Vultures - Chinua Achebe
SUMMARY
Two vultures roosting by a roadside prompt thoughts on the nature of evil.
The poem is set in the Biafran war.
The second part of the poem refers explicitly to the Second World War.
By implication/suggestion the poem is relevant to all human conflict.
The poem begins with a graphic and unpleasant description of a pair of vultures who
nestle lovingly together after feasting on a corpse.
The poet comments on the strangeness of love existing in places where one would not
expect.
He then goes on to consider the love a concentration camp commandant shows to his
family, having spent the day burning human corpses, he buys his child sweets on the
way home.
The ending/conclusion of the poem is ambiguous/two sided. On one hand, Achebe
praises God and providence that even the cruellest of creatures can show love. On the
other hand, these creatures show love for their families only and so allow themselves to
commit cruel acts towards others.
Stanza1
Line 1
greyness – This creates a depressing start to the poem
Line 2-3
drizzle of one despondent/dawn – the grimness is emphasised by the alliteration of the ‘d’.
drizzle - this emphasises the miserable scene.
despondent dawn – personification reinforces the gloomy atmosphere
Line 3
unstirred – there is no movement - emphasising the lack of activity
harbingers of sunbreak – usually, birds announce the arrival of dawn. However, that day was
so depressing that were the birds were quiet.
Lines 4-6
dawn is supposed to be a symbol of renewal and a new beginning, but the presence of
the vultures negates this positive association.
They are sitting on the ‘broken bone’ of a dead tree. This metaphor suggests that the
tree is like a carcass itself, and it’s bare, bleached branches are like bonest hat have picked
clean by the vultures.
This makes it seem as though the vultures presence and activities have a negative effect on
their surroundings. They feed on death, and their presence seems to cover their environment
in a deathly shroud.
Page 1 of 4
SUMMARY
Two vultures roosting by a roadside prompt thoughts on the nature of evil.
The poem is set in the Biafran war.
The second part of the poem refers explicitly to the Second World War.
By implication/suggestion the poem is relevant to all human conflict.
The poem begins with a graphic and unpleasant description of a pair of vultures who
nestle lovingly together after feasting on a corpse.
The poet comments on the strangeness of love existing in places where one would not
expect.
He then goes on to consider the love a concentration camp commandant shows to his
family, having spent the day burning human corpses, he buys his child sweets on the
way home.
The ending/conclusion of the poem is ambiguous/two sided. On one hand, Achebe
praises God and providence that even the cruellest of creatures can show love. On the
other hand, these creatures show love for their families only and so allow themselves to
commit cruel acts towards others.
Stanza1
Line 1
greyness – This creates a depressing start to the poem
Line 2-3
drizzle of one despondent/dawn – the grimness is emphasised by the alliteration of the ‘d’.
drizzle - this emphasises the miserable scene.
despondent dawn – personification reinforces the gloomy atmosphere
Line 3
unstirred – there is no movement - emphasising the lack of activity
harbingers of sunbreak – usually, birds announce the arrival of dawn. However, that day was
so depressing that were the birds were quiet.
Lines 4-6
dawn is supposed to be a symbol of renewal and a new beginning, but the presence of
the vultures negates this positive association.
They are sitting on the ‘broken bone’ of a dead tree. This metaphor suggests that the
tree is like a carcass itself, and it’s bare, bleached branches are like bonest hat have picked
clean by the vultures.
This makes it seem as though the vultures presence and activities have a negative effect on
their surroundings. They feed on death, and their presence seems to cover their environment
in a deathly shroud.
Page 1 of 4
