'A Dream Of Whitman Paraphrased, Recognized And Made More Vivid By Renoir' by Delmore Schwartz

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Twenty-eight naked young women bathed by the shore
Or near the bank of a woodland lake
Twenty-eight girls and all of them comely
Worthy of Mack Sennett's camera and Florenz Ziegfield's
Foolish Follies.

They splashed and swam with the wondrous unconsciousness
Of their youth and beauty
In the full spontaneity and summer of the fieshes of
awareness
Heightened, intensified and softened
By the soft and the silk of the waters
Blooded made ready by the energy set afire by the
nakedness of the body,

Electrified: deified: undenied.

A young man of thirty years beholds them from a distance.
He lives in the dungeon of ten million dollars.
He is rich, handsome and empty standing behind the linen curtains
Beholding them.
Which girl does he think most desirable, most beautiful?
They are all equally beautiful and desirable from the gold distance.
For if poverty darkens discrimination and makes
perception too vivid,
The gold of wealth is also a form of blindness.
For has not a Frenchman said, Although this is America...

What he has said is not entirely relevant,
That a naked woman is a proof of the existence of God.

Where is he going?
Is he going to be among them to splash and to laugh with them?
They did not see him although he saw them and was there among them.
He saw them as he would not have seen them had they been conscious
Of him or conscious of men in complete depravation:
This is his enchantment and impoverishment
As he possesses them in gaze only.

. . .He felt the wood secrecy, he knew the June softness
The warmth surrounding him crackled
Held in by the mansard roof mansion
He glimpsed the shadowy light on last year's brittle leaves fallen,
Looked over and overlooked, glimpsed by the fall of death,
Winter's mourning and the May's renewal.

Editor 1 Interpretation

A Dream Of Whitman Paraphrased, Recognized And Made More Vivid By Renoir by Delmore Schwartz: A Literary Critique

Have you ever been so moved by a poem that you felt like you were living in the poet's world? That's exactly what Delmore Schwartz's "A Dream Of Whitman Paraphrased, Recognized And Made More Vivid By Renoir" does. This classic poem, first published in 1950, captures the essence of Walt Whitman's poetry while adding a new dimension to it through the lens of impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir.

The Poem

Before we dive into the literary analysis of this poem, let's take a moment to appreciate its beauty. Here's the full text:

The man who stands above the bird, his knife
Sharp as a Turkish scimitar, first removes
A thigh and leg, half the support
On which the living delightfully sat,
Steadfast as Keats' Eremite upon his braced
Against the same bough he perched on (Blake's
Joy in his veins), the Poet gathered
Himself into the bird, and then, when the song
Keeled over, and the belly became
A darkened winepress, overflowed with ruin,
The red-ribbed cottage of his heart and tongue
Burst into thunderbolts of prophecy.
The angel rises from his hand, (Seraphs
Fold their wings about him) the agony
Gone, and he is transfigured; his transcendence
Is glass; he is a window; he is a man
Who gazes at the sky; he is both the spectator
And the spectacle; he is the meat
And the eaters; he is the knowing
And the known; he is the subject
And the object; he is the sun, the sea,
The river, the fish and the fisherman;
He is the fisherman and the fish, the sea,
The river, the sun; the snow on the mountain
Is his; the pines in the forest are his;
And there is a hawk that dreams himself
Into existence and is his dream.

Whew, what a ride! The poem starts with a graphic description of a man killing a bird and then moves on to depict the moment when a poet transcends his own physicality and becomes one with the universe.

The Interpretation

Many critics have noted how this poem draws heavily from Walt Whitman's poetry. In fact, the title itself is a nod to Whitman's "Leaves of Grass". But what sets this poem apart is the way it combines Whitman's transcendentalism with the impressionist style of Renoir.

Schwartz's use of vivid imagery is reminiscent of Whitman's poetry. Just like Whitman's "Song of Myself" or "I Sing the Body Electric", Schwartz's poem celebrates the beauty of the natural world and the interconnectedness of all things. The man who kills the bird is not just a hunter, but a symbol of the violent nature of human beings. The bird is not just a bird, but a representation of all living things. The act of killing is not just an act of violence, but a metaphor for the fragility of life and the inevitability of death.

