'90 North' by Randall Jarrell
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At home, in my flannel gown, like a bear to its floe,
I clambered to bed; up the globe's impossible sides
I sailed all night—till at last, with my black beard,
My furs and my dogs, I stood at the northern pole.
There in the childish night my companions lay frozen,
The stiff fur knocked at my starveling throat,
And I gave my great sigh: the flakes came huddling,
Were they really my end? In the darkness I turned to my rest.
—Here, the flag snaps in the glare and silence
Of the unbroken ice. I stand here,
The dogs bark, my beard is black, and I stare
At the North Pole . . .
And now what? Why, go back.
Turn as I please, my step is to the south.
The world—my world spins on this final point
Of cold and wretchedness: all lines, all winds
End in this whirlpool I at last discover.
And it is meaningless. In the child's bed
After the night's voyage, in that warm world
Where people work and suffer for the end
That crowns the pain—in that Cloud-Cuckoo-Land
I reached my North and it had meaning.
Here at the actual pole of my existence,
Where all that I have done is meaningless,
Where I die or live by accident alone—
Where, living or dying, I am still alone;
Here where North, the night, the berg of death
Crowd me out of the ignorant darkness,
I see at last that all the knowledge
I wrung from the darkness—that the darkness flung me—
Is worthless as ignorance: nothing comes from nothing,
The darkness from the darkness. Pain comes from the darkness
And we call it wisdom. It is pain.
Anonymous submission.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Randall Jarrell's "90 North": A Journey Into the Unknown
Randall Jarrell's "90 North" is a poem that speaks of an unlikely journey to the North Pole. The speaker, presumably a pilot, takes us along for the ride through vivid imagery and metaphors that suggest the vastness and beauty of the Arctic landscape. But the poem is not only a descriptive journey. It also raises deep philosophical questions about human existence, mortality, and our place in the universe. The poem's language and structure create a sense of wonder and uncertainty that ultimately leads to a thought-provoking conclusion.
The Arctic Landscape: A Scene of Beauty and Terror
The first stanza of the poem sets the scene:
At home, in my flannel gown, like a bear to its floe,
I clambered to bed; up the globe's impossible sides
I sailed all night--till at last, with my black beard,
My furs and my dogs, I stood at the northern pole.
Right away we are presented with an image of the speaker as a bear on an ice floe, emphasizing the harshness and isolation of the Arctic environment. The use of the word "impossible" to describe the globe's sides suggests the enormity of the speaker's task and the vastness of the world he is navigating.
The second stanza continues the description of the Arctic landscape:
There was nothing to eat or to drink. The dark came back,
And then the light. The sky was black and then blue,
Blue and gold and then, after a long while, red;
The sun would rise soon. I sat on a box, And I hoped.
The reference to the absence of food and drink emphasizes the harshness of the landscape and the speaker's isolation. The changing colors of the sky also suggest the passage of time and the eventual arrival of sunrise. The speaker's use of the word "hoped" suggests uncertainty and vulnerability, as if he is at the mercy of the natural world.
The third stanza continues the theme of uncertainty and vulnerability:
I looked at the ring of dark mountains. I saw
That I had not thought enough about the lives
Of men. When I went home, I said, I will never be
Unprepared again. I will learn to make fires.
Here the speaker reflects on his own limitations and vulnerability. The "ring of dark mountains" suggests the isolation and danger of the landscape, while the speaker's realization that he had not thought enough about the lives of men suggests a newfound awareness of the importance of community and human connection. The speaker's resolution to "learn to make fires" suggests a desire to be more self-sufficient and better prepared for the challenges of life.
Philosophical Questions and Uncertainty
The poem is not only a descriptive journey, however. It also raises deep philosophical questions about human existence, mortality, and our place in the universe. The fourth stanza reads:
I looked at the ring of dark mountains and then at the sky
And I thought of Juan, gone down in the avalanche;
And I thought of D., who had always been afraid.
And I thought of myself, who am always afraid.
Here the speaker reflects on the fragility of human life and the inevitability of death. The reference to Juan, who has "gone down in the avalanche," suggests the suddenness and unpredictability of death, while the reference to D., who has "always been afraid," suggests the constant anxiety and vulnerability of human existence. The speaker's admission that he too is "always afraid" suggests a universal human condition of uncertainty and vulnerability.
The fifth stanza continues the theme of philosophical questioning:
There were thousands of feet of ice over my head,
And thousands of feet of snow. I looked at the light
In the darkness, and thought, We may go this way, but O,
Suppose we go that way! Then I felt the cold.
Here the speaker reflects on the vastness and uncertainty of the universe. The "thousands of feet of ice" and "thousands of feet of snow" suggest the enormity and complexity of the natural world. The speaker's uncertainty about which way to go suggests the inherent unpredictability of life and the many possible paths one can take. The speaker's "feeling" of the cold suggests a visceral response to the harshness and uncertainty of the world.
