The+Silence+of+Tudor+Evans

=The Poem:=

Gwen Evans, singer and trainer of singers, who, in 1941, warbled an encore (Trees) at Porthcawl Pavillion lay in bed, not half her weight and dying. Her husband, Tudor, drew the noise of the curtains.

Then, in the artifical dark, she whispered, 'Please send for Professor Mandlebaum.' She raised her head pleadingly from the pillow, her horror-movie eyes thyrotoxic. 'Who?' Tudor asked, remembering, remembering.

Not Mandlebaum, not that renowned professor whom Gwen had once met on holiday; not that lithe ex-Wimbledon tennis player and author of //Mediastinal Tumours//; not that swine Mandlebaum of 1941?

Mandlebaum doodled in his hotel bedroom. For years he had been in speechless sloth, but now for Gwen and old times' sake he, first-class, alert, left echoing Paddington for a darkened sickroom and two large searching eyes.

She sobbed when he gently took her hand in his, 'But, my dear, why are you crying?' 'Because, Max, you're quite unrecognizable.' 'I can't scold you for crying about that,' said Mandlebaum and he, too, began to weep.

They wept together (and Tudor closed his eyes) Gwen, singer and trainer of singers, because she was dying; and he, Mandlebaum, ex-physician and ex-tennis player, because he had become so ugly and so old.

=Notes:=

//Warbled-// Sung //Encore//- Repeat performance because of crowd demand Porthcawl Pavilion- Famous Theatre in Wales //Professor Mandlebaum//- A man Gwen met on holiday in 1941, who was a physician and a tennis player //Thyrotoxic//- The condition which occurs due to the over-production of the Thyroid Gland, and symptoms include large eyes //Wimbledon//- Prestigious Tennis Tournament //Sloth//- Laziness, Sin //Paddington//- A place in London

=The Analysis:=


 * Description (What Happens):**

Gwen Evans was a famous singer, who even sang at the renowned "Porthcawl Pavilion" Theatre in Wales, but is now dying. It seems that she has been diagnosed with "Thyroidism", which is the disease of the over-production of the Thyroid Gland, thus her " large searching eyes". Nonetheless, Gwen is dying but tells her husband Tudor Evans that she wishes to see "Mandlebaum", a professor and tennis-player she met in 1941 (A while ago), as a somewhat last wish. So Mandlebaum arrives, and Gwen tells him that she is crying because he is "unrecognizable", referring to how humans age over time and become old. The end of the poem marks this very sorrow and cry-full atmosphere, with Gwen crying because she is dying and Mandlebaum due to his aged features, whereas her husband Tudor is just silent.


 * Themes:**

The main theme in this poem is Age and Death, and is explored throughout the poem- in the vast references to how humans age over time and eventually die.


 * Langauge (Effect on Reader):**

The language utilised in the poem is rather aged, and more in relation to the music aspect of Gwen's life. Moreover, we see the usage of advanced words, some of which span many letters. Language is organised into quotes from the individuals themselves, which has the effect of a natural conversation occuring within the poem.


 * Imagery (Similies/Metaphors/Personification):**

There seems no immediate imagery 'format' in the poem, although imagery is created by the poet with his careful consideration of words. Although her eyes were large as one would expect when dying, we are told they are "horror-movie" and "thyrotoxic"-so as to add to this imagery created of the eyes and other such features. Moreover, Sound is established in the form of complete silence, through the usage of words such as "speechless", "drew the noise" and "whispered"- an effect imagery here. Moreover, darkness is also created (in due relation to the scene) by clever imagery tools such as "artificial dark", "horror-movie" and "darkened sickroom"-another piece of imagery.


 * Sound (Rhythm):**

There is no set rhyme scheme within the poem, and this is true for all the poem- there is no set sound or rhyme format.


 * Structure (Form):**

The poem is structed into 5 Line Stanzas, of which 6 are present in this poem. Moreover, the poem is a bit peculiar in that every second line starts a few spaces ahead of the first. What is also surprising is how Abse utilised pedestrian sentences within the poem- as opposed to telling the story himself, sentences are quotes from individuals in the poem and are somewhat spaced out, so we as readers are given time to think and digest what has been read.


 * Tone (Narrator):**

The poem it seems is told by the narrator who is omnipresent and aware of the event, as he knew what Mandlebaum was doing at the time. However, it could be Tudor Evans himself (as strongly indicated in the poem and title). Moreover, the poem has a natural conversation tone, with the frequent conversations making it have a dull but ominous tone; one indicating looming death and "ugly" age.

By: Nafees and Ahmed