Question

In at least one hundred words, explain how the structure of Elizabeth Bishop’s “Sestina” helps to convey meaning in the poem. Provide specific evidence from the text to support your response.

Answer 1

The sestina is a particular fixed verse form which is characterized by using the same six words at the end of each verse throughout six stanzas (with a final three verse envoi). It was originally developed by the Provençal poet Arnaut Daniel. It is an extremely challenging form, since the constant repetition of the same words forces the poet to come up with variations in the way they are used. In this poem, this repetition, and the monotony it implies, signifies the sadness that surrounds the old grandmother and the child. The word tears in particular (referring to the rain, the grandmother's sadness, the water being heated and even the tea) creates, as it appears againg and again, a dark, sad mood. The use of almanac also instills a sense of doom: it is autumn (September), and the darker months are ahead. The calendar will only bring more sadness.