Bat
by David H. Lawrence
Subject: Literature-in-English
Theme: Poetry
Topic: Bat by David H. Lawrence
Sub Topic:
Date: dd/mm/yyyy
Class: S.S 2
Average Age: 15 years and above
Duration: 35 Minutes
No of Learners: 40
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
1. Explain the Background of the Poet
H. D. (David Herbert) Lawrence was an English novelist, poet, essayist, and literary critic born on September 11, 1885, in Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, England. He is best known for his novels that explore human relationships, modernity, and the impact of industrialization on society.Lawrence's upbringing in a coal-mining town greatly influenced his writing, exposing him to the stark realities of working-class life. He initially worked as a teacher but eventually focused on his writing career.
Lawrence's writing often confronted the societal norms of his time, exploring themes of individuality, passion, and the conflict between instinct and civilization. His work was frequently controversial, leading to censorship and legal battles.
Aside from his novels, Lawrence was a prolific essayist, poet, and literary critic. His essays cover a wide range of topics, including psychology, art, philosophy, and the nature of human relationships.
He traveled extensively throughout his life, living in various countries, including Italy, Australia, the United States, and Mexico. His experiences in different cultures and landscapes profoundly influenced his writing.
H. D. Lawrence's legacy lies in his groundbreaking exploration of human emotions and relationships, as well as his bold challenges to the societal norms of his era. He passed away on March 2, 1930, in Vence, France, at the age of 44, leaving behind a significant body of literary work that continues to be studied and appreciated today.
2. Explain the Background of the Poem
The poem was published in anthology titled “Birds Beast and Flowers”. It was written at a time where the poet’s creative career where he focused his attention on animals, using them to examine human consciousness and sensibility.As at the time the poem was written, English poetry was transiting from romanticism to modernism; a period when poets became more realistic descriptive, and conversational in their style of writing. It was also a time when Europe was undergoing wars and internal crisis that caused increased division among the European nations.
The poet creates a poem about something in nature and describes his dislike for that same thing using a modernist style of writing.
3. Recite the poem
Bat
At evening, sitting on this terrace,
When the sun from the west, beyond Pisa, beyond the mountains of Carrara
Departs, and the world is taken by surprise ...
When the tired flower of Florence is in gloom beneath the glowing
Brown hills surrounding ...
When under the arches of the Ponte Vecchio
A green light enters against stream, flush from the west,
Against the current of obscure Arno ...
Look up, and you see things flying
Between the day and the night;
Swallows with spools of dark thread sewing the shadows together.
A circle swoop, and a quick parabola under the bridge arches
Where light pushes through;
A sudden turning upon itself of a thing in the air.
A dip to the water.
And you think:
"The swallows are flying so late!"
Swallows?
Dark air-life looping
Yet missing the pure loop ...
A twitch, a twitter, an elastic shudder in flight
And serrated wings against the sky,
Like a glove, a black glove thrown up at the light,
And falling back.
Never swallows!
Bats!
The swallows are gone.
At a wavering instant the swallows gave way to bats
By the Ponte Vecchio ...
Changing guard.
Bats, and an uneasy creeping in one's scalp
As the bats swoop overhead!
Flying madly.
Pipistrello!
Black piper on an infinitesimal pipe.
Little lumps that fly in air and have voices indefinite,
wildly vindictive;
Wings like bits of umbrella.
Bats!
Creatures that hang themselves up like an old rag, to sleep;
And disgustingly upside down.
Hanging upside down like rows of disgusting old rags
And grinning in their sleep.
Bats!
Not for me!
D. H. Lawrence
At evening, sitting on this terrace,
When the sun from the west, beyond Pisa, beyond the mountains of Carrara
Departs, and the world is taken by surprise ...
When the tired flower of Florence is in gloom beneath the glowing
Brown hills surrounding ...
When under the arches of the Ponte Vecchio
A green light enters against stream, flush from the west,
Against the current of obscure Arno ...
Look up, and you see things flying
Between the day and the night;
Swallows with spools of dark thread sewing the shadows together.
A circle swoop, and a quick parabola under the bridge arches
Where light pushes through;
A sudden turning upon itself of a thing in the air.
A dip to the water.
