The Telephone Conversation

The racial prejudice is subtly handled by the speaker. The prejudice is brought out in casual conversation over the telephone between the speaker who is a native of Africa and the white woman of English origin. The speaker prudently confesses to the landlady about his origin which unsettles the landlady. The interest of the poem lies in the portrayal of landlady and the speaker. She is pictured as a lady of some sophistication, who practiced politeness. The speaker is presented as a victim of colour prejudice, triumphs by presenting her as a somewhat comic character. He teases her by detailing the colour of various parts which angered the landlady. At the end we see the speaker laughing at the exasperation of the landlady. The conversation between the two does not give the impression anywhere that he was writing a propagandistic poem, presenting himself as a victim of racial prejudices and the landlady as a symbol of racism .The subject may not be pleasing but it is presented in a pleasing way. The tone of the poem is ironical which contributes to make the poem effective.

Moschus Moschiferous

A.D.Hope laments the killing of the musk der for the purpose of extracting from their bodies the musk pods used for making perfumes.Man’s intllect has been a curse to the other living creatures. Music brought harmony to this world but the poet shows the mususe of music to bring disharmony. Hppe’s referenct to        St. Cecilia has a purpose in the poem. It shows the sanctificaton of usic by her. He subtly condemns the act of the hunters. The hunters who are tempted by the civilized crowd for noney are involved I killing the deer for their greed of money. The poet is against the perversion of music that has divine sanctity. But this disapproval of the abuse is expressed with delicate and artistic dexterity. The ravishing music marks the demise of these innocent creatures of God’s creation. The profit of the urbanites has affected the hunters. The unasked question Pope has in this mind is whether Cecilia and her followers being aware through this poem of the misuse of music, can do anything to stop such a perverse practice. The appeal is made on a day sacred to her.