Characters and speakers

The main characters in the poem “Geriatric Ward” by Phoebe Hesketh are the doctor, his interlocutor (probably a resident doctor) and the old people in the ward. Society as a whole is also depicted in the last stanza of the poem but in a negative manner.

The interlocutor

The interlocutor in the poem “Geriatric Ward” is also the first speaker of the poem. The first stanza begins with his point of view. Although we do not know anything about his identity, we can assume that he is a resident doctor in the geriatric ward, as he is very curious about the patients. The interlocutor comes across as a cold-blooded person, as the question he asks is rather insensitive: “Do they have souls?” (l. 4)

However, his question indicates his view on the geriatric ward is rather pessimistic, as sick elderly people do not even look alive.

The doctor

The doctor is the second speaker in the poem. He is the one who answers the question uttered by his interlocutor. No part of the doctor’s appearance is depicted in the poem, but readers get to know a lot about his inner beliefs.

Inner characterisation

Initially, the doctor comes across as very cruel, as he uses the image of the machine gun to express his idea that an artificial life is no life at all:

”If I had a machine gun,” answered the doctor
“I’d show you dignity in death instead of living death.
Death wasn’t meant to be kept alive.”(ll. 6-8)

Still, the doctor reveals that he has a good ...