And you think:
"The swallows are flying so late!"
Swallows?
Dark air-life looping
Yet missing the pure loop ...
A twitch, a twitter, an elastic shudder in flight
And serrated wings against the sky,
Like a glove, a black glove thrown up at the light,
And falling back.
Never swallows!
Bats!
The swallows are gone.
At a wavering instant the swallows gave way to bats
By the Ponte Vecchio ...
Changing guard.
Bats, and an uneasy creeping in one's scalp
As the bats swoop overhead!
Flying madly.
Pipistrello!
Black piper on an infinitesimal pipe.
Little lumps that fly in air and have voices indefinite,
wildly vindictive;
Wings like bits of umbrella.
Bats!
Creatures that hang themselves up like an old rag, to sleep;
And disgustingly upside down.
Hanging upside down like rows of disgusting old rags
And grinning in their sleep.
Bats!
Not for me!
D. H. Lawrence
4. Explain the setting of the poem
The setting of the poem is a terrace of a house in Italy. The poetic persona observes the birds as they begin settling in for night.He seems to be one who loves nature based on how he beautifully describes nature as well as his close examination of the birds flying in the sky at night.
5. Explain the structure and form the poem
Lawrence's 'Bat' is a 45- line poem with no exact stanzaic structure. The poem is written in free verse to abhor the poet's repugnance for bats.Each stanza is not made of the same number of lines, some are one word or line that makes up a stanza.
In all, the poem is written in 18 stanzas with each stanza contains a variety of numbers of lines.
For instance, the First stanza is made up of three lines, the second stanza contains just two lines while the third stanza has three lines, etc. Line 34 is a one-line stanza and is also known as monostich. in poetry, a single line of poetry can be called a stitch, therefore a monostich means one-line.
The use of enjambment also forms the structure of the poem. the thought in one-line flows into the next line and the use of this device makes the poem sound conversational.
6. Explain the Subject Matter of the Poem.
The use of Bat in the poem is symbolic. It symbolizes the crippling effect/ills of industrialization on Europe. And the poetic persona presents the Bat as a bird that he hates.In Lines 1-8 where the poet persona describes places like River Arno, Pisa and Carrara, he is actually casting his mind on the spotless and natural beauty of countryside of Europe, which was gradually being polluted by the unrestrained growing of industries.
The bats when they are first introduced in Line 12 of the poem are said to be flying “between day and night”. ‘Day’ in this case here symbolically refers to the times when the beauty of nature can be seen unspoilt and free from the pollutants coming from the chimneys of several factories across Europe.
From the poet’s point of view, the bats, in their blackish colour stick out like an ugly sore against the beauty of the sky just like the different agents of industrialization in Europe.
“Night” is that period of the day that ushers in the bats. ‘Night’ in the poem therefore refers to age/period that brought in industrialization. The period when these factories began springing up in parts of Europe, several writers through their works highlighted on the smoke released into the atmosphere and the sickening effects it had on the environment and how these pollutants from factories were degrading the environment.
In The first stanza of the poem “when the sun from the west.../ departs, and the world is taken by surprise… (Lines2-3) Symbolically these two lines refer to the change from the nineteenth century to the twentieth century This the poetic persona’s unpleasant description of the bats symbolically represents his disgust with the industries in Europe and their unwelcome destruction of the European plains, fields and woods. This the industrial revolution which brought a lot of innovation, overtime unknown to man was going to be detrimental to the overall well-being of the European Society.
7. Analise the poem
The poem depicts the transition from dusk to night in Florence, Italy, as observed from a terrace. Initially, swallows appear in the fading light, their graceful flight suggesting a sense of tranquility. However, as darkness descends, the swallows are replaced by bats, whose erratic movements and sinister appearance create an atmosphere of unease and discomfort.Lawrence's use of imagery and sensory language effectively conveys the contrasting nature of the two creatures: the swallows are associated with lightness, freedom, and harmony, while the bats evoke fear, darkness, and chaos. The poem's rhythmic structure, with its alternating long and short lines, mirrors the fluttering flight of the swallows and the erratic movements of the bats.
