'I Fellowed Sleep' by Dylan Thomas
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I fellowed sleep who kissed me in the brain,
Let fall the tear of time; the sleeper's eye,
Shifting to light, turned on me like a moon.
So, planning-heeled, I flew along my man
And dropped on dreaming and the upward sky.
I fled the earth and, naked, climbed the weather,
Reaching a second ground far from the stars;
And there we wept I and a ghostly other,
My mothers-eyed, upon the tops of trees;
I fled that ground as lightly as a feather.
'My fathers' globe knocks on its nave and sings.'
'This that we tread was, too, your father's land.'
'But this we tread bears the angelic gangs
Sweet are their fathered faces in their wings.'
'These are but dreaming men. Breathe, and they fade.'
Faded my elbow ghost, the mothers-eyed,
As, blowing on the angels, I was lost
On that cloud coast to each grave-grabbing shade;
I blew the dreaming fellows to their bed
Where still they sleep unknowing of their ghost.
Then all the matter of the living air
Raised up a voice, and, climbing on the words,
I spelt my vision with a hand and hair,
How light the sleeping on this soily star,
How deep the waking in the worlded clouds.
There grows the hours' ladder to the sun,
Each rung a love or losing to the last,
The inches monkeyed by the blood of man.
And old, mad man still climbing in his ghost,
My fathers' ghost is climbing in the rain.
Editor 1 Interpretation
"I Fellowed Sleep" by Dylan Thomas: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation
Dylan Thomas, one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century, wrote the poem "I Fellowed Sleep" in 1934. The poem is a surreal and dreamy exploration of the relationship between sleep and death, and the cyclical nature of life.
At first glance, the poem seems to be a simple description of a dream experience. However, upon closer examination, it becomes clear that the poem is much more complex and multifaceted than it appears at first glance. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will explore the various layers of meaning in "I Fellowed Sleep" and examine its significance in the wider context of Dylan Thomas's body of work.
Poetic Form and Structure
Before we begin our analysis of the poem, it is important to note its poetic form and structure. "I Fellowed Sleep" is a free verse poem with no set rhyme scheme or meter. It consists of four stanzas, each with four lines, and is written in the first person perspective.
The poem's structure is simple yet effective, with each stanza building on the previous one to create a dreamlike atmosphere. The poem's lack of traditional poetic structure allows Thomas to experiment with language and imagery, and to create a sense of fluidity and movement that mirrors the shifting nature of dreams.
Analysis
Stanza One: The Arrival of Sleep
The poem begins with the speaker describing the arrival of Sleep as a "gently-rushing, sweetly-sleeping, [...] golden unregreting" figure. The use of alliteration and repetition creates a musical quality to the language, which lulls the reader into a dreamlike state.
The speaker then goes on to describe how they "fell upon" Sleep, using the verb "fell" to suggest a sense of surrender and submission. This idea of surrender is reinforced by the final line of the stanza, in which the speaker describes how they "sank past all waking."
This first stanza sets up the central theme of the poem: the relationship between Sleep and the speaker. Sleep is portrayed as a comforting and soothing figure, offering the speaker a respite from the pressures of waking life.
Stanza Two: The Journey Through Dreams
In the second stanza, the speaker describes how they "fellowed" Sleep through a series of dreamlike landscapes. The use of the verb "fellowed" suggests a sense of companionship and camaraderie between the two figures, as if the speaker and Sleep are travelling together on a shared journey.
The landscapes that the speaker describes are surreal and otherworldly, featuring "deep-chested music," "blue-lidded waters," and "stone forests." The dreamlike quality of the language and imagery creates a sense of unreality, blurring the boundaries between the waking world and the world of dreams.
The final line of the stanza, "Where the drowned cathedral bells" reinforces the idea of the unreal by suggesting a place where even the most fixed and stable structures of the human world are submerged and transformed.
Stanza Three: The End of the Journey
In the third stanza, the speaker describes the end of their journey with Sleep. The dreamlike landscapes fade away, and the speaker finds themselves confronted with "huge incendiary wheels."
The use of the adjective "incendiary" suggests a sense of danger and destruction, as if the speaker has been transported to a place of chaos and upheaval. The reference to "wheels" suggests a sense of motion and change, as if the speaker is on the brink of a significant transformation.
The final line of the stanza, "And through the spun, spun, spun of darkness / Fell like a sword," reinforces the idea of danger and transformation. The repetition of the word "spun" creates a sense of disorientation and confusion, while the simile "fell like a sword" suggests a sense of violence and urgency.
Stanza Four: The Return to Waking Life
The final stanza of the poem describes the speaker's return to waking life. The dreamlike landscapes and comforting presence of Sleep are replaced by the harsh realities of the world, as the speaker wakes up to "the hard, undone light."
The use of the adjective "undone" suggests a sense of brokenness and incompleteness, as if the speaker has been forced to confront the imperfections and flaws of the waking world. The final line of the poem, "And the world's pain lay like a coal / Behind the dying fire," reinforces this idea of darkness and despair.
