A Child to his Sick Grandfather

A Child To His Sick Grandfather

Context 

Joanna Baille was a Scottish dramatist during the early romantic era and was influenced by Shelly and Byron. She moved to London in 1784. She was encouraged to write by her aunt Ann Hunter who had access to London Literary society. During the 18th/early 19th century creative women's voices were rarely heard. 'A Child To His Sick Grandfather' was from her 1790 collection.

form, structure and ideas

Repetition of conjunctions and adverbs of contrast e.g. 'but, now, yet, we, ne'erthless'. This helps the reader see the contrast between how the grandfather is now and how he once was. Repetition of 'dad' suggets that the child/ narrotor has hearing difficulties. Dad also had ambiguity as we are unsure if the child is speaking to the dad, or the sick grandfather. There is use of rhetorical questions to show the reader that the speaker is unsure when he will die, or if he is already dead. It also could show that he is in denial and doesn't want to accept his flaws. The child is also still hopeful, or in denial in the poem when he says 'you nod, I…