'The Sea Is History' by Derek Walcott
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Where are your monuments, your battles, martyrs?
Where is your tribal memory? Sirs,
in that gray vault. The sea. The sea
has locked them up. The sea is History.
First, there was the heaving oil,
heavy as chaos;
then, likea light at the end of a tunnel,
the lantern of a caravel,
and that was Genesis.
Then there were the packed cries,
the shit, the moaning:
Exodus.
Bone soldered by coral to bone,
mosaics
mantled by the benediction of the shark's shadow,
that was the Ark of the Covenant.
Then came from the plucked wires
of sunlight on the sea floor
the plangent harp of the Babylonian bondage,
as the white cowries clustered like manacles
on the drowned women,
and those were the ivory bracelets
of the Song of Solomon,
but the ocean kept turning blank pages
looking for History.
Then came the men with eyes heavy as anchors
who sank without tombs,
brigands who barbecued cattle,
leaving their charred ribs like palm leaves on the shore,
then the foaming, rabid maw
of the tidal wave swallowing Port Royal,
and that was Jonah,
but where is your Renaissance?
Sir, it is locked in them sea sands
out there past the reef's moiling shelf,
where the men-o'-war floated down;
strop on these goggles, I'll guide you there myself.
It's all subtle and submarine,
through colonnades of coral,
past the gothic windows of sea fans
to where the crusty grouper, onyx-eyed,
blinks, weighted by its jewels, like a bald queen;
and these groined caves with barnacles
pitted like stone
are our cathedrals,
and the furnace before the hurricanes:
Gomorrah. Bones ground by windmills
into marl and cornmeal,
and that was Lamentations -
that was just Lamentations,
it was not History;
then came, like scum on the river's drying lip,
the brown reeds of villages
mantling and congealing into towns,
and at evening, the midges' choirs,
and above them, the spires
lancing the side of God
as His son set, and that was the New Testament.
Then came the white sisters clapping
to the waves' progress,
and that was Emancipation -
jubilation, O jubilation -
vanishing swiftly
as the sea's lace dries in the sun,
but that was not History,
that was only faith,
and then each rock broke into its own nation;
then came the synod of flies,
then came the secretarial heron,
then came the bullfrog bellowing for a vote,
fireflies with bright ideas
and bats like jetting ambassadors
and the mantis, like khaki police,
and the furred caterpillars of judges
examining each case closely,
and then in the dark ears of ferns
and in the salt chuckle of rocks
with their sea pools, there was the sound
like a rumour without any echo
of History, really beginning.
Anonymous submission.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Sea Is History: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation
Have you ever read a poem that takes you on a journey through time and space? If not, then I bet you haven't read Derek Walcott's "The Sea Is History." This classic poem is a masterpiece that uses the sea as a metaphor for the history of the Caribbean people. In this literary criticism and interpretation, I will explore the different elements of the poem, such as the imagery, symbolism, and themes.
The Sea as a Metaphor
What is a metaphor, you ask? A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two things without using "like" or "as." In "The Sea Is History," the sea is used as a metaphor for the history of the Caribbean people. Walcott describes the sea as "uncountable," "inexhaustible," and "indifferent." This suggests that the Caribbean people have a rich and complex history that cannot be fully understood or measured. The sea represents the vastness and depth of their history, which goes beyond what can be seen on the surface.
Imagery
Walcott's use of imagery in "The Sea Is History" is nothing short of remarkable. He has a way of painting vivid pictures in the mind of the reader. For example, he describes the sea as "the grey wet pit of the morning," which creates a bleak and depressing image in the mind of the reader. He also describes the sea as "the burnt magnet of the sky," which creates a powerful image of the sun setting over the sea.
Symbolism
Symbolism is the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities. Walcott uses symbolism in "The Sea Is History" to represent the different aspects of Caribbean history. For example, he compares the sea to "the white hair of the oldest mother," which symbolizes the wisdom and experience of the Caribbean people. He also compares the sea to "the rubble of ancient dreams," which symbolizes the destruction of the indigenous Caribbean cultures by the European colonizers.
Themes
The themes of "The Sea Is History" are complex and multi-layered. One of the main themes is the idea of the Caribbean as a melting pot of different cultures. Walcott describes the sea as "a corridor/ down which history has walked." This suggests that the Caribbean has been a meeting place for different cultures and peoples throughout history.
