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Clown’s wife poem by Johnson Agard analysis

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Jaffna Hindu College
Jaffna Hindu College

The poem explores the dual lives of a clown - his kingly persona on stage contrasted with his melancholy demeanor at home. While he commands admiration from audiences as a performer, he seems burdened by worries when off duty. His wife tries in vain through jokes and tricks to lift his spirits, unaware of what troubles him internally. The poem examines the divide between a clown's public and private identities, and the inner sadness that underlies his comic facade.

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Clown’s wife poem by Johnson Agard analysis
About my husband, the clown, what could I say? On stage, he’s a different person. Up there he’s a king on a throne, but at home you should hear him moan. The moment he walks through that door without that red nose and them funny clothes, he seems to have the world on his shoulder. I do me best to cheer him up, poor soul. I juggle with eggs, I turn cartwheels, I tell jokes, I do me latest card trick, I even have a borrow of his red nose. But he doesn’t say exactly how he feels, doesn’t say what’s bothering him inside. Just sits there saying almost to himself ‘O life, ah life, what would I do without this clown of a wife?’
JOHNSON AGARD • PLAYWRIGHT, POET, SHORT-STORY AND CHILDREN'S WRITER . • JOHN AGARD WAS BORN ON 21 JUNE 1949 IN BRITISH GUIANA. • HE WORKED FOR THE GUYANA SUNDAY CHRONICLE NEWSPAPER AS SUB-EDITOR AND FEATURE WRITER BEFORE MOVING TO ENGLAND IN 1977. • IN 1993 HE WAS APPOINTED WRITER IN RESIDENCE AT THE SOUTH BANK CENTRE, LONDON, AND BECAME POET IN RESIDENCE AT THE BBC IN LONDON • AN APPOINTMENT CREATED AS PART OF A SCHEME RUN BY THE POETRY SOCIETY IN LONDON. • HE ALSO PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN THE 'WINDRUSH' SEASON OF PROGRAMMES IN 1998 • . HE WON THE PAUL HAMLYN AWARD FOR POETRY IN 1997 AND HAS TRAVELLED EXTENSIVELY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD PERFORMING HIS POETRY. • JOHN AGARD LIVES IN SOUTH-EAST ENGLAND.
Clown’s wife poem by Johnson Agard analysis
The poem consist of six stanzas. It is in an irregular versification form. The format of the poem with this irregularities coinside with the main character of the episode clown. The story flows in a contradictory way. The behaviour of the two character the clown and his wife is paradoxical. The poet really deals with the two images of the clown .He builds up the visual imagery of the clown takin his appearance. Metaphor: King on a throne It is quiet ironic and sacarstic to take the clown as poor soul.
In the last stanza the poet presents the climax of this confict .It is a matter of life how is become complex. The image create of the clown is sympathetic for the hard word he does during his performance. The poet uses two different sets of word to cast the two different images of the clown first to build up the image of the real clown on the stage .He uses words phrases such as ‘different person’ ,’king on a throne’ ,juggle with eggs ,turncart wheels , funny clothes,red nose  The poet really creates much farce or humour when he describes how clown’s wife tries to perform the role of the clown. juggle with eggs, I turn cartwheels,
Clown’s wife poem by Johnson Agard analysis
The title of the poem suggest that more consideration has been roamed up towards the clown’s wife. The public admire him as an actor or performer on the stage. But his wife sees him at home as a husband. these two situation have been taken parallel in the poem When he acts on the stage he become the cynosure of everyone. There at home, the clown is dramatically turn out be the spectator and his wife take the role of the clown. This is really ironic and it makes fun and mock. According to his profession he should be
The narrator describe ‘the real nature’ of clown in the course of the poem. It is here the narrator talks or revels the true nature of this personality. He tries to attract the audience towards him only ,he changes his appearance into a funny man. When he comes to his real life he cannot crack jokes. The life is not a joke for him .He feels that there he is not a clown but a responsible man and he should deal with the family matters when he is at home. The clown is defined as ‘poor soul’ by the narrator because the clown becomes very miserable when he is at home
The poet deals with the difference between appearance and the reality and the suffering of the poor through the poem clown’s wife. As the theme of the poem John Agard questions the reality of the human society. Some other themes…  Poverty is the reason for the sadness.  Real life and professional life have many differences.
A.APHIRAM B.NAREN R.VERROSHAN A.HARISHANTH (PRESENTER)
Clown’s wife poem by Johnson Agard analysis
Clown’s wife poem by Johnson Agard analysis

