Theory question 111
Non-African PoetryLiterature 2, Section D: Non-African Poetry
Discuss the theme of permanence and change in “Is my team Ploughing”?
Show the model answer
Model answer
A. E. Housman's poem is a dialogue between a dead young man and his living friend.
The dead man asks whether his team is ploughing, whether football is played, whether his girl still grieves, whether his friend is well.
Permanence: the work of the farm and the games go on as before; life continues.
Change: he is gone and soon forgotten; his girl no longer weeps and is now with the friend, who sleeps in the dead man's place.
The question-and-answer form brings out the contrast between the permanence of life's routines and the change brought by death.
Tone: ironic and sad; the world quickly moves on.
Explanation
Use the stanzas as evidence.