'The Ache Of Marriage' by Denise Levertov
AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay
The ache of marriage:
thigh and tongue, beloved,
are heavy with it,
it throbs in the teeth
We look for communion
and are turned away, beloved,
each and each
It is leviathan and we
in its belly
looking for joy, some joy
not to be known outside it
two by two in the ark of
the ache of it.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Ache Of Marriage: A Literary Criticism
Denise Levertov's poem, The Ache Of Marriage, is a masterful portrayal of the complex emotions and struggles that come with the institution of marriage. The poem, written in free verse, explores the tensions and contradictions between love and responsibility, freedom and commitment, passion and routine. Through vivid imagery and introspective language, Levertov captures the ache, the longing, and the beauty that coexist in the hearts of married couples. In this literary criticism, I will analyze the key themes, symbols, and stylistic devices of the poem, and offer my interpretation of its meaning and significance.
Themes
The Ache Of Marriage revolves around several interrelated themes that reflect the joys and challenges of marital life. One of the central themes is the tension between intimacy and distance, which is expressed through the metaphor of the two trees that grow together but don't touch. The poem suggests that while marriage can provide a sense of closeness and companionship, it can also create a sense of separation and isolation. The lines "two trees together, but not touching,/ at the roots" (lines 1-2) convey the paradoxical nature of marriage, which can be both a source of comfort and a source of pain.
Another theme that runs throughout the poem is the tension between passion and routine. The speaker describes the "dull routine" (line 12) of daily life, with its "sickness and anger and failure" (line 13), and contrasts it with the "wilderness" (line 10) of youthful love. The poem suggests that while marriage can provide a stable and secure environment, it can also stifle the spontaneity and excitement that characterized the early stages of romance.
A third theme that emerges in the poem is the tension between freedom and commitment. The speaker describes the "weight of love" (line 15) that can feel suffocating at times, and the "ghostly/ emanations" (lines 16-17) of past loves that can haunt the mind. The poem suggests that while marriage can provide a sense of belonging and purpose, it can also create a sense of entrapment and loss of identity.
Symbols
The Ache Of Marriage is rich in symbolism that conveys the complex emotions and experiences of married life. One of the most striking symbols in the poem is the image of the two trees that grow together but don't touch. This symbolizes the paradoxical nature of marriage, which can provide both closeness and distance, unity and separation. The trees also represent the idea of growth and change, as they "reach upwards in the moonlight" (line 4) and "yearn towards the sky" (line 7).
Another symbol that appears in the poem is the image of the moon, which represents the cyclical nature of time and the shifting moods of the speaker. The moon is described as "full and sickening" (line 5), which suggests the ambivalence and complexity of the speaker's emotions. The moon also represents the idea of illumination and reflection, as it casts a light on the trees and reveals their shadows.
A third symbol that emerges in the poem is the image of the wilderness, which represents the freedom and passion that the speaker longs for. The wilderness is described as a place where "there are no paths/ except the one you make" (lines 9-10), which suggests the idea of exploration and discovery. The wilderness also represents the idea of danger and risk, as it is a place where one can get lost or hurt.
Stylistic Devices
The Ache Of Marriage employs a range of stylistic devices that enhance the emotional impact and depth of the poem. One of the most notable devices is the use of enjambment, which creates a sense of fluidity and continuity between the lines. This device is particularly effective in conveying the idea of the interconnectedness and complexity of marital life.
Another stylistic device that appears in the poem is the use of repetition, which emphasizes the key themes and symbols of the poem. The repetition of the phrase "two trees together" (lines 1-2) creates a sense of harmony and unity, while also highlighting the tension and separation between the trees. The repetition of the phrase "the ache of marriage" (lines 18-19) emphasizes the central theme of the poem and reinforces its emotional intensity.
A third stylistic device that is employed in the poem is the use of imagery, which creates vivid and sensory impressions of the speaker's experiences. The image of the moon, for example, evokes a sense of mystery and wonder, while the image of the wilderness conveys a sense of freedom and adventure. The imagery in the poem serves to enrich the reader's understanding of the speaker's emotional landscape and to create a lasting impression of the poem's themes and symbols.
