Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Karen Fleur Adcock’s “Traitors” delves into the murky waters of ancestral legacy, grappling with themes of betrayal, power, and the tangled threads of identity. By invoking a macabre episode from history—the alleged murder of Edward II by Roger de Mortimer—the poem examines the intersections of family heritage and the darker impulses of human nature. Through a combination of wit, irony, and historical reflection, Adcock constructs a vivid meditation on the moral complexities of inheritance.

The poem opens with an epigraph from Michael Drayton’s “Poly-Olbion”, summarizing Edward II’s grim demise in satirical verse. This prelude sets the tone for the poem’s interplay of humor and horror, underscoring the grotesque nature of historical violence. Adcock’s voice quickly enters, addressing her “naughty ancestors” in a mockingly affectionate tone, casting them as “cosy” but deeply flawed figures from the “long-ago cut-out” world of historical narratives. This juxtaposition between intimacy and critique creates an unsettling dynamic, forcing the reader to confront the dissonance between familial pride and the brutal realities of the past.

Adcock’s portrayal of Roger de Mortimer, the man implicated in Edward II’s death, is both sardonic and probing. She imagines Mortimer’s sneer as he rationalizes the king’s murder—“Well, he had it coming to him”—emphasizing his moral detachment. The grisly method of execution, involving a red-hot poker, becomes a symbol of excess and cruelty, encapsulating the power struggles that defined the era. Mortimer’s actions are framed as both personal and political, driven not only by his affair with Queen Isabella but also by his ambition. This layering of motives reflects Adcock’s broader assertion: history is rarely about “just sex,” but instead a cocktail of desires, grievances, and power plays.

The Despensers, Edward II’s favorites and political allies, enter the narrative as additional “naughty ancestors.” Adcock focuses on Hugh the Elder and Hugh the Younger, both of whom were executed for treason. Their gruesome fates—castration, hanging, and quartering—are described with clinical detachment, underscoring the brutality of medieval justice. Yet, in a wry twist, Adcock connects herself to these figures through their lineage: it was Hugh the Elder’s “less blatant son” who carried their bloodline forward. This tenuous connection highlights the arbitrary nature of familial pride and shame, as well as the selective ways we construct narratives around our heritage.

Throughout the poem, Adcock grapples with the reliability of historical accounts. She acknowledges that much of what we know is “all hearsay,” leaving room for ambiguity and speculation. Was Edward II’s death truly a murder? Were Mortimer and Hugh the Younger’s supposed sexual transgressions real, or products of politically motivated slander? These questions destabilize the reader’s understanding of the past, mirroring Adcock’s own uncertainty about the blood “in [her] veins.” The poem thus becomes not just an exploration of history, but also a commentary on the limitations of historical knowledge.

The closing lines of the poem are particularly evocative. Adcock envisions her ancestors as “dismembered toys,” their fragmented bodies “bundled into a box” but still “faintly squeaking.” This image captures the enduring presence of the past in the present, as well as the way history—no matter how brutal—can be trivialized or commodified. The “toys” symbolize the ways in which we manipulate and reassemble historical figures to suit our narratives, while their faint “squeaking” suggests that their stories, however distant, continue to resonate.

Adcock’s language is sharp and precise, balancing historical detail with poetic imagination. Her tone alternates between sardonic humor and solemn reflection, creating a layered and multifaceted exploration of her subject. The interplay of high and low registers—invoking “royal blood” alongside bawdy innuendos about the Despensers’ “risky tastes in sex”—reflects the complexity of her engagement with history. By weaving personal connection into her critique, Adcock transforms what could be a detached historical commentary into a deeply felt exploration of identity and legacy.

Ultimately, “Traitors” challenges the reader to consider the weight of history and its impact on the present. Adcock’s ancestors, whether “ambitious crooks” or outright villains, are both part of her and apart from her—a duality that mirrors the broader human condition. The poem’s final image of “royal blood on [their] paws” underscores the shared culpability of all who engage with history, whether as participants, interpreters, or inheritors. In acknowledging this, Adcock invites us to reckon with the messy, uncomfortable truths of the past, and to question how they shape our understanding of ourselves.

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