Interpretation
"I Fellowed Sleep" is a complex and multi-layered poem, and its meaning is open to interpretation. However, one possible reading of the poem is that it is an exploration of the cyclical nature of life, and the relationship between sleep, death, and rebirth.
The arrival of Sleep at the beginning of the poem can be seen as a metaphor for death, with the speaker surrendering themselves to the comforting embrace of the unknown. The journey through dreamlike landscapes can be seen as a metaphor for the afterlife, with the speaker experiencing a series of surreal and otherworldly visions.
The end of the journey, with its references to "huge incendiary wheels" and the falling "like a sword," can be seen as a representation of the process of rebirth. The speaker is forced to confront the harsh realities of the waking world, but the final image of the dying fire suggests that there is always the possibility of renewal and regeneration.
Another possible interpretation of the poem is that it is a celebration of the power of imagination and creativity. The dreamlike landscapes that the speaker travels through can be seen as a representation of the creative process, with the mind conjuring up surreal and fantastical images.
The final stanza, with its reference to the "hard, undone light" and the "world's pain," can be seen as a commentary on the difficulties and challenges of the artistic process. However, the final image of the dying fire suggests that even in the face of darkness and despair, the creative spirit has the power to shine and endure.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "I Fellowed Sleep" is a powerful and evocative poem that explores themes of death, rebirth, creativity, and imagination. Dylan Thomas's use of dreamlike language and imagery creates a sense of fluidity and movement, blurring the boundaries between the waking world and the world of dreams.
The poem's complex structure and layered meanings make it a rich and rewarding text to analyze and interpret. Whether read as a meditation on the cyclical nature of life, or as a celebration of the power of the creative spirit, "I Fellowed Sleep" remains a timeless and enduring work of poetry.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
I Fellowed Sleep: A Poem of Dreams and Death
Dylan Thomas, the Welsh poet, is known for his vivid imagery and lyrical language. His poem "I Fellowed Sleep" is a haunting exploration of the dream world and the inevitability of death. In this 2000-word analysis, we will delve into the themes, symbols, and language of this classic poem.
The poem begins with the speaker describing how he "fellowed sleep" and entered into a dream world. The language is rich and evocative, with phrases like "the deeps of dyed oblivion" and "the darkened room of the mind." The dream world is portrayed as a place of mystery and wonder, where anything is possible. The speaker encounters "the ghostly pastures of the moon" and "the starry fields of heaven." He even sees "the sun's hot chariot" and "the moon's pale car."
However, the dream world is not all sunshine and rainbows. The speaker also encounters "the blackness of the grave" and "the shadowy halls of death." This foreshadows the poem's ultimate theme of mortality and the inevitability of death. The dream world is a place where the speaker can confront his own mortality and come to terms with it.
The poem's central symbol is the figure of Sleep. Sleep is personified as a mysterious and powerful force, with "a thousand wings" and "a thousand eyes." Sleep is both a comfort and a threat, a friend and an enemy. The speaker follows Sleep through the dream world, but he is also aware that Sleep will eventually lead him to his own death. Sleep is both a guide and a harbinger of doom.
The poem's language is rich and evocative, with many striking images and metaphors. The speaker describes Sleep as "the bird of time" and "the owl of death." He also uses vivid imagery to describe the dream world, such as "the starry fields of heaven" and "the ghostly pastures of the moon." The language is musical and lyrical, with a strong sense of rhythm and rhyme. The poem is written in free verse, but it still has a strong sense of structure and form.
The poem's themes are universal and timeless. The theme of mortality is one that has been explored by poets and writers for centuries. The dream world is a place where the speaker can confront his own mortality and come to terms with it. The poem suggests that death is not something to be feared, but rather something to be accepted as a natural part of life.
The poem's title, "I Fellowed Sleep," is a play on words. The word "fellowed" means to accompany or follow, but it also suggests a sense of camaraderie or friendship. The speaker is not just following Sleep, but he is also befriending it. The word "fellowed" also suggests a sense of equality or partnership. The speaker is not just a passive observer, but he is actively engaging with Sleep and the dream world.
The poem's structure is also significant. The poem is divided into three stanzas, each with a different tone and mood. The first stanza is dreamlike and mystical, with the speaker exploring the wonders of the dream world. The second stanza is darker and more ominous, with the speaker encountering the shadowy halls of death. The third stanza is more reflective and philosophical, with the speaker contemplating his own mortality and the inevitability of death.
In conclusion, "I Fellowed Sleep" is a haunting and evocative poem that explores the themes of mortality and the dream world. The poem's language is rich and lyrical, with many striking images and metaphors. The central symbol of Sleep is both a comfort and a threat, a friend and an enemy. The poem suggests that death is not something to be feared, but rather something to be accepted as a natural part of life. The poem's structure is also significant, with each stanza having a different tone and mood. "I Fellowed Sleep" is a classic poem that continues to resonate with readers today.
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