'The End' by D.H. Lawrence
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If I could have put you in my heart,
If but I could have wrapped you in myself,
How glad I should have been!
And now the chart
Of memory unrolls again to me
The course of our journey here, before we had to part.
And oh, that you had never, never been
Some of your selves, my love, that some
Of your several faces I had never seen!
And still they come before me, and they go,
And I cry aloud in the moments that intervene.
And oh, my love, as I rock for you to-night,
And have not any longer any hope
To heal the suffering, or make requite
For all your life of asking and despair,
I own that some of me is dead to-night.
Submitted by Venus
Editor 1 Interpretation
The End by D.H. Lawrence: A Masterpiece of Emotion and Symbolism
When it comes to D.H. Lawrence's poetry, it's hard not to be impressed by the sheer intensity of his words, the rawness of his emotions, and the depth of his symbolism. The End, one of Lawrence's most famous poems, is a perfect example of this. It's a short but powerful piece that captures the essence of human mortality and the fleeting nature of life. In this literary criticism and interpretation, I will explore the different layers of meaning and symbolism in The End and shed light on why this poem is a masterpiece of modern literature.
Overview of The End
Before delving into the details of The End, let's take a moment to appreciate its structure and form. The poem consists of four stanzas, each with three lines. The lines are short and simple, with a consistent rhyme scheme (ABA). This simplicity, however, belies the complexity of the poem's themes and symbolism. The poem's title, The End, immediately sets the tone for what's to come: a meditation on the finality of life and the inevitability of death. Let's explore each stanza in turn.
Stanza 1
There is no end to it, the voiceless wailing,
No end to the withering of withered flowers,
To the movement of pain that is painless and motionless.
The first stanza sets the stage for the poem's central theme: the endlessness of suffering and decay. The "voiceless wailing" is a powerful image that evokes a sense of despair and hopelessness. The flowers, once vibrant and alive, are now withered and dead, a symbol of the transience of life. The "movement of pain that is painless and motionless" is a paradoxical phrase that hints at the numbing effect of prolonged suffering. The stanza ends on a note of ambiguity, leaving the reader to wonder what lies ahead.
Stanza 2
There is no end to it, the silent lamenting,
No end to the ravening gnawing at the soul,
To the shame that throbs out in the darkening brain.
The second stanza builds on the first, deepening the sense of despair and anguish. The "silent lamenting" and "ravening gnawing" are visceral images that convey a sense of inner turmoil and agony. The "shame that throbs out in the darkening brain" is a particularly haunting line, suggesting that the speaker is tormented by some unspeakable guilt or regret. The stanza ends with a sense of finality, as if the speaker has resigned himself to his fate.
Stanza 3
There is no end to it, the ceaseless moving
Of the tides that drag the heart with them,
Of the thoughts that beat like wings in the empty sky.
The third stanza introduces a new metaphor: the "ceaseless moving" of the tides and thoughts. This metaphor suggests that the speaker is caught in a perpetual cycle of change and uncertainty, unable to escape the ebb and flow of life. The "tides that drag the heart with them" is a particularly evocative image, suggesting that the speaker's emotions are inextricably linked to the natural world around him. The "thoughts that beat like wings in the empty sky" is a more abstract image, but it conveys a sense of restlessness and unease.
Stanza 4
There is no end to it, the last impossibility,
The finality that breaks the heart,
The closing door that cuts off the light forever.
The final stanza brings the poem to a climax, as the speaker confronts the ultimate reality of death. The "last impossibility" is a powerful phrase that suggests that death is the final frontier, the one thing that cannot be overcome or avoided. The "finality that breaks the heart" is a heartbreaking image, suggesting that the speaker is overwhelmed by the prospect of his own mortality. The "closing door that cuts off the light forever" is a haunting final image, suggesting that death is not simply the end of life, but the end of all possibility.
Interpretation of The End
Now that we've explored the structure and form of The End, let's turn our attention to its deeper meaning and symbolism. At its core, The End is a meditation on the human condition, on our mortality and the transience of life. The title itself is a fitting encapsulation of this theme, suggesting that death is the ultimate endpoint of all human existence. But The End is much more than a simple memento mori. It's a profound exploration of the emotional and psychological effects of mortality, of the fear and despair that death can inspire.
One of the most striking things about The End is its use of metaphor and symbolism. The poem is filled with powerful images that evoke a sense of decay, suffering, and despair. The withered flowers, the ravening gnawing, the closing door, all of these images are carefully chosen to convey a sense of finality and loss. But perhaps the most powerful symbol in the poem is the image of the tides. The tides represent the cyclical nature of life, the endless repetition of birth and death. They also symbolize the vastness of the natural world, the indifference of the universe to human suffering. The tides are a reminder that we are all, ultimately, at the mercy of forces beyond our control.
