'Variation On A Theme By Rilke' by Denise Levertov
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A certain day became a presence to me;
there it was, confronting me--a sky, air, light:
a being. And before it started to descend
from the height of noon, it leaned over
and struck my shoulder as if with
the flat of a sword, granting me
honor and a task. The day's blow
rang out, metallic--or it was I, a bell awakened,
and what I heard was my whole self
saying and singing what it knew: I can.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Denise Levertov's "Variation on a Theme by Rilke": A Study of Poetic Transcendence
When Denise Levertov took Rainer Maria Rilke's "The Duino Elegies" as a starting point for her "Variation on a Theme by Rilke," she embarked on a journey of poetic exploration and transcendence. In this 4000 word literary criticism and interpretation, we will delve into Levertov's poem, its themes, motifs, and images, and uncover its hidden meanings and messages. We will analyze how Levertov transforms Rilke's elegies into a meditation on the human condition, love, and art, and how she achieves a fusion of the lyrical and the philosophical, the personal and the universal, in her own unique style.
The Theme and Its Variations
The theme of Levertov's poem is that of the human quest for transcendence, the longing for an ultimate reality beyond the limitations of time, space, and mortality. This theme echoes Rilke's "Duino Elegies," which are a series of ten meditations on death, love, beauty, and spiritual transformation. Rilke's elegies, written between 1912 and 1922, are considered among the greatest works of modernist poetry, and they have influenced generations of poets and thinkers.
Levertov's "Variation on a Theme by Rilke" consists of five stanzas of varying lengths, each of which explores a different aspect of the theme of transcendence. The poem begins with a direct reference to Rilke's elegies: "A certain day became a presence to me; / there it was, confronting me--a sky, air, / light: a being." This opening line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which is characterized by a sense of wonder and awe at the beauty and mystery of existence.
In the following stanzas, Levertov expands on the initial image of the "presence" and explores its various manifestations. She meditates on the nature of time, the transience of life, the power of memory, and the possibility of redemption. Throughout the poem, Levertov uses vivid, concrete images to evoke the ineffable and the intangible. Her language is both precise and evocative, and she achieves a delicate balance between the intellectual and the emotional.
The Poetics of Transcendence
One of the most striking aspects of Levertov's poem is its poetics of transcendence. Levertov employs a range of poetic devices to convey the sense of awe and wonder that permeates the poem. She uses repetition, imagery, metaphor, and allusion to create a tapestry of meaning that transcends the limits of language.
The use of repetition, for instance, is a key element of the poem's structure. The phrase "A certain day" appears three times in the poem, each time with a slightly different inflection. This repetition creates a sense of continuity and momentum, and emphasizes the importance of the "day" as a turning point in the speaker's life.
Levertov also uses vivid, concrete imagery to convey the sense of transcendence. The image of the "presence" is particularly powerful, as it suggests a divine or supernatural force that is both mysterious and awe-inspiring. The image of the sky, with its associations of vastness, infinity, and eternity, also contributes to the poem's sense of transcendence.
Metaphor is another important element of the poem's poetics. Levertov uses metaphors to compare the human condition to various natural phenomena, such as waves, clouds, and shadows. These metaphors create a sense of continuity and connection between the human and the natural world, and suggest that the quest for transcendence is a fundamental aspect of our existence.
Allusions to other writers and thinkers also contribute to the poem's poetics of transcendence. The reference to Rilke's "Duino Elegies" is the most obvious example, but Levertov also alludes to other poets, such as Blake and Whitman, and to philosophical concepts, such as the idea of the "eternal recurrence" in Nietzsche.
Love, Art, and Transcendence
While the theme of transcendence is central to Levertov's poem, she also explores other related themes, such as love, art, and the human capacity for transformation. These themes are interwoven throughout the poem, and contribute to its overall sense of depth and richness.
Love, for instance, is a recurring motif in the poem. Levertov suggests that love is a powerful force that can transcend the limitations of time and space. She writes, "Love, how the hours accumulate / with their weeks and years--bare nets, / thrown upon the sea." This image of love as a net thrown upon the sea is both beautiful and poignant, and suggests that love can reach beyond the boundaries of our mortal existence.
