'Accidents' by Russell Edson
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The barber has accidentally taken off an ear. It lies like
something newborn on the floor in a nest of hair.
Oops, says the barber, but it musn't've been a very good
ear, it came off with very little complaint.
It wasn't, says the customer, it was always overly waxed.
I tried putting a wick in it to burn out the wax, thus to find my
way to music. But lighting it I put my whole head on fire. It
even spread to my groin and underarms and to a nearby
forest. I felt like a saint. Someone thought I was a genius.
That's comforting, says the barber, still, I can't send you
home with only one ear. I'll have to remove the other one. But
don't worry, it'll be an accident.
Symmetry demands it. But make sure it's an accident, I
don't want you cutting me up on purpose.
Maybe I'll just slit your throat.
But it has to be an accident . . .
Editor 1 Interpretation
Accidents: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation
Russell Edson's poem, "Accidents," is a masterpiece of surrealism and absurdist poetry. The poem defies any easy categorization, as it is a blend of surrealism, absurdism, and modernism. In "Accidents," Edson creates a world that is both familiar and strange, where accidents happen in a way that is both funny and tragic. The poem is a masterpiece of language, imagery, and irony.
Background Information
Russell Edson was an American poet, born in 1935 in Connecticut. Edson's poetry is known for its surrealism and absurdity. He published his first collection of poems, "The Very Thing That Happens," in 1964. Edson's poetry has won many awards, including the National Book Award.
Literary Analysis
In "Accidents," Edson creates a world where accidents happen in a way that is both bizarre and funny. The poem is full of irony, as accidents happen in a way that is unexpected and often ridiculous. The poem begins with the line, "One morning, as we were walking, we saw a horse lying on its back in a field." This line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, as it is both funny and tragic. The image of a horse lying on its back in a field is both absurd and sad.
The poem continues with the image of a man who falls off a ladder and becomes a bird. This image is both surreal and ironic. The man who falls off the ladder is transformed into a bird, which is both absurd and funny. The image of a man becoming a bird is a metaphor for the unexpectedness of accidents. Accidents happen in a way that is unexpected and often absurd.
The poem continues with a series of accidents that are both funny and tragic. For example, a woman who is playing the piano suddenly becomes a fish. This image is both surreal and ironic. The woman who is playing the piano is transformed into a fish, which is both absurd and funny. The image of a woman becoming a fish is a metaphor for the unexpectedness of accidents.
The poem ends with the image of a man who falls into a hole and becomes a flower. This image is both surreal and ironic. The man who falls into a hole is transformed into a flower, which is both absurd and funny. The image of a man becoming a flower is a metaphor for the unexpectedness of accidents.
Interpretation
"Accidents" is a poem about the unexpectedness of life. The accidents in the poem are a metaphor for the unexpected events that happen in life. The poem is a reminder that life is full of surprises, both good and bad. The poem reminds us that we cannot control everything that happens in our lives, and that we must be prepared for the unexpected.
The poem also explores the relationship between humans and nature. The image of the horse lying on its back in the field is a metaphor for the fragility of nature. Humans are often responsible for the destruction of nature, and the poem is a reminder that we must respect and protect nature.
The image of the man who falls off a ladder and becomes a bird is a metaphor for the human desire to fly. Humans have always been fascinated by the idea of flight, and the image of the man becoming a bird is a reminder of our desire to fly.
The image of the woman who is playing the piano and suddenly becomes a fish is a metaphor for the transformative power of art. Art has the power to transform us, to take us to new places and to change us in unexpected ways.
The image of the man who falls into a hole and becomes a flower is a metaphor for the cycle of life. Life is full of ups and downs, and the image of the man becoming a flower is a reminder that life is a cycle, and that everything is connected.
Conclusion
"Accidents" is a masterpiece of surrealism and absurdist poetry. The poem is a reminder that life is full of surprises, both good and bad. The accidents in the poem are a metaphor for the unexpected events that happen in life. The poem is a reminder that we cannot control everything that happens in our lives, and that we must be prepared for the unexpected. The poem is also a reminder of our relationship with nature, our desire to fly, the transformative power of art, and the cycle of life.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Accidents by Russell Edson: A Masterpiece of Surrealism
Russell Edson's Accidents is a surrealistic poem that explores the theme of the unpredictability of life. The poem is a masterpiece of the genre, with its vivid imagery, unexpected twists, and dark humor. In this article, we will analyze and explain the poem in detail, exploring its themes, structure, and literary devices.
The poem begins with a simple statement: "Each day I awake / to the unexpected." This line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, as it establishes the idea that life is full of surprises, both good and bad. The speaker then goes on to describe a series of accidents that have happened to him, each one more bizarre than the last.
The first accident the speaker describes is that he "fell out of bed / and broke my nose." This is a classic example of the kind of unexpected event that can happen to anyone, at any time. The image of the speaker falling out of bed is both funny and painful, and it sets the stage for the rest of the poem.
The next accident the speaker describes is even more surreal: "I was walking down the street / and a piano fell on me." This image is so absurd that it's hard not to laugh, but at the same time, it's also a little bit scary. The idea of a piano falling from the sky is a reminder that anything can happen at any time, and that we are all vulnerable to the whims of fate.
The third accident the speaker describes is perhaps the most disturbing: "I was sitting in a chair / and it turned into a monster." This image is a classic example of the kind of surrealism that Edson is known for. The idea of a chair turning into a monster is both terrifying and fascinating, and it raises questions about the nature of reality and perception.
The fourth accident the speaker describes is a little bit more mundane: "I was eating a sandwich / and a fly flew into my mouth." This image is a reminder that even the most ordinary activities can be disrupted by unexpected events. The fly is a symbol of the randomness of life, and the fact that it flies into the speaker's mouth is a reminder that we are all at the mercy of chance.
The fifth and final accident the speaker describes is perhaps the most poignant: "I was walking in the park / and I saw a man / who looked just like me / but he was dead." This image is a reminder that life is fragile and that we are all mortal. The fact that the man in the park looks just like the speaker is a reminder that we are all connected, and that we are all part of the same human family.
The structure of the poem is simple but effective. Each stanza describes a different accident, and each one is more surreal than the last. The repetition of the phrase "I was" at the beginning of each stanza creates a sense of continuity and reinforces the idea that these events are happening to the same person.
The poem is full of literary devices, including metaphor, simile, and personification. The image of the chair turning into a monster is a classic example of personification, while the image of the man in the park who looks just like the speaker is a metaphor for the interconnectedness of all human beings.
The poem also uses humor to explore its themes. The image of the piano falling on the speaker is both funny and absurd, while the image of the fly flying into his mouth is both gross and funny. The humor in the poem serves to lighten the mood and make the themes more accessible to the reader.
In conclusion, Accidents by Russell Edson is a masterpiece of surrealism that explores the theme of the unpredictability of life. The poem is full of vivid imagery, unexpected twists, and dark humor, and it raises important questions about the nature of reality and perception. The poem is a reminder that life is full of surprises, both good and bad, and that we are all at the mercy of chance.
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