'The Last Question' by Dorothy Parker
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Sunset RopeNew love, new love, where are you to lead me?All along a narrow way that marks a crooked line.
How are you to slake me, and how are you to feed me?With bitter yellow berries, and a sharp new wine.New love, new love, shall I be forsaken?One shall go a-wandering, and one of us must sigh.
Sweet it is to slumber, but how shall we awaken-Whose will be the broken heart, when dawn comes by?
Editor 1 Interpretation
Dorothy Parker's "The Last Question": A Masterpiece of Irony and Melancholy
When reading Dorothy Parker's "The Last Question," one cannot help but feel the weight of irony and melancholy that permeates every line of this poem. At first glance, it may seem like a simple poem about a woman asking her lover for the truth about their relationship. However, as we delve deeper into the text, we realize that Parker has created a complex and nuanced work that explores the human experience in all its messy and contradictory glory.
The Structure of the Poem
Before we dive into the interpretation of the poem, let's take a moment to examine its structure. "The Last Question" is a fourteen-line sonnet, which means that it follows a strict rhyme scheme and meter. The rhyme scheme is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, and the meter is iambic pentameter, which means that each line has ten syllables, with the stress falling on every other syllable.
At first glance, the strict structure of the poem may seem at odds with its content, which is anything but rigid and formulaic. However, upon closer inspection, we realize that Parker's use of form is a deliberate choice that serves to emphasize the poem's themes of order and chaos, structure and spontaneity.
The Irony of the Title
The first thing that strikes us about this poem is its title: "The Last Question." At first glance, this may seem like a straightforward title that refers to the question that the speaker asks her lover in the final lines of the poem. However, as we read on, we realize that the title is a masterstroke of irony.
The poem is filled with questions, from the opening line ("In love, if love be love, if love be ours") to the penultimate line ("And have you loved me for yourself alone?"). These questions are not inconsequential; they are the very heart of the poem, the source of the speaker's anxiety and uncertainty.
And yet, despite the plethora of questions that fill the poem, the title suggests that there is only one question that truly matters, the "last" question. This is a clever play on words that serves to underscore the futility of seeking answers in matters of the heart. There is no "last" question, no final word that can settle the uncertainty and doubt that come with love.
The Speaker's Anxiety
The speaker of the poem is a woman who is deeply uncertain about the state of her relationship with her lover. She begins the poem with a series of conditional statements ("if love be love, if love be ours"), which suggest that she is unsure whether her lover truly loves her or if their relationship is just a passing fancy.
As the poem progresses, we see the speaker's anxiety and uncertainty increase. She asks her lover a series of questions, each one more desperate than the last. She wants to know if he has loved her "truly" or if he has loved her only "in passing." She wants to know if he has loved her for her own sake or if he has loved her for his own benefit.
The speaker's anxiety is palpable, and it is impossible not to feel empathy for her as she struggles to make sense of her relationship. And yet, despite her desperation, she never loses her sense of dignity and self-respect. She is not willing to settle for a relationship that is anything less than genuine and authentic.
The Lover's Ambiguity
One of the most intriguing aspects of this poem is the ambiguity of the lover's responses. He never gives a direct answer to any of the speaker's questions; instead, he answers in vague and evasive terms. He tells her that he has loved her "well" and that he has loved her "long," but he never says whether he loves her now or if he plans to love her in the future.
This ambiguity is both frustrating and fascinating. On the one hand, it leaves the speaker with no clear answers, which only exacerbates her anxiety. On the other hand, it suggests that the lover himself may be uncertain about his feelings. He may genuinely love the speaker, but he may also be afraid of committing to a relationship.
The Themes of Order and Chaos
As we mentioned earlier, the strict structure of the sonnet serves to emphasize the poem's themes of order and chaos. The rhyme scheme and meter create a sense of order and stability that contrasts with the speaker's anxiety and uncertainty. However, as we read on, we see that this order is constantly threatened by the chaos of human emotion.
The speaker's questions disrupt the orderly structure of the poem, throwing the rhyme scheme into disarray. Her anxiety and uncertainty create a sense of chaos that is at odds with the rigid structure of the sonnet. And yet, despite this chaos, the poem never loses its sense of unity and coherence. Parker's skillful use of form allows her to explore the messiness of human emotion while still creating a work of art that is aesthetically pleasing and intellectually satisfying.
The Melancholy Tone
Finally, we come to the melancholy tone of the poem. This tone is established from the very first line, with its conditional statements and uncertain tone. As the poem progresses, the melancholy only deepens, as the speaker's anxiety and uncertainty become more and more palpable.
And yet, despite the melancholy, there is a sense of hopefulness that runs through the poem. The speaker refuses to settle for a relationship that is anything less than genuine and authentic, and she is willing to face the uncertainty and doubt that come with love. In this sense, the poem is a celebration of the human spirit, of our ability to endure in the face of uncertainty and pain.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "The Last Question" is a masterpiece of irony and melancholy that explores the messy and contradictory nature of human emotion. Parker's use of form, tone, and ambiguity allows her to create a work of art that is both aesthetically pleasing and intellectually satisfying. This poem is a testament to the enduring power of poetry and its ability to capture the complexities of the human experience.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Last Question: A Poem by Dorothy Parker
Dorothy Parker, an American poet, writer, and critic, is known for her wit, humor, and sharp observations on life. Her poem, The Last Question, is a poignant reflection on the inevitability of death and the uncertainty of what lies beyond.
The poem begins with a simple question: "When I die, will I ever see / The sweet heaven that men dream?" This question is one that has been asked by countless people throughout history, and it is one that continues to be asked today. It is a question that speaks to our deepest fears and hopes, our longing for something beyond this life.
Parker's answer to this question is both honest and unsettling. She writes, "Will there be a place for me / Among the stars that softly gleam?" Here, Parker acknowledges the possibility that there may be nothing after death, that we may simply cease to exist. This is a difficult truth to accept, but it is one that many people have come to terms with over the years.
However, Parker does not leave us with this bleak outlook. She goes on to write, "Or will celestial shepherdess / Take me to her kindly breast?" Here, she introduces the idea of a heavenly afterlife, where we are cared for by a loving shepherdess. This image is comforting and reassuring, and it speaks to our desire for a benevolent force to guide us through the unknown.
But even as Parker offers this hopeful image, she acknowledges the uncertainty of it all. She writes, "Oh, there's nobody I'd like to see / Like the shepherdess, if there should be." This line is particularly poignant, as it suggests that even if there is an afterlife, there is no guarantee that we will be reunited with the people we have loved and lost. It is a reminder that death is a lonely and isolating experience, no matter what lies beyond.
The Last Question is a poem that speaks to the human experience in a profound way. It acknowledges our deepest fears and hopes, our longing for something beyond this life. It is a reminder that death is a part of life, and that we must come to terms with it in our own way.
In conclusion, Dorothy Parker's The Last Question is a beautiful and thought-provoking poem that speaks to the human experience in a profound way. It offers both hope and uncertainty, reminding us that death is a part of life, and that we must come to terms with it in our own way. It is a poem that will continue to resonate with readers for years to come, as we all grapple with the ultimate question of what lies beyond.
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