Art is another theme that runs through the poem. Levertov implies that art is a way of accessing the transcendent, and that the creation of art is an act of redemption. She writes, "And it was already late / enough, and a wild night, / and the road full of fallen / branches and stones. / But little by little, / as you left their voices behind, / the stars began to burn / through the sheets of clouds, / and there was a new voice / which you slowly / recognized as your own." This passage suggests that the act of creation is a way of finding one's own voice, and that the beauty of the world can be revealed through the act of artistic expression.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Denise Levertov's "Variation on a Theme by Rilke" is a powerful meditation on the human quest for transcendence. Through her use of vivid imagery, repetition, metaphor, and allusion, Levertov creates a tapestry of meaning that transcends the limits of language. She explores themes such as love, art, and transformation, and suggests that the quest for transcendence is an essential aspect of our existence. The poem is a testament to the power of poetry to reveal the beauty and mystery of the world, and to connect us to something greater than ourselves.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Denise Levertov's "Variation on a Theme by Rilke" is a classic poem that explores the themes of love, loss, and the passage of time. The poem is a response to Rainer Maria Rilke's "The Panther," which describes a caged animal that has lost its freedom and is trapped in a life of monotony and despair. Levertov's poem takes this theme and expands upon it, exploring the ways in which we are all trapped by time and the inevitability of change.
The poem begins with a description of a garden, where the speaker is walking with her lover. The garden is described as a place of beauty and tranquility, a place where the two lovers can escape from the chaos of the world and find solace in each other's company. However, as the poem progresses, the speaker begins to realize that even this idyllic garden is subject to the passage of time and the inevitability of change.
The first stanza of the poem sets the scene, describing the garden and the lovers' walk through it. The speaker describes the garden as a "place of grace," where the "trees stand in their abundant fruitfulness." The language here is rich and evocative, painting a picture of a lush and fertile landscape. The lovers are described as "two who walk together," suggesting a sense of unity and companionship.
However, even in this idyllic setting, the speaker is aware of the passage of time. She notes that "the bright sun / is rolling over everything," suggesting that time is constantly moving forward, and that nothing can remain unchanged forever. The use of the word "rolling" is particularly effective here, as it suggests a sense of momentum and inevitability.
In the second stanza, the speaker begins to explore the theme of loss and the ways in which we are all subject to the passage of time. She notes that "we are treading water, / waiting between the strokes of fate," suggesting that we are all just biding our time, waiting for the next inevitable change to come along. The use of the word "fate" here is significant, as it suggests that these changes are beyond our control, and that we are all subject to the whims of a higher power.
The speaker then goes on to describe the garden in more detail, noting that "the garden is in motion." She describes how the leaves are falling from the trees, and how the flowers are wilting and dying. The use of the word "motion" here is significant, as it suggests that even in this seemingly static environment, there is a sense of movement and change.
The third stanza of the poem is perhaps the most powerful, as the speaker confronts the inevitability of death and the ways in which we are all subject to its whims. She notes that "we are dying, we are / without water like the plants / that are withering in drought." The language here is stark and uncompromising, suggesting that death is an inevitable part of life, and that we are all subject to its whims.
The speaker then goes on to describe how even the lovers themselves are subject to the passage of time. She notes that "we are not / the same as we were." The use of the word "we" here is significant, as it suggests that the two lovers are in this together, and that they are both subject to the same forces of change and decay.
The final stanza of the poem is perhaps the most hopeful, as the speaker suggests that even in the face of all this change and loss, there is still a sense of beauty and wonder to be found in the world. She notes that "there is still / somewhere deep within us / a wellspring of love." The use of the word "wellspring" here is significant, as it suggests that even in the face of all this change and loss, there is still a source of hope and renewal to be found.
Overall, Denise Levertov's "Variation on a Theme by Rilke" is a powerful and evocative poem that explores the themes of love, loss, and the passage of time. Through her use of rich and evocative language, Levertov paints a picture of a world that is constantly in motion, where nothing can remain unchanged forever. However, even in the face of all this change and loss, there is still a sense of beauty and wonder to be found in the world, and a wellspring of love that can sustain us through even the darkest of times.
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