The “humour” poems in our syllabus while providing humour, attempt to convey some greater truths. Discuss this statement with relevance to three poems in your syllabus:

 

The term “humour” is often associated with silliness, meaninglessness, lack of depth, etc. Therefore, when a poem receives the “appellation” humour – the reader often assumes them to be lightweight poetry without substance. Yet, humour is often a good way to camouflage quite serious messages. It helps to say things that might be considered offensive in a nicer way. 

Looking at the four poems in our syllabus, it is easy to see the reasons why they might be stashed under the title “humour”. For example, “Upside Down” is about a man who does things in an unconventional way. The poet mentions some of the bizarre things that had happened: ….. in “The Huntsman,” humour is not so powerful. Of course one might laugh at the way huntsman rushes to the place after his conversation with the skull and how the skull refuses to talk to the king landing the hunter in trouble. In “the Camel’s Hump,” Kipling humorously shows the repercussions of over indulgence. In “Two’s Company” the poet Raymond Wilfred illustrates comically how being overbold gets a man into trouble.

However, none of these poems can be swept aside as merely humorous. In “Upside Down” we get to see how unconventional people are misunderstood by other…In “The Huntsman” underneath the humour, there is a cautionary tale. One must think before one acts and speaks. In “The Camel’s Hump” Kipling humerously illustrates one of the most serious problems in modern life: laziness and obesity. Lastly, in “Two’s Company,” the poet encourages the reader to re-think the modern tendency to thing scientifically. Everything cannot be rationalized.

Finally, one might say humour runs as a common thread linking all four poems; however, all four poems have something beyond just humour to offer their readership.