In context, the poem reflects the social and cultural changes happening during the time period. The poem can also be seen as a metaphor for the transition from the romanticism of the 19th century to the modernism of the 20th century. The poem retains Lawrence's characteristic use of vivid imagery and sensory language, but it is more concise and less overtly symbolic than some of his other works.
8. Explain the theme of the poem
1. Irrational Prejudice: One of the major themes in OH. Lawrence's "Bat" is irrational prejudice, it states irrational dislikes the poet persona exhibit towards the mammal. Lawrence is best known for his various types of prejudice he shares in his animal poems, for instance, his notably or perhaps his best-known poem, "Snake," when he throws a log at a snake, not because he particularly wants to, but because people generally dislike snakes, and he feels a gesture of hostility is required.In this poem, the poet persona seems to loathe bats. He describes their physical appearance in words filled with repulsionz" Creatures that hang themselves up like an old rag, to sleep; And disgustingly upside down. Hanging upside down like rows of disgusting old rags And grinning in their sleep. Bats!" The quick procession of the adverb "disgustingly" and the adjective "disgusting" emphasizes the strength of the speaker's feelings. The bats have spoiled his quiet evening amidst the beauties of Florence.
2. The Beauty in Nature: The beauty in nature is one idea that permeates DH Lawrence '5 "Bat", and this shows the Romantic influence on his poetry. In his poem," Bat' the opening lines were creatively crafted to describe the environment around the poem persona: "At evening, sitting on this terrace, When the sun from the west, beyond Pisa, beyond the mountains of Carrara/Departs, and the world is taken by surprise When the tired flower of Florence is in the gloom beneath the glowing Brown hills surrounding".
In these lines, the use of words in describing the setting of the sun and emerging moon in the evening was vivid. The detailed description of the landscape and the lights cast by the setting sun enable the reader to see through the persona's eyes and appreciate the beauty and wonder of nature.
3. The Right to Individual Preference: The theme of the right to individual preference is prevalent in Lawrence's "Bat". Under this theme, we learned that every individual has equal rights to choices and decisions about matters of life. From the beginning of the poem, the poet persona's uniqueness and convictions of what he wants and detest are obvious and loud clearly and compellingly.
The poet persona in the last stanza contrasts the affection the Chinese have for bats with his dislike for the bird. The poet's creativity to pitch a society against the individual and let the individual win to convey the importance of individual preference over the decision making of life matters.
4. Contrasts in Nature: The poem juxtaposes the serene beauty of the Tuscan evening with the disturbing sight of bats, highlighting the unpredictability and duality of nature.
This shift mirrors the speaker’s transition from awe to discomfort.
5. Cultural Symbolism: The bat symbolizes fear, darkness, and negativity in Western culture, which contrasts with its perception as a sign of good luck in Chinese culture. Lawrence critiques how cultural biases shape our reactions.
6. Human Disillusionment: The speaker’s initial admiration of nature evolves into revulsion, reflecting human tendencies to impose expectations on the natural world.
9. Explain the Styles and Symbol (Poetic devices) in the poem
Language Style
1. The Tone Shifts from serene and meditative to uneasy and disturbed, mirroring the speaker’s changing perception.2. The Mood Begins with tranquility but ends in tension, creating a sense of disquiet in the reader.
3. The Diction The poet's use of language is very simple and he adopts the use of conversational tone which allows the readers to have a good understanding of the message conveyed in the poem. The poet also put to use several Italian words and this fact established the physical setting of the poem as Italy. Examples are in lines 34, line 2, lines 4,6, and 8
4. Imagery and Symbolism
Visual Imagery: Lawrence vividly describes the evening sky and the swarming bats.
• “Swallows with spools of dark thread sewing the shadows together” evokes beauty and serenity.
• The bats’ “wildly vindictive wings” convey chaos and menace.
Symbolism:
• Swallows symbolize grace and harmony.
• Bats represent discomfort and discord, disrupting the idyllic scene.
Figures of Speech
Devices used in the poem "Bat" by D. H. Lawrence include: imagery symbolism, simile, personification, repetition, alliteration, metonymy, and metaphor.1. Metonymy: The persona of this poem uses several literary devices to convey his shifting perceptions of the natural world as day turns into night, and he focuses his reaction particularly on bats. Unlike some people, the persona finds the creatures "vindictive" and loathsome.
