Victor - W H Auden (Reading Journal)

• ABCB rhyming scheme, ballad form. Adds a more song-like feel, almost a cautionary tale? Warning of what happens when you cheat / turn away from God.
• Stanzas show progression of time, each stanza shows a different event in Victor's life.
• Stanzas also show change in pace. At the beginning, each stanza could be a year or a month, towards the end lots of stanzas are used to describe the events of one day.
• This poem is more typical of Auden's style, regular rhyme scheme, ballad form.
• Quatrains throughout, no irregularities in this respect. Different voices used, ''Have you ever had a woman' they said'. Anna's voice also used frequently.
• 'It was a frosty december' references to dates give idea of time.
• 'Climbed into bed, took his Bible and read // Of what happened to Jezebel' Jezebel was fed to dogs for cheating on her husband, his future wife is going to cheat on him - foreshadowing.
• When calling for 'Father' later on in the poem (stanzas 22-26), could mean God or his own father, ambiguous. Biblical references once again used.
• 'But ace of spades reversed' ace of spades is associated with death, foreshadowing.
• 'I am Alpha and Omega' First and last letters of Greek alphabet, Jesus and God, religious links once again.