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Victorian Poetry Class
Victorian Poetry Class
I faltered, taking up the word: 'Therefore,' the voice said, 'shalt thou write
'Not so, my lord! My curse to-night.
If curses must be, choose another Because thou hast strength to see and hate
To send thy curse against my brother. A foul thing done within thy gate.'
'For I am bound by gratitude,
By love and blood, 'Not so,' I answered once again.
To brothers of mine across the sea, 'To curse, choose men.
Who stretch out kindly hands to me.' For I, a woman, have only known
How the heart melts and the tears run
'Therefore,' the voice said, 'shalt thou write down.'
My curse to-night.
From the summits of love a curse is driven, 'Therefore,' the voice said, 'shalt thou write
As lightning is from the tops of heaven.' My curse to-night.
Some women weep and curse, I say
'Not so,' I answered. 'Evermore (And no one marvels), night and day.
My heart is sore
For my own land's sins: for little feet 'And thou shalt take their part to-night,
Of children bleeding along the street: Weep and write.
[] A curse from the depths of womanhood
Is very salt, and bitter, and good.'
MEYNEEL RENOUNCEMENT
(shun evitar // throng amontonarse, multitud// I needs must=tengo que // doff=desvestir,
quitar del cuerpo // loose=soltar)
The poem tells of a regiment of soldiers leaving Dublin to fight in France; written from a female
perspective the poem juxtaposes (directly contrasts) images of the innocent naivety of the
young soldiers with images of death. The poet speaks of the sad realization that the love felt
for these men by the women left at home cannot save the soldiers from their uncertain
futures and likely deaths.
IMAGES OF INNOCENCE
"Food for shells and guns" - the guns are personified as if they will devour these innocent
men. The guns will have an insatiable (unending appetite) for young flesh.
"The mother's sons" - by referring to them as mother's sons it makes them appear younger,
more youthful.
"Too careless gay for courage" - they cannot be called courageous because they are going to
war without really thinking about it.
"Foolish and young, the gay and golden boys" "Blithely" = carelessly
IMAGES OF DEATH
"Out of the mist they stepped - into the mist singing they pass." "singing they go into
the dark."
IMAGES OF NOISE
"singing like the lark" "singing they go" "with tin whistles, mouth organs, any noise,They pipe."
"High heart! High courage!" - the exclammation marks help us to imagine that they words
would be shouted by the men or the crowd.
The overall effect is to create a cacophonu of sound perhaps this is to contrast with the noise
of teh battle field to which they are heading. ("the shells and guns")
Structure
The poem is written as as a ballad. Traditionally ballads were written to immortalise ( keep
alive) the memory of someone's life. They would have a jaunty and regular rhyming scheme
and rhythm, so that the poem was a celebration. This poem however ends with a short, anti-
climactic last line which gives a sense of pathos. These are sad, wasted lives not to be
celebrated in a ballad form.
Ultimately, this poem highlights the themes of depression, isolation and prostitution. It shows
the pain that comes with regret, and the fall in society. It also hints at the fallen spirituality
people faced back then, and how religion was a very big part of society and its rules.
The letter starts by saying that they have reached the peak of their nation, and now they can
only look down on people, and deem themselves above other people (slaves). They claim that
they stand for freedom, and yet they enslave others. They claim that they follow God and take
from their former nation, but they lie. The letter then states how they just sit back and watch,
never doing anything but stand there and do nothing about it. They just watch while their
nation crumbles around them, and only will say something about it when there is no one
listening to their words. They watch as people struggle and die around them, but anything they
say will be meaningless, only their soul could show their true sadness. The good people pray to
God, but they hear even the faintest prayer, it is loud, as if their enemies are marching on their
gates.
The curse ends with the narrator writing that fools will taunt them, and they will turn them
away. And that they are guilty because everything they claim they value is a lie. The final lines
tell them to continue along their path. They should have slaves and conquer others. For Gods
curse will be their doom.
I can see this poem being a stab at the people of England just trying to have their own opinions
on slavery in the Americas. In this case, Browning is showing her support for the New World.
She sees it as a place of freedom, prosperity and promise. She feels that if one would follow
their heart there, they will gain all they desire. By her stanzas in the progloge, Browning seems
to feel indebted to America. She has no ill will towards them, even though her country lost two
wars to them. She in a sense feels that these people are her kinsman, as their forefathers were
once a part of England. However the angel (possibly a stand in for her country or government)
is trying to force her to think otherwise.England sees slavery as horrible and thinks America is
going against what they say they stand for.
As such, despite her wishes, she must succumb to her government and follow their side. She
really has no choice. If she does not, she could be shunned by her homeland. Browning feels
like America is much like England. She cant be so quick to judge them. It feels like she cant do
so because they have similar problems like people living in poverty and general unhappiness.
She wishes to have the choice to think how she wants.