The Ballard of Reading Gaol - Oscar Wilde

?
murdered in
her bed - links to Porphria's lover
1 of 38
sails of
silver by - the barred windows
2 of 38
within another
ring
3 of 38
though I was a soul in pain,
my pain I could not feel
4 of 38
the man had killed
the thing he loved
5 of 38
each man kills
the thing he loves
6 of 38
into an
empty space - hell or nothing as soul destroyed
7 of 38
who watch him
night and day - scared he will kill himself
8 of 38
slips through the
padded door - unnoticed, prison want to hide what is going on behind closed doors
9 of 38
had such a
debt to pay - jesus died for our sins, so why do prisoners need to die
10 of 38
adder-bitten
root - cannot grow, links to how prisoner cannot grow
11 of 38
it is sweet to
dance to violins
12 of 38
must set a lock upon his lips
and make his face a mask - prison warders can't ask questions
13 of 38
the Devil's
own brigade
14 of 38
into his numbered
tomb - his grave
15 of 38
a bitter wine
upon a sponge - links to Jesus
16 of 38
in the secret
house of shame - don't want people to know what goes on
17 of 38
to dance
upon the air - being hanged
18 of 38
around, around they
waltzed and wound - prisoners
19 of 38
and what was dead
was hope
20 of 38
and heard the prayer the
hangman's snare, strangled into a scream
21 of 38
for he who lives
more lives than one - links to Wilde and being homosexual
22 of 38
jingling
keys - guards take pleasure
23 of 38
and they wore
their sunday suits
24 of 38
fetters on each
foot - chains, also trapping soul
25 of 38
it eats the flesh and bones by turns
but it eats the heart alway
26 of 38
they mocked the swollen
purple throat - guards think the pain is ammusing
27 of 38
for his mourners will
be outcast men - Oscar Wilde himself an outcast
28 of 38
built with bricks
of shame
29 of 38
bound with bars lest
Christ should see
30 of 38
is full of chalk
and lime - prisoners essentially fed poision
31 of 38
for they starve the
little frightened children
32 of 38
and all, but lust, is turned
to dust, in humanity's machine
33 of 38
and by all forgot, we rot and rot
with soul and body marred
34 of 38
how else but through a broken heart
may Lord Christ enter in - only enters when needed
35 of 38
and his grave
has got no name - no identity dead or alive
36 of 38
the man had killed the thing he
love, and so he had to die - sarcastic tone
37 of 38
the brave man
with a sword - saying in the end the prisoner is brave
38 of 38

Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

sails of

Back

silver by - the barred windows

Card 3

Front

within another

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

though I was a soul in pain,

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

the man had killed

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
View more cards

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar English Literature resources:

See all English Literature resources »See all Oscar Wilde resources »