But where Schwartz departs from Whitman is in his use of imagery that evokes the impressionist paintings of Renoir. The line "the red-ribbed cottage of his heart and tongue burst into thunderbolts of prophecy" is reminiscent of Renoir's use of bold colors and dramatic brushstrokes. The image of the poet as a window that both reflects and refracts the world around him is similar to the way Renoir captures the play of light and shadow in his paintings.

Schwartz's poem is a testament to the power of art to transcend the limitations of language and communicate something deeper and more profound. By combining the transcendentalism of Whitman with the impressionism of Renoir, he creates a work of art that is both beautiful and thought-provoking.

Conclusion

In conclusion, "A Dream Of Whitman Paraphrased, Recognized And Made More Vivid By Renoir" is a masterpiece of modern poetry. Through its use of vivid imagery and its blending of different artistic styles, it captures the essence of Walt Whitman's poetry while adding something new and original to the mix. Delmore Schwartz's poem is a celebration of the power of art to connect us to something greater than ourselves, and a reminder of the beauty of the natural world that surrounds us.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

A Dream of Whitman Paraphrased, Recognized and Made More Vivid by Renoir: A Masterpiece of Poetry

Delmore Schwartz's poem, A Dream of Whitman Paraphrased, Recognized and Made More Vivid by Renoir, is a masterpiece of poetry that captures the essence of Walt Whitman's poetry and Renoir's paintings. The poem is a tribute to two great artists who have left an indelible mark on American culture. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, imagery, and language used in the poem to understand its meaning and significance.

The poem begins with the speaker dreaming of Walt Whitman, the great American poet. The speaker imagines Whitman walking through the streets of New York City, observing the people and the world around him. The speaker describes Whitman as a "prophet" who sees the world in a different way than others. Whitman's vision is not limited by the constraints of society or convention. He sees the beauty in everything, even in the most mundane things.

The speaker then imagines Renoir, the great French painter, joining Whitman on his walk. Renoir is described as a "painter of sunlight" who captures the beauty of the world in his paintings. The speaker imagines Renoir painting the scenes that Whitman observes, creating a visual representation of Whitman's vision.

The poem then shifts to a description of Renoir's paintings. The speaker describes the colors and textures of Renoir's paintings, noting how they capture the beauty of the world. The speaker notes that Renoir's paintings are not just representations of the world, but are also interpretations of it. Renoir's paintings capture the essence of the world, not just its physical appearance.

The speaker then returns to Whitman, describing his poetry as a "song of the soul." Whitman's poetry is not just a representation of the world, but is also an interpretation of it. Whitman's poetry captures the essence of the world, not just its physical appearance. The speaker notes that Whitman's poetry is not just about the individual, but is also about the collective. Whitman's poetry celebrates the diversity of humanity and the interconnectedness of all things.

The poem then shifts to a description of the speaker's own experience. The speaker notes that they have been inspired by both Whitman and Renoir. The speaker has been moved by Whitman's poetry and Renoir's paintings, and has been inspired to create their own art. The speaker notes that they have been able to see the world in a different way because of Whitman and Renoir.

The poem ends with the speaker imagining Whitman and Renoir walking away, leaving the speaker with a sense of awe and wonder. The speaker notes that they have been touched by the greatness of these two artists, and that they will never forget the experience.

The themes of the poem are beauty, inspiration, and interconnectedness. The poem celebrates the beauty of the world and the ability of art to capture that beauty. The poem also celebrates the ability of art to inspire and move people. Finally, the poem celebrates the interconnectedness of all things, noting that art can bring people together and create a sense of unity.

The imagery used in the poem is vivid and evocative. The speaker describes the streets of New York City, the colors and textures of Renoir's paintings, and the beauty of Whitman's poetry. The imagery creates a sense of wonder and awe, inviting the reader to see the world in a different way.

The language used in the poem is poetic and lyrical. The speaker uses metaphors and similes to describe the world, creating a sense of depth and richness. The language is also musical, with a rhythm and flow that echoes the beauty of the world.

In conclusion, A Dream of Whitman Paraphrased, Recognized and Made More Vivid by Renoir is a masterpiece of poetry that celebrates the beauty of the world and the power of art to capture that beauty. The poem is a tribute to two great artists who have left an indelible mark on American culture. The poem invites the reader to see the world in a different way, to appreciate the interconnectedness of all things, and to be inspired by the greatness of art.

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