In the opening stanza, the speaker employs metonymy by writing that "the world is taken by surprise." While his focus is on the natural world in this poem, the "world" here comes to represent the reaction of all of the people in the world as they collectively shift their emotions at the end of the day.
2. Symbolism: The poet delays many symbols in the poem "Bat" Lawrence makes use of nature and creatures from nature as a symbol. The bat is a significant symbol by the poet to indirectly create his pessimistic view of Europe at the beginning of the twentieth century. Also, the reference to Chinese culture and what bat symbolizes to the Chinese. in china, the bat symbolizes happiness while the poet persona reiterated that the bat doesn't symbolize such to him, rather he detests it.
3. Simile: It is a comparison using ‘like’ and ‘as’.The following expressions are instances of simile in the poem: “like a glove, a black glove thrown up at night” (line 23)
“Wings like little bits of umbrella” (line 37)
“Creatures that hang themselves like an old rag, to sleep” (line 39)
“Hanging themselves upside down like rows of disgusting rags” (line 41)
4. Repetition: Repetition can occur on a word, phrasal, clausal, or sentential level. In Bat, repetition occurs on a word level. The word, “Bats”, is repeated several times in the poem. It is repeated in lines 26, 31, 32, 38, and 43 and as “bat” with the definite article in line 44.
5.Alliteration and metaphor: In line 4, the poet used both alliteration and metaphor: “When the tired flower of Florence is in the gloom beneath the shining.” The recurrence of the “f” sound creates a stuttering hesitation, as though the world is resisting the progression toward darkness. He also compares Florence to a “tired flower,” emphasizing both the beauty of the city and the exhaustion that comes with the end of the day.
Summarize the poem:
DH. Lawrence "Bat," focuses on his disaffection towards the Mammal; Bat, He tells how he was sitting on a terrace somewhere in Florence, Italy, "beyond Pisa, beyond the mountains of Carrara," watching as the sun sets and suddenly sees something flying through the arches of the Ponte Vecchio.At first, he thinks they are swallows with "spools of dark thread sewing the shadows together." However, it is too late for swallows, and, confused, he starts to wonder what these flying objects-" like a glove, a black glove was thrown up at the light"-could be.
They are bats and they give the poet a sense of dread. According to Lawrence, Bats are "wildly vindictive."
They don't just swoop, but fly "madly," causing "an uneasy creeping in one's scalp." He even seems to consider whether they are creatures at all, describing them as "little lumps that fly in the air" and their wings as "bits of the umbrella."
As the poem continues, Lawrence becomes increasingly disparaging of the animal. He hates how they hang upside down and grin in their sleep.
He says when they are to sleep, they look like "rows of disgusting old rags." He finalizes by saying that while bats are a symbol of happiness in China, they are a symbol of misery to him.
Rationale:
DH Lawrence "Bat" was published alongside his other poem "Man" as a part of his collection of poems called "Birds, Beasts and Flowers" which were published in 1923. Lawrence creatively focused his attention on the animal to examine human consciousness and sensibility.Prerequisite/ Previous knowledge:
storytelling, songs, history etc.Learning Resources:
Flash cards, an audio video you-tube examples, Available useful objects.Reference Materials:
