'In The Night' by Stevie Smith
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I longed for companionship rather,
But my companions I always wished farther.
And now in the desolate night
I think only of the people i should like to bite.
Editor 1 Interpretation
In The Night by Stevie Smith
Have you ever read a poem that left you with a sense of unease? A poem that made you question your understanding of reality and your place in the world? "In The Night" by Stevie Smith is one such poem. It is a haunting and puzzling work that defies easy interpretation. In this literary criticism and interpretation, I will delve into the themes and symbolism found in this classic poem.
The Poem
Before we begin, let's read the poem in full:
In the night The cry of the little cats Runs over the roofs And up to the stars, And the seven gold candlesticks And the three old wishes And the window locked with iron bars Are all in vain.
The little cats will not be still, They are full of fear, They are afraid of the wind, They are afraid of the stars, They are afraid of the shining streets, They are afraid of the dark rooms.
In the night The cry of the little cats Runs over the roofs And up to the stars.
The Themes
At its core, "In The Night" is a poem about fear and helplessness. The little cats in the poem are a metaphor for something vulnerable and defenseless, something that is at the mercy of larger forces. Throughout the poem, the cats are afraid of everything: the wind, the stars, the streets, and the dark rooms. They are constantly crying out, seeking comfort and safety, but to no avail.
The poem can be read as a commentary on the human condition. Like the little cats, humans are often afraid of the unknown and the unpredictable. We seek safety and security, but sometimes those things are elusive. The seven gold candlesticks and the three old wishes mentioned in the poem represent our attempts to find solace and meaning in life, but they are ultimately futile. The window locked with iron bars represents the barriers we put up to protect ourselves, but even those cannot keep out the fear and uncertainty that lurks outside.
The Symbolism
The imagery in "In The Night" is rich with symbolism. The little cats, as mentioned before, represent vulnerability and fear. They are also a reference to the superstition that cats are nocturnal creatures who bring bad luck. The fact that they are "little" emphasizes their powerlessness and fragility.
The wind, stars, and shining streets all represent the outside world, which is unpredictable and scary. The dark rooms represent the unknown and the things we cannot see or understand. The seven gold candlesticks and the three old wishes are symbols of our attempts to find meaning and comfort in life. The fact that they are unable to provide any help to the cats highlights the futility of our attempts to control the world around us.
Finally, the fact that the cats' cries "run over the roofs and up to the stars" suggests that their fear and helplessness is universal. It transcends space and time, affecting all creatures, no matter how big or small.
The Style
Stevie Smith's style in "In The Night" is deceptively simple. The short lines and straightforward language give the impression of a child's nursery rhyme, but upon closer inspection, the poem is much more complex. The repetition of "in the night" at the beginning and end of the poem creates a sense of cyclical, unending fear. The use of enjambment, where one line runs into the next without punctuation, creates a sense of urgency and unease.
Smith also uses sound devices to great effect. The alliteration of "little cats" and the repetition of the "f" sound in "full of fear" create a sense of tension and discomfort. The use of rhyme is minimal, but when it does occur (such as in "stars" and "bars"), it adds to the poem's musicality and sense of completeness.
The Interpretation
So what does "In The Night" mean? As with all great works of art, there is no one definitive answer. However, I believe that the poem is a commentary on the human condition and our attempts to find meaning and comfort in a world that is often unpredictable and scary.
The little cats represent our vulnerability and fear, while the wind, stars, and shining streets represent the outside world, which is often beyond our control. The seven gold candlesticks and the three old wishes represent our attempts to find comfort and meaning, but they are ultimately futile. The window locked with iron bars represents the barriers we put up to protect ourselves, but they can never keep out the fear and uncertainty that lurks outside.
Ultimately, "In The Night" is a poem about the universality of fear and helplessness. It is a reminder that no matter how big or small we are, we are all vulnerable to the unpredictability of life. However, the poem is not without hope. The fact that the cats' cries "run over the roofs and up to the stars" suggests that their fear and helplessness is universal. We are not alone in our struggles, and there is comfort to be found in that knowledge.
Conclusion
"In The Night" is a haunting and powerful poem that defies easy interpretation. Through its rich symbolism and deceptively simple style, Stevie Smith explores the themes of fear and helplessness, and the futility of our attempts to find comfort and meaning in life. However, the poem is not without hope, and its message of universality and shared experience is a comforting reminder that we are not alone in our struggles.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
In The Night: A Poem of Loneliness and Despair
Stevie Smith's poem "In The Night" is a haunting and powerful exploration of the human experience of loneliness and despair. Through vivid imagery and a starkly honest tone, Smith captures the raw emotions of a person struggling to find meaning and connection in a world that seems indifferent to their pain.
The poem begins with a description of the night, which is portrayed as a dark and foreboding presence that envelops the speaker in its embrace. The use of personification here is particularly effective, as it creates a sense of the night as a living entity that is actively seeking to consume the speaker. The line "The night is darkening round me" is especially powerful, as it suggests a sense of impending doom that is closing in on the speaker.
As the poem progresses, the speaker's sense of isolation and despair becomes more pronounced. The line "I am sick of four walls and a ceiling" is a particularly poignant expression of the speaker's sense of confinement and claustrophobia. The use of the word "sick" here suggests a deep sense of disgust and revulsion, as if the speaker is physically ill from the experience of being trapped in their own space.
The theme of isolation is further emphasized in the lines "I am sick of the world, its foolishness and its lies" and "I am sick of life, its futility and its pain". Here, the speaker expresses a sense of disillusionment with the world and with life itself. The use of the word "sick" again suggests a physical reaction to these feelings, as if the speaker is physically repulsed by the world around them.
Despite the bleakness of the speaker's situation, there is a sense of defiance and determination in their words. The line "I will not go mad, I will not go mad" is repeated twice, as if the speaker is trying to convince themselves of their own strength and resilience. This repetition also creates a sense of urgency and desperation, as if the speaker is clinging to their sanity by a thread.
The final lines of the poem are perhaps the most powerful, as they express a sense of hopelessness and resignation that is both heartbreaking and deeply relatable. The line "I am alone, alone, alone" is repeated three times, as if the speaker is trying to come to terms with the reality of their situation. The use of the word "alone" here is particularly effective, as it conveys a sense of complete and utter isolation that is almost palpable.
The final line of the poem, "I am lost, lost, lost" is a devastating expression of the speaker's sense of despair and hopelessness. The repetition of the word "lost" creates a sense of finality and inevitability, as if the speaker has given up all hope of finding their way out of the darkness.
Overall, "In The Night" is a powerful and deeply affecting poem that captures the essence of the human experience of loneliness and despair. Through vivid imagery and a starkly honest tone, Stevie Smith creates a portrait of a person struggling to find meaning and connection in a world that seems indifferent to their pain. Despite the bleakness of the speaker's situation, there is a sense of defiance and determination in their words, as if they are fighting to hold on to their sanity and their sense of self. Ultimately, however, the poem ends on a note of hopelessness and resignation, as the speaker is consumed by the darkness of the night and lost in their own despair.
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