'Aunt Julia' (SQA National 5 English): Revision Note

Below is a guide to Norman MacCaig’s poem ‘Aunt Julia’ in preparation for the SQA National 5 English exam. It includes:

• Overview: a breakdown of the poem, including its possible meanings and interpretations

• Writer’s methods: an exploration of MacCaig’s techniques and methods

• Understanding the poem: an exploration of the themes and ideas within MacCaig’s poem

• Linking the poems: an understanding of how ‘Aunt Julia’ connects to MacCaig’s other prescribed poems for the Scottish text section

Overview

In order to answer questions on any poem, it is vital that you understand what it is about. This section includes:

• An overview of the poem

• A ‘translation’ of the poem, section-by-section

• A commentary of each of these sections, outlining Norman MacCaig’s intention and message

‘Aunt Julia’ overview

‘Aunt Julia’, written by the poet Norman MacCaig, offers a vivid insight into the personality, home and legacy of the speaker’s aunt. Set on a croft on the Outer Hebrides, specifically Harris,  the poet explores the nature of family connections and the impact of loss.

‘Aunt Julia’ translation 

Lines 1-2

Translation

• The poem begins by immediately introducing Aunt Julia, the subject of the poem

• The speaker matter-of-factly states that Aunt Julia’s first language is Gaelic, before commenting on the manner of her speech

MacCaig’s intention

• The poet seeks to immediately emphasise a language barrier between the narrator, who speaks English, and the Gaelic-speaking Aunt Julia

• The words “loud” and “fast” emphasise the disconnect, with Aunt Julia making no attempt to adjust her speech, while the words also suggest her energetic, passionate nature

• The repetition (opens in a new tab)of the qualifier, “very”, further emphasises the extent of both the disconnect and Aunt Julia’s vibrant character

Lines 3-4

Translation

• The speaker explains how he cannot comprehend Aunt Julia’s speech

MacCaig’s intention

• The repetition of “I could not” emphasises the extent to which the speaker cannot find meaning in what Aunt Julia says

• This repetition also creates a tone of frustration 

Line 5-6

Translation

• The speaker moves into a physical description of Aunt Julia, initially focusing on her footwear

MacCaig’s intention

• Aunt Julia is presented as having masculine characteristics and being unfussed by her physical appearance

• The speaker then alludes to the idea that she walked around without shoes, emphasising her tough, no-nonsense nature

Lines 7-9

Translation

• The narrator recalls observing Aunt Julia, noting her actions as she worked on her croft

MacCaig’s intention 

• MacCaig again uses a description of Aunt Julia’s feet to emphasise her hardiness

• The image of her foot “stained with peat” reinforces her powerful connection to the outdoors and the land she crofts

• Her feet, however, also serve a creative purpose, as a way to work a “spinningwheel”

Lines 10-11

Translation

• The speaker describes the actions of Aunt Julia as she works on the spinningwheel

MacCaig’s intention

• Here, Aunt Julia is presented in contrast to her practical, tough character

• Her actions are described by the adverb “marvellously”, suggesting she possesses a magic-like power that is a thing of beauty and wonder

Lines 12-16

Translation

• The speaker reflects on the experience of staying overnight at Aunt Julia’s croft

• Despite the simplicity of the experience, the speaker finds the setting memorable and inspiring

MacCaig’s intention

• The word choice of “only” suggests the croft possesses a unique, special quality:

  • While “absolute darkness” might indicate a fearful proposition, in this context it represents the overwhelming, immersive experience offered in staying at the croft

• This irony (opens in a new tab) continues, with the presentation of the “box bed”, a basic amenity emphasised by the alliteration (opens in a new tab) of “b”, failing to detract from the experience

• Finally, the word choice of “friendly” suggests the croft to be a place of warmth and happiness

• Overall in this verse, the speaker uses sight (“absolute darkness”) and hearing (“listening”) to convey the intense sensual nature of the experience

Lines 17-18

Translation

• The speaker again emphasises the active, busy nature of Aunt Julia

MacCaig’s intention

• The use of the word “was” emphasises that events are in the past, foreshadowing (opens in a new tab) the death of Aunt Julia

• The poet uses an extended metaphor (opens in a new tab) to describe Aunt Julia as “buckets” and “water” as she embodies the actions she carries out

• These actions are described as “flouncing”, which exaggerates her movements to further develop her vivid characterisation

Lines 19-20

Translation

• The speaker compares Aunt Julia to the elements that affect her home

MacCaig’s intention

• By comparing Aunt Julia to “winds pouring wetly”, the speaker again connects her to the natural world and the hard environment of the island, with the reference to “winds” especially emphasising her wild, unpredictable personality

Lines 21-23

Translation

• The speaker offers a list of items that characterise her activities

MacCaig’s intention

• The repetition of “She was” again reminds the reader that the events being described are in the past