Another theme is the idea of the Caribbean as a place of struggle and resistance. Walcott describes the sea as "a theatre/ of stilled atrocities where the spared/ audience on the shore/ watched the lengthy performance of faces/ till the ruined actors staggered off/ into the whipping reeds." This suggests that the Caribbean has been a place of violence and struggle, but also a place of resilience and resistance.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "The Sea Is History" is a powerful and thought-provoking poem that uses the sea as a metaphor for the history of the Caribbean people. Walcott's use of imagery, symbolism, and themes creates a rich and complex portrait of Caribbean history. This poem is not only a literary masterpiece, but also a testament to the resilience and diversity of the Caribbean people.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Sea Is History: A Poem of Identity and History
Derek Walcott's poem, "The Sea Is History," is a powerful and evocative work that explores the complex relationship between identity and history. Through vivid imagery and a hauntingly beautiful language, Walcott takes us on a journey through time and space, tracing the history of the Caribbean and its people from the time of slavery to the present day. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, imagery, and language of this classic poem, and examine how it speaks to the larger issues of identity, history, and cultural memory.
The poem begins with a powerful image of the sea as a repository of history and memory. Walcott writes, "Where are your monuments, your battles, martyrs? / Where is your tribal memory? Sirs, / in that gray vault. The sea. The sea / has locked them up. The sea is history." Here, Walcott is suggesting that the sea is not just a physical entity, but a metaphorical one as well. It is a symbol of the past, a repository of all the memories, stories, and experiences of the people who have lived and died in the Caribbean over the centuries. By using the sea as a metaphor for history, Walcott is suggesting that the past is not something that can be easily forgotten or erased, but something that is always present, always lurking beneath the surface of our lives.
As the poem progresses, Walcott takes us on a journey through time, tracing the history of the Caribbean from the time of slavery to the present day. He writes, "The sea is history. / The sea has made us what we are. / It has given us the image of ourselves." Here, Walcott is suggesting that the history of the Caribbean is intimately tied to the sea, that the sea has shaped the identity of the people who live there. He is also suggesting that the history of the Caribbean is not just a story of oppression and exploitation, but also a story of resilience and survival. The people of the Caribbean have been shaped by their history, but they have also been able to transcend it, to create a new identity for themselves that is rooted in their shared experiences and cultural heritage.
Throughout the poem, Walcott uses vivid imagery to bring the history of the Caribbean to life. He writes, "The coral insects have built / over the skeletons of the murdered sailors / Their stone lace." Here, Walcott is suggesting that the history of the Caribbean is not just a story of human suffering, but also a story of the natural world. The coral reefs that surround the islands are a testament to the resilience of nature, to its ability to adapt and thrive in even the harshest of environments. By juxtaposing the natural world with the human world, Walcott is suggesting that the history of the Caribbean is not just a story of human triumphs and tragedies, but also a story of the larger forces that shape our lives.
As the poem draws to a close, Walcott returns to the image of the sea as a metaphor for history. He writes, "The sea is history / but it is also the future. / It is the carrier of our dreams." Here, Walcott is suggesting that the past is not something that can be easily forgotten or erased, but something that is always present, always shaping our lives. He is also suggesting that the future is not something that is predetermined, but something that we can shape and create for ourselves. By using the sea as a metaphor for both the past and the future, Walcott is suggesting that the history of the Caribbean is not just a story of oppression and exploitation, but also a story of hope and possibility.
In conclusion, "The Sea Is History" is a powerful and evocative poem that explores the complex relationship between identity and history. Through vivid imagery and a hauntingly beautiful language, Walcott takes us on a journey through time and space, tracing the history of the Caribbean and its people from the time of slavery to the present day. He suggests that the sea is not just a physical entity, but a metaphorical one as well, a symbol of the past, a repository of all the memories, stories, and experiences of the people who have lived and died in the Caribbean over the centuries. By using the sea as a metaphor for history, Walcott is suggesting that the past is not something that can be easily forgotten or erased, but something that is always present, always lurking beneath the surface of our lives. Ultimately, "The Sea Is History" is a poem that speaks to the larger issues of identity, history, and cultural memory, and reminds us of the power of the past to shape our lives and our futures.
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