1. Exam focus on Literature in English by J.O.J Nwachukwu et’al.2. Standard literature in English vol.4 by Tony Duru
3. Bat by David H. Lawrence.
4. Internet sources
Lesson Development:
STAGE |
TEACHER'S ACTIVITY |
LEARNER'S ACTIVITY |
LEARNING POINTS |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEP 1: PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE full class session |
The teacher begins the day's lesson by asking questions based on previous knowledge. The Poem "The Song of the Women of My Land" By Oumar Farouk Sesay The teacher recites the poem and asked the studends Content Analysis and theme of the poem
The Song of the Women of My Land Like a sculptor chipping away at woods, Time chisels away bits of their memory It strips away lyrics of the song of the women of my land Leaving only a fading tune echoing the song, They sang in forlorn fields About their lives; songs Of how they ploughed the terrain of their landscape For memories of lyrics lost in the vast void of time, In those days when the song beheld their lives; When servitude cuffed the ankle of their soul, And dereliction decapitated the epic of their lives. With a song, they sponged off their anguish, To behold their collective pain, To celebrate their gains Give lyrics to their tune of their lives, Cheat the tyranny of time And commune with the yet unborn To give meaning to an epoch lost in antiquity, Yet time strips the lyrics and scars the tune, Leaving a dying song Dead! Like the woman who died long ago, Leaving the song to tell the story of their lives. Today the tune roams the forlorn fields Like their soul looking for lyrics To tell the tale of the servitude Of the women of my Who ploughed their soil and soul For a song to sing the story of their lives The song of the women of my land Left in the memory of the wind. Now feeding the verses of poets, it echoes in Wriggling in rhythms and melodies, Hollering in distant tunes In places far afield the forlorn field, Where the song of their lives died. The stuttering lips of my pen And the screeching voice of my rib Try to sing the song of the women of land In verses far from the theatre of toil Where they left a song that now roams the land Stripped of lyrics like a scorned ghost. The tune tuning the tenor of my verse Is all that remains of the song of the women of my land Who laboured and died leaving a dying song. The dirge of their lives! Oumar Farouk Sesay |
The students respond to the questions based on previous knowledge.Content Analysis of the poem "The Song of the Women of My Land" By Oumar Farouk SesayIn stanza one and two, line 1-4, the persona begins with a tone of lamentation, as he compares just the way an art work is cut down, “into pieces”, of wood to the way time has eroded the memory of the women in Sierra Leone, for the citizens have forgotten so soon. “It strips away Lyrics of the song of the women of my land/leaving only a fading time echoing the song”. This implies that time has made people to forget the trauma experienced by these women and they barely remember.In stanza three, line 5-11, the persona himself personally remembers their suffering during the time of slave trade, and how the women captured sing in “forlorn fields/ about their lives” as they work in the plantation farm. The song they sing is a song of sorrow, anguish and suffering, “While servitude cuffed the ankles of their souls and dereliction decapitated the epoch of their lives”. This also means those women who refuse to cooperate with the slave masters are cut down and their lives come to nothing. In stanza four, lines 12-18, the poet makes us understand that those women sing song of sorrow in the field of hopelessness to cast off their anguish “to behold their collective pain and “to celebrate their gains”. In doing so, their current condition will not have any enormous effect on them but rather it will reduce it, that is, “cheat the tyranny of time/and commune with yet unborn/to give meaning to an epoch lost of antiquity”. Here the persona submits that the only way to keep the ugly experiences of the women alive in the land, and not forget them is to communicate it to the unborn children to add more meaning to their lost battle in the past. In the last stanza, line 19-23, the persona also complains and laments that time has caused us to forget their pains and suffering and the scar or the injury they suffered while trying to resist their captors, thereby “leaving a dying song”. The “song” in the poem which represents the memory is said to be “dead/like the women who died in the process while struggling to survive’, “leaving the song to tell the story of their lives”. Theme of the poem "The Song of the Women of My Land" By Oumar Farouk Sesay1. Theme of Effects of Colonialism and Slave Trade to Africa: The poem addresses the plight of women in Sierra Leone and their experience in the hands of slave drivers. During this era, women were not only the victims of colonial greed, but men also tasted their bitter pill. Those women are said to have experienced great anguish and suffering during this period, as the persona laments bitterly. The memory of the condition of those women propels the poet to write in honoring their great feat.However, the persona captures the suffering, and trauma those women experienced in form of ageing art work that is useless and valueless that will soon be eroded from the mother earth. Hence “like a sculptor chipping away at bit of wood time chisels away bits of their memory”. The Citizens have suddenly forgotten their suffering and they have failed to acknowledge their pains and inhuman humiliation done to them by the slave masters. We refuse “to behold their collective pain/to celebrate their gains”. This means they laid down their lives to even generation yet unborn to gain freedom. 