Interpretation
The Ache Of Marriage is a deeply personal and poignant poem that speaks to the universal experiences of love, loss, and longing. Through its vivid imagery and introspective language, the poem captures the paradoxical nature of marriage, which can be both a source of comfort and a source of pain. The poem suggests that while marriage can provide a sense of belonging and stability, it can also create a sense of entrapment and loss of identity.
The trees that grow together but don't touch represent the tension between intimacy and distance that characterizes many married relationships. The moon represents the cyclical nature of time and the shifting moods of the speaker, while the wilderness represents the freedom and passion that the speaker longs for. The repetition of the phrase "the ache of marriage" emphasizes the central theme of the poem and reinforces its emotional intensity.
Overall, The Ache Of Marriage is a powerful and evocative poem that captures the complexity and nuance of marital life. It reminds us of the joys and struggles of love and commitment, and of the paradoxes that lie at the heart of human relationships. Levertov's use of vivid imagery, introspective language, and stylistic devices creates a lasting impression of the poem's themes and symbols, and invites us to reflect on our own experiences of love and marriage.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Ache of Marriage: A Poem of Love and Pain
Denise Levertov's poem, The Ache of Marriage, is a powerful and poignant exploration of the complexities of love and the pain that often accompanies it. Through vivid imagery and evocative language, Levertov captures the essence of the human experience of marriage, with all its joys and sorrows, its hopes and disappointments.
The poem begins with a stark and startling image: "The ache of marriage: / Thigh and tongue, beloved, / Are heavy with it, / It throbs in the teeth." This opening sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which is filled with visceral and physical descriptions of the pain and longing that are inherent in any long-term relationship.
Levertov goes on to describe the ways in which this ache manifests itself in the body and the mind. She writes of "the weight of it, / Heavy in the long noon, / Heavy in the paling stars," suggesting that this ache is a constant presence, both in the bright light of day and in the darkness of night.
But despite the pain and heaviness of this ache, Levertov also acknowledges the beauty and wonder of love. She writes of "the wonder of it, / The wonder of it," suggesting that even in the midst of the pain and struggle, there is something magical and transformative about the experience of being in love.
Throughout the poem, Levertov uses a variety of images and metaphors to convey the complexity of marriage. She writes of "the ache of marriage / Moving in the dark," suggesting that there is something mysterious and unknowable about the experience of being in a long-term relationship. She also uses the image of a "wilderness" to describe the emotional landscape of marriage, suggesting that it is a place of both danger and beauty, where one must navigate through the unknown and the unpredictable.
One of the most striking aspects of The Ache of Marriage is the way in which Levertov captures the paradoxical nature of love. She writes of "the ache of marriage / In ice and fire," suggesting that love can be both cold and hot, both comforting and painful. She also writes of "the ache of marriage / In everything except the heart," suggesting that while love may be all-consuming, it is also something that exists beyond the physical realm.
Ultimately, The Ache of Marriage is a poem about the human experience of love and the pain that often accompanies it. Through her use of vivid imagery and evocative language, Levertov captures the essence of what it means to be in a long-term relationship, with all its joys and sorrows, its hopes and disappointments. Whether one is married or not, this poem speaks to the universal human experience of love and the ache that comes with it.
Editor Recommended Sites
Learn Beam: Learn data streaming with apache beam and dataflow on GCP and AWS cloudNLP Systems: Natural language processing systems, and open large language model guides, fine-tuning tutorials help
Learn AI Ops: AI operations for machine learning
NFT Sale: Crypt NFT sales
Crypto Defi - Best Defi resources & Staking and Lending Defi: Defi tutorial for crypto / blockchain / smart contracts
Recommended Similar Analysis
Richard Cory by Edwin Arlington Robinson analysisFrom The Frontier Of Writing by Seamus Heaney analysis
A November Night by Sarah Teasdale analysis
Requiescat by Matthew Arnold analysis
Vanity Fair by Sylvia Plath analysis
I never lost as much but twice by Emily Dickinson analysis
Once by the Pacific by Robert Lee Frost analysis
Dejection : An Ode by Samuel Taylor Coleridge analysis
Meditations In Time Of Civil War by William Butler Yeats analysis
Paralytic by Sylvia Plath analysis