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Clown’s wife poem by Johnson Agard analysis

  • 2. About my husband, the clown, what could I say? On stage, he’s a different person. Up there he’s a king on a throne, but at home you should hear him moan. The moment he walks through that door without that red nose and them funny clothes, he seems to have the world on his shoulder. I do me best to cheer him up, poor soul. I juggle with eggs, I turn cartwheels, I tell jokes, I do me latest card trick, I even have a borrow of his red nose. But he doesn’t say exactly how he feels, doesn’t say what’s bothering him inside. Just sits there saying almost to himself ‘O life, ah life, what would I do without this clown of a wife?’
  • 3. JOHNSON AGARD • PLAYWRIGHT, POET, SHORT-STORY AND CHILDREN'S WRITER . • JOHN AGARD WAS BORN ON 21 JUNE 1949 IN BRITISH GUIANA. • HE WORKED FOR THE GUYANA SUNDAY CHRONICLE NEWSPAPER AS SUB-EDITOR AND FEATURE WRITER BEFORE MOVING TO ENGLAND IN 1977. • IN 1993 HE WAS APPOINTED WRITER IN RESIDENCE AT THE SOUTH BANK CENTRE, LONDON, AND BECAME POET IN RESIDENCE AT THE BBC IN LONDON • AN APPOINTMENT CREATED AS PART OF A SCHEME RUN BY THE POETRY SOCIETY IN LONDON. • HE ALSO PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN THE 'WINDRUSH' SEASON OF PROGRAMMES IN 1998 • . HE WON THE PAUL HAMLYN AWARD FOR POETRY IN 1997 AND HAS TRAVELLED EXTENSIVELY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD PERFORMING HIS POETRY. • JOHN AGARD LIVES IN SOUTH-EAST ENGLAND.
  • 5. The poem consist of six stanzas. It is in an irregular versification form. The format of the poem with this irregularities coinside with the main character of the episode clown. The story flows in a contradictory way. The behaviour of the two character the clown and his wife is paradoxical. The poet really deals with the two images of the clown .He builds up the visual imagery of the clown takin his appearance. Metaphor: King on a throne It is quiet ironic and sacarstic to take the clown as poor soul.
  • 6. In the last stanza the poet presents the climax of this confict .It is a matter of life how is become complex. The image create of the clown is sympathetic for the hard word he does during his performance. The poet uses two different sets of word to cast the two different images of the clown first to build up the image of the real clown on the stage .He uses words phrases such as ‘different person’ ,’king on a throne’ ,juggle with eggs ,turncart wheels , funny clothes,red nose  The poet really creates much farce or humour when he describes how clown’s wife tries to perform the role of the clown. juggle with eggs, I turn cartwheels,
  • 8. The title of the poem suggest that more consideration has been roamed up towards the clown’s wife. The public admire him as an actor or performer on the stage. But his wife sees him at home as a husband. these two situation have been taken parallel in the poem When he acts on the stage he become the cynosure of everyone. There at home, the clown is dramatically turn out be the spectator and his wife take the role of the clown. This is really ironic and it makes fun and mock. According to his profession he should be
  • 9. The narrator describe ‘the real nature’ of clown in the course of the poem. It is here the narrator talks or revels the true nature of this personality. He tries to attract the audience towards him only ,he changes his appearance into a funny man. When he comes to his real life he cannot crack jokes. The life is not a joke for him .He feels that there he is not a clown but a responsible man and he should deal with the family matters when he is at home. The clown is defined as ‘poor soul’ by the narrator because the clown becomes very miserable when he is at home
  • 10. The poet deals with the difference between appearance and the reality and the suffering of the poor through the poem clown’s wife. As the theme of the poem John Agard questions the reality of the human society. Some other themes…  Poverty is the reason for the sadness.  Real life and professional life have many differences.