• The list emphasises the many, varied activities of Aunt Julia, with the reference to “threepennybits / in a teapot” suggestive of her eccentric personality

Lines 24-25

Translation

• The speaker repeats Lines 1-2 of the poem at the start of the final verse

MacCaig’s intention

• The repetition reinforces the disconnect between the speaker and Aunt Julia

Lines 26-30

Translation

• With the knowledge that Aunt Julia has died, the speaker reflects sadly and regretfully on her passing

• Aunt Julia is buried in a grave at Luskentyre beach on the west coast of Harris

MacCaig’s intention

• The speaker is saddened that his efforts to learn Gaelic were too late

• The word “silenced” stands as a striking contrast to her speech being “loud”

• The repeated sibilance (opens in a new tab) (“she”, “silenced”, “absolute”, “sandy”) emphasises the sadness of Aunt Julia’s passing

Lines 30-36

Translation

• The speaker believes that Aunt Julia lives on in the form of a seagull

MacCaig’s intention

• The speaker explains that Aunt Julia’s presence extends beyond the grave, but her tone is “welcoming”, emphasising her desire to reconnect

• Aunt Julia is presented as a “seagull”, a noisy, confident seabird, with a focus on her the sound of her “voice” (the cry of the gull)

• The speaker uses the scale of “a hundred yards” to emphasise the metaphorical reach of Aunt Julia’s “voice”

• However, the repetition of “angry” strongly implies her frustration at her inability to communicate in a way that might be understood by others

• The final two lines, “so many questions / unanswered.”, further emphasises the lasting frustration about humans’ inability to satisfactorily communicate 

Writer’s methods

Although this section is organised into three separate sections — form, structure and language — it is always best to move from what the poet is presenting (the techniques they use; the overall form of the poem; what comes at the beginning, middle and end of a poem) to how and why they have made the choices they have. 

Focusing on the poet’s overarching ideas, rather than individual poetic techniques, will gain you far more marks. Crucially, in the below sections, all analysis is arranged by theme and includes Norman MacCaig’s intentions behind his choices in terms of:

• Form

• Structure

• Language

Form

MacCaig’s poem takes the form of a monologue (opens in a new tab) that explores the character of Aunt Julia and her connection to the speaker.  

Structure

The irregular structure of the poem offers an insight into the somewhat chaotic lifestyle of Aunt Julia.

Language

MacCaig notably uses imagery (opens in a new tab) and word choice to create a memorable impression of Aunt Julia, both in life and in death. 

Understanding the poem

For the SQA National 5 English exam, it’s important to show a clear and thoughtful understanding of the poem’s themes and main ideas, as well as how the poet’s techniques and intentions help to convey meaning. This section focuses on two main themes that MacCaig examines in ‘Aunt Julia’:

• Human experience

• Identity

Human experience

• ‘Aunt Julia’ presents a vivid portrait of the speaker’s aunt, showing her to be forthright, independent, and proud of her culture, heritage and language

• MacCaig celebrates the character of Aunt Julia, cherishing both her robustness and skill, while his speaker remarks that her croft is a place of true happiness, despite its simplicity

• The human experience of death and loss is then explored in the final verse: the speaker feels regret for not being able to connect more deeply with his aunt in life, and laments darkly that she is now “silenced”

• But this reflection prompts the belief that Aunt Julia lives on through a boisterous “seagull”:

  • This notion of reincarnation suggests the spirit of those people who matter most to us will live on, even if they are not at peace.

Identity

• Aunt Julia strongly identifies with place: her island home and the croft she manages

• This strong identity with the land is very literally stamped on her body, as her feet are “stained with peat”

• She is also identified with the natural elements of the island - the wild, unpredictable weather, and in death, a noisy seabird

• The speaker’s identity is contrasted to Aunt Julia, for he is unable to fully comprehend her due to the language barrier:

  • This conflict is never resolved, not only due to the death of his aunt, but also because the “unanswered” questions give rise to wider considerations about the loss (or at least erosion) of the identity of a group of traditional islanders like Aunt Julia

Linking the poems

Scottish text section. However, you can choose to write your critical essay on MacCaig’s poetry.

If you choose to study MacCaig for the Scottish text section, you’ll need to demonstrate a broader understanding of his poetry in the final question, as required by the SQA. This means referring to ideas, themes, or techniques from at least one of his other poems.

The six prescribed poems by Norman MacCaig are:

• ‘Aunt Julia’

• ‘Hotel Room, 12th Floor’

• ‘Old Highland Woman’

• ‘On Lachie’s croft’

• ‘Landscape and I’

• ‘Basking Shark’

The final question will likely concentrate on an aspect of content, such as theme or characters in the poems, or on a technique, such as use of imagery or contrast.

Below are some useful comparisons between the six prescribed poems.