'The Ballet Of The Fifth Year' by Delmore Schwartz

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Where the sea gulls sleep or indeed where they fly
Is a place of different traffic. Although I
Consider the fishing bay (where I see them dip and curve
And purely glide) a place that weakens the nerve
Of will, and closes my eyes, as they should not be
(They should burn like the street-light all night quietly,
So that whatever is present will be known to me),
Nevertheless the gulls and the imagination
Of where they sleep, which comes to creation
In strict shape and color, from their dallying
Their wings slowly, and suddenly rallying
Over, up, down the arabesque of descent,
Is an old act enacted, my fabulous intent
When I skated, afraid of policemen, five years old,
In the winter sunset, sorrowful and cold,
Hardly attained to thought, but old enough to know
Such grace, so self-contained, was the best escape to know.

Editor 1 Interpretation

The Ballet of the Fifth Year: A Masterpiece of Modernist Poetry

Delmore Schwartz's "The Ballet of the Fifth Year" is a fascinating poem that captures the essence of the modernist movement in literature. Written in 1943, the poem is a complex meditation on time, memory, and the human condition, set against the backdrop of a ballet performance. The poem is known for its rich symbolism, intricate imagery, and hauntingly beautiful language. In this literary criticism and interpretation, I will explore these themes in detail, examining how they work together to create a masterpiece of modernist poetry.

The Poem

"The Ballet of the Fifth Year" is a long, multi-part poem that takes the form of a dramatic monologue. The speaker, who is never explicitly identified but is assumed to be the poet himself, reflects on a performance of a ballet that he attended as a child. The ballet is described in great detail, with the speaker recounting the various dances and movements that he witnessed. However, this is not simply a nostalgic remembrance of a childhood memory. Instead, the ballet serves as a metaphor for the passage of time and the human experience.

The poem is divided into five sections, each corresponding to one of the five acts of the ballet. Each section focuses on a different aspect of the performance, from the opening dance to the final curtain call. Throughout the poem, the speaker uses vivid, often surreal imagery to convey his thoughts and emotions. The language is highly metaphorical and symbolic, with images of clocks, stars, and animals recurring throughout.

Time and Memory

At its core, "The Ballet of the Fifth Year" is a meditation on the passage of time and the role of memory in shaping our experiences. The speaker reflects on the ballet he saw as a child, but he does so from the vantage point of adulthood. He is acutely aware of the passage of time and the way that memory can distort our perceptions of the past. This theme is evident in the opening lines of the poem:

Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils.

Here, the speaker acknowledges the importance of time in shaping our understanding of the world, but he also recognizes the way that time can erase memories and experiences. Throughout the poem, the speaker is preoccupied with the question of how to reconcile the past and the present, how to make sense of the passage of time.

This theme is further developed through the poem's use of symbolism. The recurring image of clocks and timepieces underscores the importance of time in the poem. In the first section, for example, the speaker describes the opening dance of the ballet as "the dance of the watches, / The dance of the clocks and the dials and hands". Here, the ballet becomes a metaphor for the passage of time, with the dancers embodying the relentless march of the clock.

The theme of memory is also closely tied to the theme of time. The speaker is acutely aware of the way that memory can shape our perceptions of the past. He describes memory as "a mirror / Reflecting everything / Lovely and profound / Or disturbing and frightful". Memory, like time, can be both beautiful and frightening, and the speaker is keenly aware of the power that memory holds over our lives.

The Human Condition

At its heart, "The Ballet of the Fifth Year" is a poem about the human condition. The speaker reflects on the joys and sorrows of life, on the fleeting nature of happiness and the inevitability of pain. He is keenly aware of the fragility of human existence, describing life as "a fragile glass / Reflecting a beautiful and terrible image of itself".

Throughout the poem, the speaker uses vivid, often surreal imagery to convey his thoughts and emotions. In the second section, for example, he describes a dance that features "a bear and a dog and a girl / And a he-goat capering together". The image is both beautiful and unsettling, evoking a sense of the precariousness of human existence.

