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The Parable of the Old Man and the Young
So Abram rose, and clave the wood, and went,
And took the fire with him, and a knife.
And as they sojourned both of them together,
Isaac the first-born spake and said, My Father,
Behold the preparations, fire and iron,
But where the lamb for this burnt-offering?
Then Abram bound the youth with belts and straps
and builded parapets and trenches there,
And stretchèd forth the knife to slay his son.
When lo! an angel called him out of heaven,
Saying, Lay not thy hand upon the lad,
Neither do anything to him, thy son.
Behold! Caught in a thicket by its horns,
A Ram. Offer the Ram of Pride instead.
But the old man would not so, but slew his son,
And half the seed of Europe, one by one.
© Pamela Cohen 2014
thecohencurricula.com.au
Page 1
1. What is the definition of a parable?
2. Without referring to the poem itself, what kind of parable is inferred by an old
man and a young man? What are each a metaphor of?
3. Read the Bible story of Abraham and Isaac (see attachment).
4. What are the key ideas or themes presented in the biblical narrative?
5. How do these ideas/themes align with those presented in Owen’s poetry?
6. How have these ideas/themes been subverted or inverted in Owen’s poetry?
7. What is the metaphorical significance of the lamb?
8. What is ‘My Father’ an allegory for?
9. What biblical allusions are presented in the language of the poem?
10. Abraham in the biblical narrative has been reshaped to his name Abram –
research and understand why. How is this important in the context of the
poem?
11. What is Owen’s parable and what lessons are we to learn from it?
12. What is the object being ‘slained’ in the poem? What metaphor is presented?
How effective is Owen in using the metaphor to convey his views on war?
13. What, from the original narrative, are the ‘parapets and trenches’ referring to?
What is the inference created here?
Sentence starters:
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The biblical narrative of________________ provides a frame of reference for
Owen’s________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

The theme of sacrifice is argued
through________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

The verb ‘clave’
creates_________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
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The verb ‘sojourned’ reinforces an extended metaphor
of_____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
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The verb ‘slay’ establishes Owen’s
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
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The hyphenated ‘burnt-offering’ referring to the metaphorical lamb creates a
rhetorical question
highlighting_____________________________________________________
© Pamela Cohen 2014
thecohencurricula.com.au
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_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
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The use of archaic biblical language ‘first-born spake’ sustained throughout
the poem is used by Owen to present an argument
for____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Further questions:
1. How does the verb ‘bound’ change from the context and tone of the
original biblical narrative to that of Owen’s poem? What is being implied
by the poet?
2. How does the imperative verb ‘Behold!’ introduce a change in tone and
address the enduring concerns of Owen’s poetry?
3. What symbolism is being presented through the ‘Ram of Pride? How is the
capitalisation adding to the meaning of the line?
4. Who is the ‘old man’ referred to in the penultimate line referring to?
5. How does the penultimate line sum up Owen’s critical attitude towards the
authorisation of sacrifice?
6. How does the biblical verb ‘slew’ reinforce, sustain and criticise the
responsibility of governments and society at large for sending young men
to war?
7. How is the repetition in the last line effective?
8. What allusion is being presented through the ‘belts and straps’, ‘parapets
and trenches’?
9. How effective is Owen in presenting his concerns about authority,
responsibility of governments and sacrifice through his poem ‘The Parable
of the Old Man and the Young’?
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Write the verbs into TEPA statements
Write the allegory into a TEPA statement
Write the use of exclamation marks with accompanying imperative
verbs into TEPA statements
Write the tone into a TEPA statement
Write the direct biblical frame of reference into a TEPA statement
Write the analogy of ‘fire’ into a TEPA statement
Write the analogy of the ‘lamb’ in the context of Owen’s
interpretation of sacrifice into a TEPA statement
© Pamela Cohen 2014
thecohencurricula.com.au
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