THL3703
Portfolio Exam
Unique No: 754261
Due 15 October 2025
, THL3703
Portfolio Exam
Unique Number: 754261
Due Date: 15 October 2025
The Interplay of Syntactic and Metaphorical Foregrounding in Ted Hughes’s
Sketching a Thatcher
Introduction
This paper explores the ways in which syntactic and metaphorical foregrounding
interact to shape poetic meaning in Ted Hughes’s Sketching a Thatcher. The central
argument advanced is that Hughes deliberately orchestrates deviations from syntactic
norms alongside metaphorical constructions in order to dramatise the Thatcher’s
physical presence, work ethic, and symbolic vitality. Meaning in the poem emerges not
from metaphor or syntax in isolation, but from their interdependence, which compels the
reader to recognise both the literal craft of thatching and its metaphorical resonances of
resilience, energy, and continuity.
The analysis proceeds by first outlining the theoretical framework of foregrounding and
metaphorical constructions, drawing on stylistic theory and the study guide. It then
undertakes a detailed textual analysis, identifying how syntactic deviation, extra
patterning, and hierarchical structures interact with metaphorical focus expressions and
tenor-vehicle relations. Finally, the conclusion synthesises the findings, demonstrating
that Hughes’s poetic technique relies on the synergy between syntax and metaphor to
produce meaning that is both vivid and thematically profound.
Portfolio Exam
Unique No: 754261
Due 15 October 2025
, THL3703
Portfolio Exam
Unique Number: 754261
Due Date: 15 October 2025
The Interplay of Syntactic and Metaphorical Foregrounding in Ted Hughes’s
Sketching a Thatcher
Introduction
This paper explores the ways in which syntactic and metaphorical foregrounding
interact to shape poetic meaning in Ted Hughes’s Sketching a Thatcher. The central
argument advanced is that Hughes deliberately orchestrates deviations from syntactic
norms alongside metaphorical constructions in order to dramatise the Thatcher’s
physical presence, work ethic, and symbolic vitality. Meaning in the poem emerges not
from metaphor or syntax in isolation, but from their interdependence, which compels the
reader to recognise both the literal craft of thatching and its metaphorical resonances of
resilience, energy, and continuity.
The analysis proceeds by first outlining the theoretical framework of foregrounding and
metaphorical constructions, drawing on stylistic theory and the study guide. It then
undertakes a detailed textual analysis, identifying how syntactic deviation, extra
patterning, and hierarchical structures interact with metaphorical focus expressions and
tenor-vehicle relations. Finally, the conclusion synthesises the findings, demonstrating
that Hughes’s poetic technique relies on the synergy between syntax and metaphor to
produce meaning that is both vivid and thematically profound.
