GEORDIE

Just considering the title the reader may expect the poem to be about a man named “Geordie”.

Taking into consideration the layout you  can notice that it is a poem because it is arranged into lines. It is organized into seven stanzas of four lines each. Each line begins with a capitol letter and there are some repetitions such as “o my Geordie” and “stole sixteen of the King's royal deer and he sold them in Bohenny”. The reader can also notice that there is an alternation of direct speech and narration.

In the first stanza there is a speaking voice who says that as he walked on the London bridge, he heard a pretty woman lamenting for her Gordie. From the second stanza to the writer focuses his attention on Geordie through the woman's monologue. In the second stanza she describes his origins. In the third she orders to her pony to take her to the London's Court to safe her Geordie. In the next two stanzas the poet writes lady's speech in front of the Court. She says Geordie has never stolen anything or hurted someone, the only thing he has done is that he has stolen some King's royal deer and sold them in Bohenny. After that she says that she is ready also to sacrifice her three sons to rescue her Geordie. In the sixth stanza there is narration but also a piece of direct speech. The king says to the lady that he is sorry but he can't pardon Geordie. In the last stanza continues the lady's monologue wher he rportes again that her Geordi will be hanged because he has stolen some King's deer and sold them in Bohemmy.

There are a lot of run-on-lines long the poem, so you have to read it fast and without taking any break. This happens because the writer wants to convey the idea of frustration and agitation of the lady who is worried for her Geordie. There are also some alliteration, just to create the effect of a ballad and to easily remember it.

The poem is a representation of what the convicted men's wives felt when they lost their men. They tried to do everything they could to rescue their husbands, even if it meant that they had to sacrifice their sons. They used to try to do everything, but if the Court said that their husband could,'t be saved, they could only accept it.