2. Theme of Anguish and Traumatic Experience: “The Song of the Women of My Land” by Oumar Farouk Sesay explores the traumatic experience encountered by Sierra Leonean women as a result of 20th century, slavery and slave trade. The poem is meant to acknowledge the effort they put in place to free the land of future dehumanization “when servitude cuffed the ankles of their souls land dereliction decapitated the epic of their lives”. Those women did not just suffer from daily humiliation but some of them lost their lives in the struggle. Hence “Dead/like the women who died long ago/leaving the song to tell the story of their song. “Even the Sierra Leone citizens seem to forget the women’s imparts as “yet time strips the Iyric and scars the tune, leaving a dying song”. This implies that what is left about their lives and existence is the scars and the bitter tale about them, how they plough the slave driver’s plantation farms, singing painful and hopeless song in the field,, and “to day the tune roams the forlorn fields like their souls looking for Iyrics.” 3. Theme of Suffering and Loss of human dignity: There is no law in the world that permits slavery and slave trade, even war is seen as a leveler. This poem therefore condemns it and sees such act as tantamount to loss of human dignity. The “song” in the title of the poem is a song of suffering, anguish and painful past. They have not only lost their precious lives but also the memories of their painful experience are beginning to wear off, as no one sees to remember them. Their captors who captured them have dehumanized and treated them as sub-human. The only weapon at their disposal is a song which helps ease their pains in order to “cheat the tyranny of time” / and commune with yet unborn” to tell them the story about the women’s lives. |
Reversing previous lesson |
| STEP 2: INTRODUCTION full class session Identification of prior ideas. |
The teacher review/introduce what they are going to study today, A poem "Bat" by David H. Lawrence D. H. Lawrence “Bat,” concentrates on his disdain for the Mammal; Bat, He relates how he was sitting on a terrace someplace in Florence, Italy, “beyond Pisa, beyond the mountains of Carrara,” watching the sunset and suddenly sees something swooping over the arches of the Ponte Vecchio. At first, he believes they are swallows with “spools of dark thread sewing the shadows together,” but it is too late for swallows, and he becomes bewildered, wondering what these flying objects-” like a glove, a black glove was hurled up at the light”-could be. They are bats, and they frighten the poet. Bats are “wildly vindictive,” according to Lawrence. They don’t just swoop, but fly “madly,” causing” an uneasy creeping in one’s scalp.” He even wonders if they’re creatures at all, characterizing them as “small lumps that soar in the air” and their wings as “pieces of the umbrella.” Lawrence’s attitude toward the animal worsens as the poem progresses. He despises the way they sleep upside down and grin. He concludes by adding that whereas bats are a sign of happiness in China, they are a symbol of suffering to him. |
The students listen attentively to the teacher. | Introducing the topic for discussion to arouse their interests and refresh their memories. |
| STEP 3: DEVELOPMENT Group Work |
The teacher guides the learners to form four groups and asks them to choose their leaders and secretaries. | Learners choose their group leaders and secretaries. | Inculcating leadership skills, competitive spirit, cooperation, teamwork and a sense of responsibility among learners. |
| STEP 4: EXPLORATION Mode: Individual |
The teacher presents to the class the instructional resources and guides the students to explain the background setting of the poet and poem. | The students explain the background setting of the poet and poem. THE POET BACKGROUND: D.H.Lawrence was born on the 11th Sept 1885 in Eastwood, England and died on the 2nd March in France. He spent most part of his childhood in EASTWOOD, a city known very well for Mining (Extraction of mineral resources from the soil). While he lived, he was a writer of short stories, a Poet, a Playwright and a Novelist. His love for nature and Literature is recorded to have been as a result of parental influence on him. Most of his works are based on issues involving nature, ills of industrialization and modernist ideals (modernist ideals seeks to find new forms of expression and rejects traditional or accepted ideas). THE POET BACKGROUND: The poem was published in anthology titled “Birds Beast and Flowers”. It was written at a time where the poet’s creative career where he focused his attention on animals, using them to examine human consciousness and sensibility. As at the time the poem was written, English poetry was transiting from romanticism to modernism; a period when poets became more realistic descriptive, and conversational in their style of writing. It was also a time when Europe was undergoing wars and internal crisis that caused increased division among the European nations. The poet creates a poem about something in nature and describes his dislike for that same thing using a modernist style of writing. |
The background Settings of the poet and poem. |
| STEP 5: DISCUSSION Mode: Group |
The teacher recite the poem and explain the setting of the poem to the students.
