Giuseppe — Roderick Ford

Welcome to "Giuseppe" by Roderick Ford

In this guide, we are exploring one of the most haunting and thought-provoking poems in your Poems of the Decade anthology. "Giuseppe" is a narrative poem that tells a story about war, morality, and how humans try to justify the unthinkable. It reads like a dark fairy tale, but it carries a very real and heavy message about how we treat others during times of crisis.

Note for your exam: This poem belongs to Component 3, Section A. In the exam, you will compare this poem to an unseen poem. You will be marked on AO1 (your writing and use of terms), AO2 (your analysis of language and structure), and AO4 (how you connect the two poems). Remember, AO3 (context) is NOT assessed in this section, so don't spend time memorizing historical dates—focus on the words on the page!

What is the poem about?

The poem is a story told by an uncle (Giuseppe) to his nephew (the narrator). It takes place in Sicily during World War II, a time of extreme hunger and desperation. The uncle describes the capture and killing of a mermaid to feed the starving troops and villagers. However, as the poem progresses, the reader starts to wonder: was it really a mermaid, or was it a human woman who was "dehumanized" so the people could live with the guilt of killing and eating her?

Key Plot Points:

• The setting is a "dry" and "hungry" Sicily during the war.
• A mermaid is caught and taken to a "butcher's shop."
• Despite her looking and acting human (she screams, she has hands), the men involved insist she is just a "fish."
• They kill her, cook her, and feed her to the troops.
• The poem ends with the narrator’s uncle being unable to look him in the eye, showing the long-lasting weight of guilt.

Key Themes to Explore

When comparing "Giuseppe" to an unseen poem, look for these big ideas:

1. Dehumanization

This is the central theme. Dehumanization is the process of stripping a person of their human qualities so it feels "okay" to hurt them. The characters in the poem use various excuses to pretend the victim isn't human:
Example: They focus on her being "scaly" and having "no mind," even though she screams like a woman.

2. Guilt and Complicity

The poem shows that it isn't just the person who pulls the trigger (or the knife) who is guilty. The doctor, the fishmonger, and the priest are all involved. This is called collective guilt. The fact that the uncle "could not look" at the narrator at the end suggests he is still haunted by what he saw or did.

3. The Thin Line Between Myth and Reality

Roderick Ford uses magical realism (mixing magical elements with a realistic setting). By calling her a "mermaid," the uncle creates a shield of myth to protect himself from the reality of murder or cannibalism.

The Writer's Craft: Language and Imagery

To get those high marks for AO2, you need to look at how Ford uses specific words to create meaning.

The Use of Professional Titles

Ford mentions a "doctor," a "fishmonger," and a "priest." These are figures of authority and morality. By including them, the poem suggests that even the "good" parts of society can become corrupted during war. The priest, for example, gives permission by saying "she was only a fish."

Similes and Contrasts

The poem uses a horrifying simile: "she screamed like a woman in terrible fear." This creates a juxtaposition (a sharp contrast) between the men’s claim that she is just a fish and the human reality of her suffering. It makes the reader feel uncomfortable and forces us to question the men's version of the story.

Flat, Narrative Tone

The poem is written in a very simple, matter-of-fact style. There aren't many flowery adjectives. This "flat" tone makes the violence feel even more shocking because it is described so calmly, like a recipe or a report.

Form and Structure

How the poem is laid out on the page matters just as much as the words!

• Free Verse: The poem doesn't have a strict rhyme scheme or rhythm. This makes it feel like a natural conversation or a confession. It feels like an old man telling a secret he has kept for years.
• Enjambment: Many lines run into each other without punctuation. This can create a sense of flowing movement, but in this poem, it often feels like the narrator is rushing through the details to get to the end because the story is so painful.
• The Final Stanza: The poem ends with a very short, two-line stanza. This focuses the reader's attention on the uncle's shame: "his aquarium and his gold-fish" are his only company now, and he cannot look at his nephew. The silence at the end is powerful.

Quick Review Tip: If you see an unseen poem that uses a story or a conversation to reveal a dark secret, you can compare it to the narrative structure of "Giuseppe"!

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Treating the "Mermaid" as a Real Creature: Don't just talk about it as a fantasy story. The poem is an allegory. It’s about how humans treat "the other" (refugees, enemies, the vulnerable) during war.

2. Forgetting the Narrator: Remember, there are two layers of characters. There is the Uncle (Giuseppe) who lived through it, and the Narrator who is hearing it. The narrator's reaction at the end is just as important as the story itself.

3. Over-analyzing WWII: While the setting is important, don't write a history essay. Focus on how the poet uses the setting to explore human behavior.

Summary: Key Takeaways

The Core Message: Human beings are capable of terrible things when they stop seeing others as human.

Tone: Simple, cold, and confessional.

Structure: Free verse narrative that builds toward a moment of deep shame.

Key Imagery: The "butcher’s shop," the "priest" who looks away, and the "wedding ring" that proves her humanity.

Don't worry if this poem feels a bit "dark" or confusing at first. That is exactly how Roderick Ford wants you to feel! The uncertainty about what the "mermaid" really was is what makes the poem so effective.