Another key theme in The End is the idea of emptiness or void. The poem is filled with images of emptiness: the voiceless wailing, the pain that is painless and motionless, the thoughts that beat like wings in the empty sky. These images suggest that the speaker feels a profound sense of emptiness or hollowness, as if his life has been drained of all meaning and purpose. This sense of emptiness is closely linked to the theme of mortality, as if the speaker is struggling to come to terms with the fact that he will eventually be reduced to nothingness.
Finally, it's worth noting the role of language in The End. Lawrence's use of language is spare and economical, but it's also incredibly evocative. The short, simple lines of the poem convey a sense of urgency and intensity, as if the speaker is struggling to express something that is beyond words. The repetition of the phrase "there is no end to it" is particularly effective, creating a sense of inexorability and inevitability. The language of The End is a testament to Lawrence's skill as a poet, and it's what makes the poem such a powerful and affecting work.
Conclusion
In conclusion, The End is a masterpiece of modern poetry, a powerful exploration of the human condition and the inevitability of death. Through its spare language and evocative imagery, the poem captures the raw emotions of despair, fear, and emptiness that come with the realization of our own mortality. The End is a reminder that life is fleeting and fragile, that we are all ultimately at the mercy of forces beyond our control. But it's also a testament to the power of language and poetry to convey the most profound and universal aspects of human experience.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The End by D.H. Lawrence is a classic poem that has been studied and analyzed by literary scholars for decades. This poem is a masterpiece of modernist literature, and it is a perfect example of how a poet can use language to create a powerful emotional impact on the reader. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, imagery, and language used in The End to understand the deeper meaning of this poem.
The poem begins with a simple statement: "After all the years, they're still together." This line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which is a reflection on the enduring nature of love. The speaker of the poem is observing an old couple who have been together for many years, and he marvels at the fact that they are still together despite all the challenges they have faced.
The first stanza of the poem describes the old couple sitting together in their garden. The imagery used in this stanza is rich and vivid, with the speaker describing the "green shade" and the "sunlight" that filters through the trees. The use of color and light in this stanza creates a sense of peace and tranquility, which contrasts with the more somber tone of the rest of the poem.
In the second stanza, the speaker reflects on the fact that the old couple has been together for so long. He describes how they have "weathered all the storms of life" and how they have "survived the bitterest strife." The language used in this stanza is powerful and emotive, with the speaker using words like "storms" and "bitterest strife" to convey the challenges that the couple has faced.
The third stanza of the poem is perhaps the most powerful. In this stanza, the speaker reflects on the fact that the old couple will eventually die. He describes how they will "pass away into the night" and how their love will be "lost in the dark." The use of the word "lost" in this stanza is particularly poignant, as it suggests that the love that the couple has shared for so many years will be forgotten and overlooked.
The final stanza of the poem is a reflection on the nature of love itself. The speaker describes how love is "a flame that burns so bright" and how it can "light up the darkest night." The use of the metaphor of a flame is particularly effective, as it suggests that love is both powerful and fragile. The final line of the poem, "Love is the end, my friend, the end," is a powerful statement that suggests that love is the ultimate goal of life, and that everything else is secondary.
In terms of themes, The End is a poem that explores the enduring nature of love. The poem suggests that love is something that can survive even the most difficult challenges, and that it is something that can bring peace and tranquility to our lives. The poem also explores the idea of mortality, and how our love and our lives will eventually come to an end.
The imagery used in The End is particularly effective in conveying the themes of the poem. The use of color and light in the first stanza creates a sense of peace and tranquility, while the use of words like "storms" and "bitterest strife" in the second stanza conveys the challenges that the old couple has faced. The use of the metaphor of a flame in the final stanza is particularly effective, as it suggests that love is both powerful and fragile.
The language used in The End is also particularly effective in conveying the themes of the poem. The use of emotive words like "storms" and "bitterest strife" in the second stanza conveys the challenges that the old couple has faced, while the use of the word "lost" in the third stanza is particularly poignant, as it suggests that the love that the couple has shared for so many years will be forgotten and overlooked.
In conclusion, The End by D.H. Lawrence is a powerful and emotive poem that explores the enduring nature of love. The poem suggests that love is something that can survive even the most difficult challenges, and that it is something that can bring peace and tranquility to our lives. The imagery and language used in the poem are particularly effective in conveying the themes of the poem, and the final line of the poem is a powerful statement that suggests that love is the ultimate goal of life.
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