'Death and the Lady' by Mary Elizabeth Coleridge
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1TURN in, my lord, she said ;
2As it were the Father of Sin
3I have hated the Father of the Dead,
4The slayer of my kin ;
5By the Father of the Living led,
6Turn in, my lord, turn in.
7We were foes of old ; thy touch was cold,
8But mine is warm as life ;
9I have struggled and made thee loose thy hold,
10I have turned aside the knife.
11 Despair itself in me was bold,
12I have striven, and won the strife.
13 But that which conquered thee and rose
14Again to earth descends ;
15 For the last time we have come to blows.
16And the long combat ends.
17 The worst and secretest of foes,
18Be now my friend of friends.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Poetry, Death and the Lady: A Masterpiece of Darkness and Despair
Mary Elizabeth Coleridge's Poetry, Death and the Lady is a haunting and vivid depiction of the inevitability of death and the human struggle to come to terms with it.
Background
Mary Elizabeth Coleridge was born in 1861 in London, England. She was the granddaughter of the famous Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge and the daughter of the poet and critic Arthur Coleridge. She began writing poetry at a young age and published her first collection, Fancy's Following, in 1896. Coleridge struggled with mental illness throughout her life and died in 1907 at the age of 46.
Poetry, Death and the Lady was first published in 1899 as part of Coleridge's second collection of poetry, The King with Two Faces. The poem is a ballad, a form of poetry that tells a story through song or verse.
Analysis
The poem opens with a description of the Lady, who is walking through the forest. The imagery is dark and foreboding, with the Lady described as "pale as the mist that hangs in the hollow" and the trees "black as ebony." The Lady is approached by Death, who offers to take her on a journey to his home. The Lady is hesitant at first, but eventually agrees to go with him.
As Death leads the Lady through the forest, he shows her various scenes of death and decay. The imagery is vivid and grotesque, with descriptions of corpses and bones littering the ground. Death tells the Lady that everyone must eventually come to his home, and that there is no escape from him.
The Lady becomes increasingly frightened as they approach Death's home, which is described as a "great black cavern." Death offers to let the Lady stay with him forever, but she refuses and begs to be allowed to return to the world of the living. Eventually, Death relents and allows her to leave.
The poem ends with the Lady returning to the world of the living, where she is greeted by the sun and the birds. However, the experience has changed her, and she is now aware of the inevitability of her own death.
Interpretation
Poetry, Death and the Lady is a deeply existential poem that explores the human struggle to come to terms with the inevitability of death. The Lady represents humanity, and her encounter with Death represents the moment when we must confront our own mortality.
The imagery in the poem is dark and foreboding, with the forest and Death's home representing the unknown and the fear that we all feel when faced with the prospect of death. The Lady's fear and reluctance to go with Death are understandable, as we all cling to life and fear the unknown.
However, as the poem progresses, we see the Lady become increasingly aware of the inevitability of death. Death's relentless insistence that everyone must come to his home eventually is a reminder that our time on earth is limited.
The Lady's refusal to stay with Death represents our desire to cling to life, but ultimately, we must all face the fact that we cannot escape death. The poem ends with the Lady returning to the world of the living, but she is forever changed by her encounter with Death.
Poetry, Death and the Lady is a masterpiece of darkness and despair, but it is also a reminder of the beauty and preciousness of life. By confronting the inevitability of death, we can learn to appreciate the moments we have and make the most of our time on earth.
Conclusion
Mary Elizabeth Coleridge's Poetry, Death and the Lady is a haunting and vivid depiction of the human struggle to come to terms with the inevitability of death. Through the Lady's encounter with Death, Coleridge explores our fear of the unknown and our desire to cling to life. The poem is a reminder that we must all face death eventually, but it is also a reminder of the beauty and preciousness of life.
In an age where death is often hidden away and sanitized, Poetry, Death and the Lady is a powerful reminder of our mortality and the need to appreciate the moments we have. Coleridge's masterful use of imagery and language creates a vivid and haunting portrait of the human condition, making Poetry, Death and the Lady a true masterpiece of poetry.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Death and the Lady: An Analysis of Mary Elizabeth Coleridge’s Classic Poetry
Mary Elizabeth Coleridge’s poem, “Death and the Lady,” is a haunting and powerful piece of literature that explores the themes of mortality, the inevitability of death, and the fear of the unknown. Written in 1899, the poem has stood the test of time and continues to captivate readers with its vivid imagery, evocative language, and thought-provoking ideas.
The poem tells the story of a lady who encounters Death on a dark and stormy night. Death offers to take her away with him, but she is hesitant and fearful. She begs for more time, but Death reminds her that her time on earth is limited and that she must eventually come with him. The lady is left to contemplate her mortality and the fleeting nature of life.
The poem is structured in a series of stanzas, each with four lines and a rhyme scheme of ABAB. This structure gives the poem a sense of rhythm and flow, and helps to create a sense of foreboding and tension as the story unfolds. The language used in the poem is also highly evocative, with vivid descriptions of the stormy night and the figure of Death himself.
One of the key themes of the poem is the inevitability of death. The lady is unable to escape Death’s grasp, no matter how much she pleads or begs for more time. This theme is explored through the use of powerful imagery, such as the line “The wind was like a ghostly voice that whispered low and dread” which creates a sense of foreboding and unease. The lady’s fear of death is also explored through her dialogue with Death, as she begs for more time and tries to negotiate with him.
Another important theme of the poem is the fear of the unknown. The lady is afraid of what lies beyond death, and this fear is reflected in her reluctance to leave with Death. This theme is explored through the use of powerful imagery, such as the line “The darkness was a cloak that wrapped her round and round” which creates a sense of claustrophobia and uncertainty. The lady’s fear of the unknown is also reflected in her dialogue with Death, as she asks him what lies beyond death and what will happen to her soul.
The poem also explores the fleeting nature of life, and the importance of making the most of the time we have. The lady is reminded by Death that her time on earth is limited, and that she must make the most of it. This theme is explored through the use of powerful imagery, such as the line “The rain was like a drum that beat upon the coffin lid” which creates a sense of urgency and reminds us of the inevitability of death. The lady’s realization of the fleeting nature of life is also reflected in her dialogue with Death, as she laments the fact that she has not made the most of her time on earth.
Overall, Mary Elizabeth Coleridge’s poem “Death and the Lady” is a powerful and thought-provoking piece of literature that explores the themes of mortality, the inevitability of death, and the fear of the unknown. Through the use of vivid imagery, evocative language, and a powerful narrative structure, Coleridge creates a sense of foreboding and tension that draws the reader in and leaves them contemplating their own mortality. The poem is a classic of English literature, and continues to captivate readers over a century after it was first written.
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