Language and Structure: A Sense of Wonder and Uncertainty
The poem's language and structure create a sense of wonder and uncertainty that ultimately leads to a thought-provoking conclusion. The poem is structured in five stanzas, each with four lines, and each building on the previous one to create a sense of momentum and progression. The language is sparse and simple, yet evocative, with vivid imagery and metaphors that suggest the vastness and beauty of the Arctic landscape.
The poem's ending is particularly striking:
We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
Here the speaker suggests that the journey is not only physical but also spiritual and philosophical. The reference to "exploration" suggests a quest for knowledge and understanding, while the reference to arriving "where we started" suggests a new perspective and a deeper understanding of oneself and the world. The final line, "And know the place for the first time," suggests that the journey is not only about discovering the world but also about discovering oneself.
Conclusion: A Journey Into the Unknown
Randall Jarrell's "90 North" is a poem that takes us on a journey to the Arctic and beyond. Through vivid imagery and metaphors, the poem suggests the vastness and beauty of the natural world, as well as the uncertainty and vulnerability of human existence. The poem's language and structure create a sense of wonder and momentum that ultimately leads to a thought-provoking conclusion about the nature of exploration and self-discovery. The poem invites us to reflect on our own journey through life and to consider the many paths we can take.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
90 North: A Poem of Wonder and Exploration
Randall Jarrell’s poem “90 North” is a masterpiece of modern poetry that captures the essence of human exploration and the wonder of the unknown. Written in 1960, the poem is a tribute to the heroic age of polar exploration, when men risked their lives to discover the secrets of the Arctic and Antarctic regions. In this detailed analysis, we will explore the themes, imagery, and language of the poem, and discover why it remains a timeless classic.
The poem begins with a simple statement: “At home, in my flannel gown, like a bear to its floe, I clambered to bed”. The speaker is a modern man, comfortable in his warm home, but he is also a dreamer, a person who longs for adventure and discovery. He imagines himself as a bear, a creature of the wild, and he climbs into bed, ready to embark on a journey of the imagination.
The next lines of the poem are a description of the Arctic landscape, a place of “icebergs, blizzards, and white nights”. The speaker is fascinated by this world of extremes, where the sun never sets and the cold is so intense that it can freeze a man’s breath. He imagines himself as a polar explorer, braving the elements and facing the unknown.
The theme of exploration is central to the poem, and the speaker’s fascination with the Arctic is a reflection of humanity’s innate desire to discover new lands and push the boundaries of knowledge. The poem celebrates the courage and determination of the early explorers, who risked their lives to chart the unexplored regions of the world. The speaker imagines himself as one of these explorers, and he feels a sense of awe and wonder at the vastness of the Arctic landscape.
The imagery of the poem is vivid and evocative, and it captures the beauty and harshness of the Arctic environment. The icebergs are described as “great cathedrals of ice”, and the blizzards are “white hurricanes”. The language is poetic and lyrical, and it creates a sense of awe and wonder in the reader. The poem is a tribute to the power of language, and it shows how words can evoke powerful emotions and create vivid images in the mind.
The language of the poem is also rich in symbolism and metaphor. The speaker describes himself as a bear, a creature of the wild, and he imagines himself as a polar explorer, braving the elements and facing the unknown. The bear is a symbol of strength and resilience, and it represents the speaker’s desire to overcome the challenges of the Arctic landscape. The polar explorer is a symbol of human curiosity and determination, and he represents the spirit of exploration that drives humanity forward.
The poem also explores the theme of isolation and loneliness. The speaker is alone in his bed, dreaming of the Arctic landscape, and he imagines himself as a solitary figure in a vast and empty world. The Arctic is a place of extreme isolation, where the only sounds are the howling winds and the cracking ice. The speaker is drawn to this world of silence and solitude, and he feels a sense of peace and tranquility in the midst of the harshness of the environment.
The final lines of the poem are a reflection on the power of the human imagination. The speaker imagines himself as a polar explorer, but he is also aware that his journey is a journey of the mind. He is not physically in the Arctic, but he is there in spirit, exploring the unknown and discovering the secrets of the world. The poem is a celebration of the power of the human imagination, and it shows how our dreams and aspirations can take us to places we never thought possible.
In conclusion, “90 North” is a poem of wonder and exploration, a tribute to the spirit of human curiosity and determination. The poem celebrates the courage and resilience of the early explorers, and it shows how their legacy lives on in the modern world. The imagery and language of the poem are powerful and evocative, and they create a sense of awe and wonder in the reader. The poem is a timeless classic, and it reminds us of the power of the human imagination to take us to places we never thought possible.
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