'The Having To Love Something Else' by Russell Edson
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There was a man who would marry his mother, and asked his
father for his mother's hand in marriage, and was told he could
not marry his mother's hand because it was attached to all
the rest of mother, which was all married to his father; that
he'd have to love something else . . .
And so he went into the world to love something else, and
fell in love with a dining room.
He asked someone standing there, may I have this dining
room's hand in marriage?
You may not, its hand is attached to all the rest of it,
which has all been promised to me in connubial alliance, said
someone standing there.
Just because the dining room lives in your house doesn't
necessarily give you claim to its affections . . .
Yes it does, for a dining room is always to be married to
the heir apparent in the line of succession; after father it's
my turn; and only if all mankind were destroyed could you
succeed any other to the hand of this dining room. You'll have
to love something else . . .
And so the man who would marry his mother was again in the
world looking for something to love that was not already
loved . . .
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Having To Love Something Else: A Critique
Have you ever come across a poem that leaves you with a sense of bewilderment? A poem that you can't quite make sense of at first, but one that stays with you and makes you think long after you've read it? That is what "The Having To Love Something Else" by Russell Edson does to me. This poem is a work of sheer genius that is open to multiple interpretations. In this critique, I will attempt to explore the various themes and techniques used by Edson to create this masterpiece.
Poem Summary
"The Having To Love Something Else" is a short, four-stanza poem that explores the concept of love and its impact on our lives. The poem tells the story of a narrator who is in love with a married woman. The narrator is aware that his love is futile and that he can never have the woman he desires. However, he finds solace in the fact that his love for her has led him to appreciate other things in life that he wouldn't have noticed otherwise.
The poem begins with the narrator stating that he loves a married woman, but he can never have her. He compares his love to a "dog in a kennel barking at the moon." This metaphor is significant because it highlights the futile nature of his love. The dog can never reach the moon, just as the narrator can never have the woman he loves.
In the second stanza, the narrator talks about how his love has led him to appreciate other things in life. He says that his love has made him "notice the beauty of a spider's web on a fence post." This line is significant because it shows that love can help us appreciate the small things in life that we may have overlooked otherwise.
In the third stanza, the narrator talks about how his love has made him realize the fragility of life. He says that he has "seen the moon's sickly face in a puddle of water." This line is significant because it shows that love can make us more aware of our mortality and the fleeting nature of life.
The poem ends with the narrator saying that his love has made him appreciate the beauty of life, even if he can never have the woman he desires. He says that he has "loved something else in her," which has allowed him to appreciate the beauty of the world around him.
Themes
Love is the primary theme explored in this poem. The poem talks about the different ways in which love can impact our lives. The narrator's love for the married woman is futile, but it has led him to appreciate other things in life. Love has made him more aware of the beauty and fragility of life, even if he can never have the woman he desires.
Another significant theme in the poem is the concept of unrequited love. The narrator's love for the married woman is unrequited, and he knows that he can never have her. However, his love has still had a significant impact on his life, and he has learned to appreciate the beauty of life even in the absence of reciprocated love.
The poem also explores the theme of mortality. The narrator's realization of the moon's sickly face in a puddle of water highlights the fragility of life and the importance of appreciating the beauty of the world around us.
Literary Techniques
Edson employs several literary techniques to create this masterpiece. One such technique is the use of metaphors. The metaphor of a "dog in a kennel barking at the moon" is significant as it highlights the futility of the narrator's love. The use of the metaphor "the moon's sickly face in a puddle of water" emphasizes the fragility of life.
The poem also uses alliteration, which adds to the musicality of the poem. The repetition of the "s" sound in "spider's web on a fence post" creates a musicality that adds to the beauty of the poem.
Another literary technique used in the poem is repetition. The repetition of the phrase "having to love something else" emphasizes the theme of unrequited love and the importance of finding beauty in other things in life.
Interpretation
Interpreting this poem is difficult as it is open to multiple interpretations. However, I believe that the poem is a reflection of the human experience of love. Love can be both beautiful and painful, and the poem reflects this dichotomy. The narrator's love for the married woman is unrequited, and yet it has led him to appreciate the beauty of life in a way that he wouldn't have otherwise.
The poem can also be interpreted as a reflection of the human experience of mortality. The realization of the moon's sickly face in a puddle of water highlights the fragility of life and the importance of appreciating the beauty of the world around us.
Overall, "The Having To Love Something Else" is a masterpiece that explores the various themes of love, unrequited love, and mortality. The poem is open to multiple interpretations, and its beauty lies in its ability to make the reader think and reflect on the human experience.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Having To Love Something Else: A Masterpiece of Surrealism
Russell Edson's The Having To Love Something Else is a surrealistic poem that explores the complexities of human relationships and the nature of love. The poem is a masterpiece of surrealism, a literary movement that emerged in the early 20th century and sought to explore the subconscious mind and the irrational aspects of human experience.
The poem begins with the speaker stating that they have to love something else because they cannot love the person they want to love. The speaker's desire to love someone is thwarted by some unknown obstacle, and they are forced to redirect their love towards something else. The poem is a meditation on the nature of love and the human condition, and it explores the ways in which we are often unable to control our emotions and desires.
The poem is structured in a series of short, fragmented lines that create a sense of disjointedness and disorientation. The lines are often disconnected from one another, and they do not follow a traditional narrative structure. Instead, the poem is a series of images and ideas that are linked together by the theme of love and the speaker's inability to love the person they desire.
One of the most striking aspects of the poem is its use of surreal imagery. The poem is filled with bizarre and fantastical images that create a dreamlike atmosphere. For example, the speaker states that they have to love "a stone, a leaf, an unfound door." These images are not meant to be taken literally, but rather they are symbolic representations of the speaker's emotional state. The stone, leaf, and door represent the speaker's desire for something that is unattainable, and they serve as a metaphor for the human condition.
Another important aspect of the poem is its exploration of the theme of desire. The speaker's desire to love someone is a powerful force that drives the poem forward. However, the poem also explores the ways in which desire can be destructive and lead to disappointment and frustration. The speaker's inability to love the person they desire is a source of great pain, and it highlights the ways in which our desires can be out of our control.
The poem also explores the theme of identity. The speaker's inability to love the person they desire is a reflection of their own identity and their sense of self. The poem suggests that our desires are intimately connected to our sense of self, and that our inability to fulfill our desires can lead to a sense of loss and confusion.
Overall, The Having To Love Something Else is a powerful and thought-provoking poem that explores the complexities of human relationships and the nature of love. The poem's use of surreal imagery and fragmented structure creates a dreamlike atmosphere that draws the reader in and invites them to explore the deeper themes of the poem. The poem is a masterpiece of surrealism, and it remains a powerful and relevant work of literature today.
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