Class and Language: The Two Competing Markers of Identity in Tony Harrison's “Iraquatrains”

This study handles the conflict of class and the power to master words in the poetry of Tony Harrison (1937-   ). It is a critical study of his poetic experience especially in his poem "Iraquatrains." The study is divided into an introduction, three sections and a conclusion. The first section is devoted to the political and historical background of the poem. The second section deals with Harrison's life with an illustration of his shift from a working class life towards articulacy and culture. The third section illustrates the conflict of class in the form and theme of the poem. The conclusion contains a summary of the findings of the research. . In short, Harrison attempts to dramatize his feelings of sorrow that societies are still dominated by class distinctions as well as money which still exist nowadays; and education as well as mastering language are just artificial markers of people’s position in society.