The theme of the human condition is further developed through the poem's use of symbolism. The recurring image of the stars, for example, suggests the vastness and mystery of human existence. In the third section, the speaker describes a dance that features "the golden stars, / The shining stars, the dreaming stars / And the heavy, solemn stars". The stars here represent both the beauty and the incomprehensibility of human existence, hinting at the mystery and wonder that lie at the heart of the human experience.

Conclusion

"The Ballet of the Fifth Year" is a masterpiece of modernist poetry, a complex and haunting meditation on time, memory, and the human condition. Through its vivid imagery and rich symbolism, the poem captures the essence of the modernist movement, with its emphasis on subjective experience and the exploration of the human psyche. In its exploration of the fragility of human existence and the inevitability of the passage of time, the poem speaks to the deepest fears and hopes of the human heart. It is a work of rare beauty and profundity, a testament to the power of poetry to capture the essence of the human experience.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

The Ballet of the Fifth Year: A Masterpiece of Modern Poetry

Delmore Schwartz's "The Ballet of the Fifth Year" is a masterpiece of modern poetry that explores the themes of childhood, innocence, and the passage of time. Written in 1948, the poem is a reflection on the poet's own childhood and the loss of innocence that comes with growing up. In this analysis, we will explore the themes and imagery of the poem, as well as its structure and language, to understand why it is considered one of the greatest works of modern poetry.

The poem is divided into five sections, each representing a year in the life of the poet. The first section, "The First Year," describes the innocence and wonder of a newborn child. The language is simple and childlike, with phrases like "I am born" and "I am alive" conveying the sense of wonder and discovery that comes with the beginning of life. The imagery is also very vivid, with the poet describing the world around him in terms of colors and shapes: "The world is blue and white / In its compass of cloud and sea."

As the poem progresses, however, the tone becomes more somber and reflective. In "The Second Year," the poet begins to realize that the world is not as simple and innocent as he once thought. He describes the "darkness" that surrounds him and the "fear" that he feels. The language becomes more complex and metaphorical, with phrases like "the shadow of the self" and "the darkness of the world" conveying the sense of confusion and uncertainty that comes with growing up.

In "The Third Year," the poet begins to understand the concept of time and the inevitability of change. He describes the passing of the seasons and the changing of the leaves, using imagery that is both beautiful and melancholy: "The leaves fall in ones and twos / From trees that are not too tall." The language is also more mature and philosophical, with the poet reflecting on the nature of existence and the meaning of life: "What is life? / Life is a child / Playing around your feet / A bird in the sky / A breath in your nostrils."

In "The Fourth Year," the poet begins to grapple with the concept of mortality and the fear of death. He describes the "darkness" that surrounds him once again, but this time it is a darkness that is "closer" and "more real." The language is more intense and dramatic, with phrases like "the shadow of death" and "the terror of the soul" conveying the sense of fear and desperation that comes with the realization of one's own mortality.

Finally, in "The Fifth Year," the poet comes to a realization about the nature of life and the passage of time. He describes the world as a "ballet" in which everything is constantly moving and changing, and he realizes that he is just a small part of this larger dance. The language is once again simple and childlike, with phrases like "I am alive" and "I am here" conveying the sense of wonder and gratitude that comes with the realization of one's own existence.

Throughout the poem, the imagery is both beautiful and haunting, with the poet using vivid descriptions of nature and the world around him to convey the themes of childhood, innocence, and the passage of time. The language is also very powerful, with the poet using metaphors and symbolism to convey complex emotions and ideas.

In terms of structure, the poem is divided into five sections, each representing a year in the life of the poet. This structure allows the poet to explore the themes of childhood and the passage of time in a very powerful and effective way, as we see the poet grow and change over the course of the poem.

Overall, "The Ballet of the Fifth Year" is a masterpiece of modern poetry that explores the themes of childhood, innocence, and the passage of time in a very powerful and effective way. The imagery is both beautiful and haunting, and the language is very powerful, with the poet using metaphors and symbolism to convey complex emotions and ideas. If you are a fan of modern poetry, then this is definitely a poem that you should read and study.

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