Full Moon & Little Frieda by Ted Hughes ( Modern Poetry)

Modern Literature in English Literature:

Full Moon and Little Frieda by Ted Hughes

Short Summary & Critical Analysis:

Frieda is the daughter of Ted Hughes. Ted Hughes is a modern poet who uses modernist writing in his poetry. The poet was living in his countryside home with two children after the death of his wife, Sylvia, when he wrote this poem. The poem is not regular, lines have not same length and is written in free verse.

It’s a kind of conversation, between two people,  probably a monologue. We also see internal monologue is described through three words by little Frieda at the end when poet writes, 'Moon!' you cry suddenly, 'Moon!  Moon!' This structure is interior monologue as poet is thinking something in his head.

Poet describes a non significant evening when dog is barking, someone is milking the cow and there is noise of the bucket. Here the word you is for poet’s daughter Frieda who is listening all these noises. The spider’s web is basically poet’s mind waiting for dew drop. He is tensed for an idea that is very richly defined. Then there is tremor on the surface of bucket, cows are going home moving in circles. This is the beautiful visual image created by poet.  

Dark river of blood is also poet's mind where war memories are jumping back and forth while he is watching the cows and the person who is carrying the bucket. His unconsciousness is jumping constantly and amidst of this quietness, all of a sudden his daughter cries moon, moon, moon. She sees the moon on the sky and gets excited. Moon is itself a metaphor for creation. The moon has stepped back like an artist looking amazed.  Here is the image of mirror but moon  has stepped back, he is watching the nature’s work like an artist. Moon is artist and Frieda is the creation and he is watching Frieda with an awe.

Ironically, there are two artists and both are looking at each other. Frieda is also an artist as she has found the moon but moon itself is also presented as an artist  who is looking at Frieda, thinking how beautiful is the creation. We see a double image like if there are two mirrors then the image of the first mirror would be seen in the second one and vice versa. It feels like the creative process has been completed.