'Ballade Of A Talked-Off Ear' by Dorothy Parker

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Death and Taxes1931Daily I listen to wonder and woe,
Nightly I hearken to knave or to ace,
Telling me stories of lava and snow,
Delicate fables of ribbon and lace,
Tales of the quarry, the kill, the chase,
Longer than heaven and duller than hell-
Never you blame me, who cry my case:
"Poets alone should kiss and tell!"Dumbly I hear what I never should know,
Gently I counsel of pride and of grace;
Into minutiae gayly they go,
Telling the name and the time and the place.
Cede them your silence and grant them space-
Who tenders an inch shall be raped of an ell!
Sympathy's ever the boaster's brace;
Poets alone should kiss and tell.Why am I tithed what I never did owe?
Choked with vicarious saffron and mace?
Weary my lids, and my fingers are slow-
Gentlemen, damn you, you've halted my pace.
Only the lads of the cursed race,
Only the knights of the desolate spell,
May point me the lines the blood-drops trace-
Poets alone should kiss and tell.L'ENVOIPrince or commoner, tenor or bass,
Painter or plumber or never-do-well,
Do me a favor and shut your face
Poets alone should kiss and tell.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Ballade of a Talked-Off Ear by Dorothy Parker

Introduction

Dorothy Parker’s “Ballade of a Talked-Off Ear” is a unique and thought-provoking poem that offers a commentary on the expectations and limitations of society, and the effects they can have on individuals. The poem was first published in the New Yorker in 1926 and has since been widely anthologized. At its core, the poem is a satire of societal norms and their impact on personal choice and identity.

Analysis

The poem is written in the style of a ballade, a form that was popular in the late medieval and early Renaissance periods. It consists of three stanzas of eight lines each, followed by a shorter envoi of four lines. The rhyme scheme is ababbcbc for the stanzas and bcbc for the envoi. The repetition of the final lines of each stanza and the envoi, known as the refrain, creates a sense of unity and closure.

The poem begins with the speaker lamenting the loss of their ear, which has been talked off by society. This metaphorical loss is a representation of the ways in which society can stifle individuality and freedom of expression. The speaker wonders why they were not able to resist the pressure to conform and remain true to themselves.

Since then, I’ve been misunderstood

By men of other tongues than mine,

And dragged about a foreign hood,

And tied to twenty feet of twine;

And through the dark and murky flood

Of constant, undelaying brine

Been towed, to where it’s said I stood

A witness to a nod and sign.

The second stanza continues the theme of societal pressure and the speaker’s frustration at not being able to be their true self. They long for the days when they were whole and complete, before society took away their ear.

They took away my ear, and then

They took away the other one,

And though I’ve had them sewn again

By doctors skilled in such things done,

I hear no more the things I heard

The little song, the valiant shout;

For battle sounds and lowing herd,

I hear a cutlet beaten out.

The final stanza is a scathing critique of society and its expectations. The speaker states that they would rather be deaf than conform to the expectations of society, which they see as oppressive and limiting. The envoi reiterates this sentiment, with the speaker proclaiming that they would rather be a beggar than a slave to societal norms.

I’d rather be the man who sings

Than him that has the crownèd power,

For though he rule a thousand kings,

He has no one to talk to at an hour.

I’d rather hear a choir of springs

Than hear a money-changer sour;

And though a beggar’s snuffle stings,

I’d rather be a beggar’s dower.

Interpretation

“Ballade of a Talked-Off Ear” is a powerful commentary on the ways in which societal pressure can limit personal freedom and expression. The loss of the ear is a metaphor for the loss of individuality, and the speaker’s frustration at their inability to resist societal expectations is palpable. The poem is a call to arms for those who feel stifled by societal norms, urging them to resist conformity and be true to themselves.

The poem can also be read as a critique of the limitations of language, and the ways in which it can fail to accurately convey meaning. The speaker notes that they have been misunderstood by those who speak different languages, highlighting the fact that communication is not always effective or clear. This lack of understanding is a metaphor for the larger issue of societal expectations and the ways in which they can create barriers to communication and understanding.

Overall, “Ballade of a Talked-Off Ear” is a powerful and thought-provoking poem that speaks to the importance of individuality and personal freedom. Its message is as relevant today as it was when it was first published, and it remains a testament to the power of poetry to challenge and inspire.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

The Ballade of a Talked-Off Ear: A Masterpiece of Irony and Satire

Dorothy Parker, the renowned American writer, poet, and critic, is known for her sharp wit, biting humor, and incisive commentary on the human condition. Her poem, "The Ballade of a Talked-Off Ear," is a prime example of her mastery of irony and satire. In this 28-line ballade, Parker tells the story of a man who loses his ear in a fight over a woman, only to have it reattached by a surgeon who talks his ear off with tedious anecdotes and platitudes. The poem is a scathing critique of the empty rhetoric and meaningless chatter that pervades modern society, and a celebration of the power of silence and solitude.

The poem opens with a vivid description of the fight that leads to the man's ear being severed:

"Thin as a sheet of paper, smooth as silk, The ear that was the battleground of lust, The bloody proof that Beauty cannot bilk Justice, nor Peace, nor Time's inviolate dust."

Here, Parker uses rich imagery and metaphor to convey the violence and passion of the fight, as well as the fragility and transience of human beauty. The ear, once a symbol of desire and attraction, is now a gruesome reminder of the destructive power of jealousy and envy.

The second stanza introduces the surgeon who reattaches the ear, and sets the stage for the poem's central irony:

"Then came the surgeon, and with skill and care He joined the severed member to the head; But oh! the tales he told, the jokes he'd share, The weary platitudes he'd leave unsaid!"

Here, Parker uses a clever play on words to highlight the surgeon's dual role as a healer and a talker. While he is able to restore the man's physical wholeness, he also subjects him to a barrage of tedious anecdotes and cliches, leaving him exhausted and frustrated.

The third stanza continues this theme, as the man struggles to escape the surgeon's endless chatter:

"The patient, writhing on his gory bed, Would fain have stopped those lips that never stayed; But still the surgeon talked, and shook his head, And still the patient writhed, and groaned, and prayed."

Here, Parker uses repetition and parallelism to emphasize the man's agony and the surgeon's insensitivity. The man's attempts to silence the surgeon are futile, as he continues to talk and talk, oblivious to the man's suffering.

The fourth and final stanza brings the poem to a powerful conclusion, as the man finally finds relief in the silence of his own thoughts:

"At last the surgeon went, and left him there, Alone, and whole, and free from pain and dread; And in the stillness of the silent air He heard the voice that all men hear, and said:

'O blessed solitude, O sweet release, From all the babble of the world's unrest! Here let me rest, and find my perfect peace, And dream my dreams, and be forever blest!'"

Here, Parker uses a dramatic shift in tone and perspective to convey the man's epiphany and liberation. The silence that once seemed unbearable now becomes a source of comfort and inspiration, as he discovers the power of his own inner voice and imagination. The poem ends on a note of triumph and transcendence, as the man embraces his solitude and finds his own path to happiness and fulfillment.

In conclusion, "The Ballade of a Talked-Off Ear" is a masterpiece of irony and satire, a biting critique of the empty rhetoric and meaningless chatter that pervades modern society. Through vivid imagery, clever wordplay, and powerful symbolism, Parker exposes the destructive power of jealousy and envy, and celebrates the liberating power of silence and solitude. This poem is a testament to Parker's genius as a writer and a thinker, and a timeless reminder of the importance of listening to our own inner voice and finding our own path to happiness and fulfillment.

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