Old Familiar Faces

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‘The Old Familiar Faces’ by Charles Lamb Background information Charles Lamb: Dates: 1775-1834 Birthplace: London, England Famous: writer – essayist and critic Friends: poets such as Samuel Taylor Coleridge Charles Lamb was only 23 when he wrote this poem although the subject matter does suggest that it was written by someone much older. Lamb was very close to his sister, Mary. Unfortunately, a year or so before he wrote this poem, his sister, in a fit of insanity, stabbed and killed their mother with a kitchen knife. She was placed in a mental institution. Later in life, she recovered and seemed to be aware of the horror of what she had done. This information may help with trying to understand the meaning of the poem. Comprehension: Line 11 ‘abruptly’ - suddenly, brusquely (notion of rudeness) Line 13 ‘the haunts’ - places frequently visited. Initial response Look at the poem. What do you notice about the structure? Keep that in mind when you are reading the poem, and then try to make a link between the structure and the meaning or theme of the poem. Read the poem once. The general meaning of the poem is clear. What is it? Summarise the meaning in one sentence. Also, decide on the tone: what are the dominant emotions in this poem? Questions on the poem 1. Read each stanza again. What sorts of ‘old familiar faces’ does the poet say are ‘gone’? |Stanza 1 |‘Playmates and companions’: friends he had when he was a child. | |2 | | |3 | | |4
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