Background: Arthur Hugh Clough was born in Liverpool, England 1791 and died in 1861.

He was a radical both in his religious and political

beliefs. When you read this apparently jolly poem, you should remember that it doesn’t express Clough’s personal sentiments: he went to France
to support the French working people in the February Revolution of 1848 when they fought to overthrow the Orleanist monarchy. The extract is the
first section of a longer poem.

From Spectator Ab Extra Spectator ab extra = literally: a spectator from outside, i.e. an onlooker or an uninvolved third-party observer

Café – an urban, modern sophisticated PRONOUNS who are the “I” (poet or persona) and “They”?
The persona seems to be alone, but They are in a happy group. Does
he resent this?
As I sat at the Café I said to myself,
They may talk as they please about what they call pelf pelf = money, riches, material goods, with the disparaging connotation of ‘filthy lucre’
They may sneer as they like about eating and drinking,
But help it I cannot, I cannot help thinking Very COLLOQUIAL word – helps make the poem like a song / jolly
How pleasant it is to have money, heigh-ho! despite subject. RHYTHM & RHYME also help with this. And the
How pleasant it is to have money. INVERTED SYNTAX and REPETITION in the previous line, and
REPETITION in the final 2 lines of the stanza
What do you think the character considers “they” are
talking about relating to money? What does he imagine
Contrast colloquial phrase to the French phrase in the next
“they” are sneering about? What does the word “sneer”
stanza. Does the persona want to appear a man of the people or
imply? “They” sneer at the plebs, the persona sneers at
sophisticated / educated?
them, does the poet sneer at his persona in the poem?
I sit at my table en grand seigneur, en grand seigneur (French) = in the manner of a gentleman, with the demeanour of a person of a distinguished rank
And when I have done, throw a crust to the poor;
The words Charity is done because it makes the giver feel good – no
“pleasure” a Not only the pleasure itself of good living, ethical or religious or humanitarian concerns. “when I have
nd But also the pleasure of now and then giving : done” – no chance of risking his own welfare. “throw a crust
“pleasant” So pleasant it is to have money, heigh-ho! to the poor” – only giving away what isn’t really wanted
and “please” So pleasant it is to have money. anyway. , “Not only” & “But also”, “good living”, “now and
are repeated then giving”
throughout They may talk as they please about what they call pelf, Only people with lots of money would be likely to
the poem. And how one ought never to think of one’s self, think this!
But poem How pleasures of thought surpass eating and drinking, –
leaves you My pleasure of thought is the pleasure of thinking
feeling How pleasant it is to have money, heigh-ho! STRUCTURE The 3 stanzas have an identical
dissatisfied How pleasant it is to have money. structure and shape. They just develop more
with what
examples of the same idea – don’t introduce
CHARACTERISATION List adjectives to describe the character (arrogant, …… , new ones.
……., …….)
What type of accent and tone of voice do you think this poem should be read
aloud using? Why? In what ways does the character portrayed reflect the The character’s views seem in direct opposition
implications of the title, Spectator Ab Extra? Compare this character and the to the VIEWPOINT of the poet – explain how. Why
do you think the poet chose to express his ideas