Comprehensive Study Notes: Elizabeth Daryush, ‘Children of Wealth’ (Songs of Ourselves Volume 2)
Welcome to your study notes for Elizabeth Daryush’s powerful poem, ‘Children of Wealth’! This poem is a brilliant piece of social commentary that asks us to look closely at the hidden costs of privilege. Understanding it will sharpen your skills in analyzing structure and theme, which is essential for your IGCSE exam (AO2 and AO3).
Don’t worry if the language seems a little old-fashioned; we’ll break down every complex idea into simple steps!
1. Overview: The Poet and Context (AO2)
Who was Elizabeth Daryush?
- Elizabeth Daryush (1888–1977) was a 20th-century poet who often wrote in formal, traditional styles, even when addressing modern or complex issues.
- She was known for using precise, almost mathematical structures, which we will analyze later!
What is the poem about?
In the simplest terms, the poem is a sharp critique of class division and the concept of inherited privilege. Daryush compares the lives of children born into extreme wealth (the 'Children of Wealth') with those who are less fortunate. The shocking observation is that, despite their riches, the wealthy children are emotionally and spiritually poorer.
2. Summary and Literal Meaning (AO1)
The poem is essentially structured around a sustained contrast. Daryush walks us through the life of the wealthy children, focusing less on *what* they have, and more on *what they lack*.
Stanza-by-Stanza Breakdown:
- Stanzas 1–2: Protection and Isolation
The children are physically shielded. Their lives are compared to a ‘walled garden’ and ‘guarded lawn’. They are protected from rough weather (‘nor frost nor wind’) and rough experiences. - Stanzas 3–4: Lack of Experience
Because they are so protected, they have never had to struggle or truly work. Their hands are ‘unbent by toil’, and their hearts are ‘unmoved by pain’. They lack the real-life experiences that build character. - Stanzas 5–6: Spiritual Emptiness
Daryush argues that this protection has led to stagnation. They are like plants that have never faced the wild wind—they lack vitality. They are ‘untired, untaught’. They don't know the satisfaction of earning something, only the dullness of receiving everything. - Final Stanza: The Cost
The poet concludes that while these children possess material wealth (‘golden stores’), they have been robbed of something much more valuable: true experience, true empathy, and the ability to truly grow.
Quick Review Box (AO1): The poem focuses on the absence of struggle, suggesting this absence is damaging. It uses imagery of enclosure (walls, guards) to represent emotional restriction.
3. Key Themes and Attitudes (AO2)
When analyzing themes, consider the attitudes Daryush is conveying—she isn't just describing; she is judging.
Theme 1: The Curse of Privilege
Daryush doesn't celebrate wealth; she sees it as a burden. The children are victims of their circumstances. The privilege that protects them physically also stunts them emotionally and morally. They are prisoners of their own comfort.
Think of it this way: If you never have to solve a difficult puzzle, you never learn how strong your mind is. These children never faced life’s puzzles, so they never learned their own strength.
Theme 2: Isolation and Ignorance
The children are kept separate from the real world. This physical separation leads to ignorance about the pain and suffering of others. They are ‘unmoved by pain’ because it is something theoretical, not experienced.
Theme 3: The True Meaning of 'Value'
The poem contrasts material goods (gold, guarded lawns) with internal human qualities (toil, empathy, spirit). Daryush suggests that the children have all the external goods but none of the internal richness. This lack of growth is the greatest tragedy.
4. Structure and Form: The Method and Its Message (AO3)
Daryush’s structure is arguably the most important part of this poem. Her precise, rigid structure perfectly reflects the artificial and controlled environment she is describing.
The Tight Structure
The poem uses consistent three-line stanzas (tercets). These short, formal stanzas create a feeling of control, restriction, and almost suffocating order.
Quantitative Meter – The Key Trick!
Daryush deliberately uses Quantitative Meter.
- In most English poetry, meter is based on stress (the rhythm of loud and quiet syllables).
- Quantitative Meter is based on the length or duration of syllables (a technique borrowed from classical poetry like Greek or Latin).
Why does she do this?
The use of this ancient, unnatural (to English ears) meter makes the poem feel incredibly restrictive and formal. It creates a monotonous, regulated rhythm, which mirrors the monotonous, regulated, and artificial lives of the wealthy children.
Memory Aid: The Quantitative meter is Quietly demonstrating the Quality of their restricted lives.
Use of Enjambment
While the stanzas are short, Daryush uses enjambment (lines running on without a pause) frequently. This can create a sense of being trapped, as the thoughts tumble quickly without resolution, mirroring how the children's lives flow predictably without obstacles.
5. Language and Imagery (AO3)
The diction (word choice) and imagery heavily emphasize enclosure, sterility, and lack of action.
Imagery of Confinement and Sterility
- ‘Walled Garden’ / ‘Guarded Lawn’: These are powerful symbols of separation. A garden should grow freely, but theirs is walled off from reality. The outside world is considered dangerous and messy, but it is also where life happens.
- Nature imagery (lack thereof): The children are protected from the elements (‘nor frost nor wind’). The ‘wild wind’ often symbolizes challenge, change, or fate. By being protected from it, they remain fragile and untested.
The Power of Negative Prefixes
Daryush relies heavily on words starting with the negative prefixes 'un-' or 'less-'. This is a crucial technique for showing what the children *lack*:
- 'unbent by toil'
- 'unmoved by pain'
- 'untired, untaught'
- 'spiritless'
This relentless focus on absence (what is missing) reinforces the core message: material gain has resulted in a deep human loss.
Did you know? This technique is known as Litotes (understatement by negating the opposite), or simply, the powerful use of negation. It makes the critique feel understated, yet deadly effective.
6. Key Lines for Quotation and Analysis (AO4)
To score well, practice linking the poetic technique (AO3) to the theme/personal response (AO2/AO4).
1. "Children of Wealth, they have no gold, / but the heart's gold, the spirit's, gone"
Analysis: This is the central paradox. They have external wealth, but Daryush immediately equates this with a lack of internal wealth (the ‘heart’s gold’). The contrast is stark and forms the poem's core argument.
2. "Never their hands unbent by toil, / never their hearts made rough by care"
Analysis: Here, 'toil' (hard work) and 'care' (worry/burden) are presented not as negative things to be avoided, but as necessary elements that shape a strong personality. To be 'unbent' or 'unmoved' sounds desirable, but in this context, it implies flatness and lack of character.
3. "Safe from the wild wind, safe from the storm, / safe from the hunger, the shame, the cold"
Analysis: This listing (polysyndeton—using 'safe from the...' repeatedly) emphasizes the sheer volume of reality they are missing out on. It shows how completely shut off they are, highlighting the extent of their ignorance.
Quick Summary: How to Approach the Poem in the Exam
When you answer a question on ‘Children of Wealth’, remember these three points:
- Meaning (AO2): The poem is a strong social critique arguing that extreme protection and privilege prevent moral and spiritual growth.
- Language (AO3): Focus on the imagery of enclosure (walled garden) and the extensive use of negation (unbent, unmoved) to show emptiness.
- Structure (AO3): The rigid, tight structure (tercets and quantitative meter) mirrors the constrained, artificial nature of the children’s lives.
By analyzing how Daryush uses form to reinforce her social critique, you will demonstrate a deep understanding of her methods and intentions!