Poem Analysis

Poems have the ability to pick at one’s heart strings and reveal strong emotions. In The Whipping, the reader experiences what life is like for a young boy. “The old woman across the way / is whipping the boy again [...] (Hayden 1).” Robert Hayden, author of The Whipping, has captured a horrible event in a graceful way. This poem will be judged based upon its form as well as its aspects of foreshadowing. It is important to also consider The Whipping’s ability to flow smoothly. There are some key questions to ask when reading this poem. What is the overall message? Is there any light or life hidden beneath this heinous act? What is the dark truth behind this poem? The Whipping has many key elements to explore and question.
Form is a key element in The Whipping. This poem starts off in a brutal environment, where a poor boy is being beaten by a scary, insane woman. The nature of their relationship is unknown. There are six stanzas included in this poem, three of which appear to take place in present time and from a third person point of view. The boy is being beaten and he is very afraid of this woman. “His tears are rainy weather to wound-like memories (Hayden 11).” This is the transition into the last three stanzas. After the transition, the flow of the poem indicates
The opening line to the poem states, “The old woman across the way is whipping the boy again (Hayden 1).” The word ‘again’ indicates that this is not the first time that the boy has been whipped. This line is important, but it is not the foreshadowing aspect. The foreshadowing comes into play later within the poem. The reader is hearing the young boy’s thoughts. He specifically thinks, “Well, it is over now, it is over [...] (Hayden 19).” The reader can see that the beatings are not ‘over.’ The first line of the play contradicts the boys thoughts, foreshadowing that there will be more beatings in his