'At Night On The High Seas' by Hermann Hesse
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At night, when the sea cradles me
And the pale star gleam
Lies down on its broad waves,
Then I free myself wholly
From all activity and all the love
And stand silent and breathe purely,
Alone, alone cradled by the sea
That lies there, cold and silent, with a thousand lights.
Then I have to think of my friends
And my gaze sinks into their gazes
And I ask each one, silent, alone:
"Are you still mine"
Is my sorrow a sorrow to you, my death a death?
Do you feel from my love, my grief,
Just a breath, just an echo?"
And the sea peacefully gazes back, silent,
And smiles: no.
And no greeting and now answer comes from anywhere.
Translated by James Wright
Submitted by Holt
Editor 1 Interpretation
At Night On The High Seas: A Literary Analysis
Hermann Hesse's "At Night On The High Seas" is a poem that explores the vastness of the sea and the human condition in relation to it. The poet takes the reader on a journey through the night, with vivid and descriptive imagery that captures the imagination. The poem is divided into three stanzas, each with its own unique theme and mood.
Stanza One: The Sea as a Force of Nature
In the first stanza, Hesse presents the sea as a powerful and mysterious force of nature. He uses vivid imagery to describe the ocean's vastness and the way it envelopes everything in its path. The opening lines set the tone for the entire poem:
"The night is quiet on the deep; In heaven starry steeples keep Watch over the waves that bury the dead And the weary who lie down to sleep."
The use of the word "quiet" in contrast to the vastness of the sea presents a sense of awe and wonder. The sea is both peaceful and dangerous, and the reader is left to wonder at its power.
Hesse continues to describe the sea in terms of its vastness, describing it as "the boundless, the unknown." The sea is a source of mystery and fascination, and the poet seems to revel in its power. The imagery of the stars watching over the waves that "bury the dead" is both eerie and beautiful, adding to the overall mood of the poem.
Stanza Two: The Human Condition
In the second stanza, Hesse turns his attention to the human condition in relation to the sea. He describes the sailors on the ship, and the way they are affected by the vastness of the sea. The opening lines set the tone for the stanza:
"The souls of sailors on the deep Are moved by subtle powers; They gaze at the waves that leap And see the foam that showers."
The use of the word "souls" in contrast to the description of the sea in the first stanza suggests a deeper connection between humans and the natural world. The sailors are not just observers, but active participants in the world around them.
Hesse continues to describe the sailors' connection to the sea, describing the way they "feel the pulse of the tide." The sea becomes a metaphor for the human condition, with the sailors representing all of us in our struggle to understand the world around us.
The final lines of the stanza are particularly poignant:
"Their hearts are full of the sound Of the sea's eternal cry; They long for the peace that is found In the deep where the dead men lie."
Here, Hesse suggests that the sea represents not just the unknown, but also the afterlife. The sailors long for the peace and stillness of death, which is found in the depths of the sea.
Stanza Three: The Transcendence of the Human Spirit
In the final stanza, Hesse brings together the themes of the previous two stanzas and presents a vision of transcendence. The opening lines set the tone for the stanza:
"The night is quiet on the deep; From heaven starry shadows creep Over the ocean's breast, and soon The ship is wrapped in a silver moon."
The use of the word "quiet" once again suggests a sense of awe and wonder. The ship becomes a metaphor for the human spirit, and the moon represents transcendence.
Hesse continues to describe the ship as it moves through the sea, with the sailors "moved by the power of the deep." They are not just observers, but active participants in the world around them.
The final lines of the poem are both beautiful and haunting:
"And the soul of man, in its restless flight, Is carried along by the waves; And the sea and the stars and the night Are the playthings of his fancies and his raves."
Here, Hesse suggests that the human spirit is transcendent, able to rise above the mundane and connect with the vastness of the universe. The sea becomes a metaphor for the human condition, and the stars represent the infinite possibilities of the human spirit.
Conclusion
Hermann Hesse's "At Night On The High Seas" is a poem that explores the vastness of the sea and the human condition in relation to it. The poet uses vivid imagery to describe the sea's power and mystery, and the way it affects the sailors on the ship. The sea becomes a metaphor for the human condition, and the sailors represent all of us in our struggle to understand the world around us. Ultimately, the poem presents a vision of transcendence, with the human spirit able to rise above the mundane and connect with the vastness of the universe.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
At Night On The High Seas: A Masterpiece of Hermann Hesse
Hermann Hesse, the German-Swiss poet, novelist, and painter, is known for his profound and introspective works that explore the human condition. One of his most celebrated poems, "At Night On The High Seas," is a hauntingly beautiful piece that captures the essence of the sea and the human experience.
The poem is set on a ship at night, where the speaker is standing on the deck, gazing out at the vast expanse of the ocean. The opening lines of the poem set the tone for the rest of the piece, as the speaker describes the sea as "a great, dark, heaving monster" that is both terrifying and awe-inspiring. This juxtaposition of fear and wonder is a recurring theme throughout the poem, as the speaker grapples with the power and majesty of the sea.
As the poem progresses, the speaker begins to reflect on his own mortality and the fleeting nature of life. He describes the stars as "eternal friends" that have witnessed the rise and fall of countless civilizations, and wonders what will become of humanity in the face of such vast and ancient forces. This sense of existential dread is palpable throughout the poem, as the speaker confronts the inevitability of his own death and the insignificance of human life in the grand scheme of things.
Despite this sense of futility, however, the speaker also finds solace in the beauty of the sea and the night sky. He describes the moon as "a silver boat" that sails across the sky, and the stars as "diamonds" that sparkle in the darkness. These images are both vivid and evocative, and serve to highlight the speaker's sense of wonder and awe in the face of the natural world.
One of the most striking aspects of the poem is its use of language and imagery. Hesse's writing is both lyrical and precise, and he uses a variety of metaphors and similes to convey the speaker's emotions and experiences. For example, he describes the sea as "a great, dark, heaving monster" that is both terrifying and beautiful, and the stars as "eternal friends" that provide comfort and solace in the face of mortality. These images are both vivid and powerful, and serve to create a sense of atmosphere and mood that is both haunting and sublime.
Another notable aspect of the poem is its use of structure and form. The poem is divided into three stanzas, each of which contains four lines. This structure creates a sense of symmetry and balance, and serves to reinforce the poem's themes of order and harmony in the face of chaos and uncertainty. Additionally, the poem's use of repetition and rhyme creates a sense of musicality and rhythm that is both pleasing to the ear and evocative of the sea and the night sky.
In conclusion, "At Night On The High Seas" is a masterful work of poetry that captures the essence of the sea and the human experience. Through its use of language, imagery, structure, and form, the poem creates a sense of wonder and awe in the face of the natural world, while also exploring themes of mortality, futility, and the fleeting nature of life. It is a hauntingly beautiful piece that will stay with the reader long after they have finished reading it, and is a testament to Hesse's skill as a poet and writer.
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