Bat
At evening, sitting on this terrace, When the sun from the west, beyond Pisa, beyond the mountains of Carrara Departs, and the world is taken by surprise ... When the tired flower of Florence is in gloom beneath the glowing Brown hills surrounding ... When under the arches of the Ponte Vecchio A green light enters against stream, flush from the west, Against the current of obscure Arno ... Look up, and you see things flying Between the day and the night; Swallows with spools of dark thread sewing the shadows together. A circle swoop, and a quick parabola under the bridge arches Where light pushes through; A sudden turning upon itself of a thing in the air. A dip to the water. And you think: "The swallows are flying so late!" Swallows? Dark air-life looping Yet missing the pure loop ... A twitch, a twitter, an elastic shudder in flight And serrated wings against the sky, Like a glove, a black glove thrown up at the light, And falling back. Never swallows! Bats! The swallows are gone. At a wavering instant the swallows gave way to bats By the Ponte Vecchio ... Changing guard. Bats, and an uneasy creeping in one's scalp As the bats swoop overhead! Flying madly. Pipistrello! Black piper on an infinitesimal pipe. Little lumps that fly in air and have voices indefinite, wildly vindictive; Wings like bits of umbrella. Bats! Creatures that hang themselves up like an old rag, to sleep; And disgustingly upside down. Hanging upside down like rows of disgusting old rags And grinning in their sleep. Bats! Not for me! D. H. Lawrence The setting of the poem is in a terrace of a house in Italy , where the poetic persona observes the animals as they begin the process of setting in for the night. |
The Students listen to teacher. | The settings of the poem. |
| STEP 6: APPLICATION Mode: Group |
The teacher guides the studends to summarize the poem | The studends summarize the poem The poem captures a moment of observation as the poetic personae witnesses the transition from day to night. Lawrence vividly describes the scene from a terrace, setting the ambiance as the sun sets beyond the horizon. As the evening descends, the poetic personae notices creatures flying in the sky. Initially mistaken for swallows, the speaker realizes these are not birds but bats. Lawrence skillfully portrays the bats' flight, using imagery to depict their erratic movement and the contrast between light and darkness. The poem captures a sense of surprise and intrigue as the speaker's perception shifts from thinking of graceful swallows to the sudden realization of the presence of bats. The use of imagery, metaphors, and descriptive language helps create a vivid portrayal of the bats' flight and their enigmatic nature. "Bats" by D. H. Lawrence reflects his skill in capturing the essence of a moment and exploring the mysterious and often overlooked aspects of nature through his poetic language and observations. |
Summary of the poem |
| STEP 7: EVALUATION Mode: Entire Class |
The teacher asks the students the following questions: 1. What is the background setting of the poem? 2.What is the tone and mood of the poet? |
The students expected answers 1. D.H. Lawrence’s “Bat” is a reflective and vivid poem that contrasts the speaker’s expectations of beauty in nature with a jarring realization of something unsettling. Through rich imagery and stark contrasts, Lawrence explores themes of disillusionment, cultural symbolism, and the complexity of human responses to nature. 2. The Tone shifts from serene and meditative to uneasy and disturbed, mirroring the speaker’s changing perception. While the Mood begins with tranquility but ends in tension, creating a sense of disquiet in the reader. |
Asking the learners questions to assess the achievement of the set objectives. |
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| ASSIGNMENT | The teacher gives learners take home. 1. Explain the devices used in the poem “Bat” by David H. Lawrence. 2. What is the tone and mood of the poem? 3. What kinds of imagery did D.H. Lawrence use in his poem ‘bat’? 4. How does the poet use diction in the poem? 5. Write a detailed summary of the poem. |
The learners copy the assignment | Better understanding of the Poem. |
| CONCLUSION | The teachers wrap up from the learners' contribution. Thomas engages with themes of death, defiance, and old age. In “Bat”, D.H. Lawrence offers a profound commentary on how cultural perceptions and personal expectations influence human interaction with nature. The poem invites readers to question their biases and embrace the complexity and unpredictability of the natural world. |
The students listen to the teacher and copy down notes. | Consolidating and harmonizing scientific concepts. |