How Beastly the Bourgeois Is
1. Like a wet meringue (line13)
2. Like an old mushroom (line 25)
3. Like sickening toadstools (line 33)
Answer the following questions in complete sentences.
1. How does the speaker feel about upper-class Englishmen?
2. Why would Lawrence select the word "mushroom" instead of another vegetable, for example a carrot?
3. What historical information does the reader need to fully understand and appreciate this poem?
Writing activity
1. Read T.S. Elliot�s poem The Hollow Men. Write an essay in which you compare and contrast Elliot�s poem with Lawrence�s poem How Beastly the Bourgeois Is. Cite specific examples from the poems in your paper.
2. Pretend that you are an upper-class Englishman whom has just read Lawrence�s poem. Write a letter to Lawrence rebutting his portrayal of the men of your class. Cite specific lines in the poem that you wish to clarify.
Ren� Magritte
