'Athanasia' by Oscar Wilde
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To that gaunt House of Art which lacks for naught
Of all the great things men have saved from Time,
The withered body of a girl was brought
Dead ere the world's glad youth had touched its prime,
And seen by lonely Arabs lying hid
In the dim womb of some black pyramid.
But when they had unloosed the linen band
Which swathed the Egyptian's body,--lo! was found
Closed in the wasted hollow of her hand
A little seed, which sown in English ground
Did wondrous snow of starry blossoms bear,
And spread rich odours through our springtide air.
With such strange arts this flower did allure
That all forgotten was the asphodel,
And the brown bee, the lily's paramour,
Forsook the cup where he was wont to dwell,
For not a thing of earth it seemed to be,
But stolen from some heavenly Arcady.
In vain the sad narcissus, wan and white
At its own beauty, hung across the stream,
The purple dragon-fly had no delight
With its gold dust to make his wings a-gleam,
Ah! no delight the jasmine-bloom to kiss,
Or brush the rain-pearls from the eucharis.
For love of it the passionate nightingale
Forgot the hills of Thrace, the cruel king,
And the pale dove no longer cared to sail
Through the wet woods at time of blossoming,
But round this flower of Egypt sought to float,
With silvered wing and amethystine throat.
While the hot sun blazed in his tower of blue
A cooling wind crept from the land of snows,
And the warm south with tender tears of dew
Drenched its white leaves when Hesperos uprose
Amid those sea-green meadows of the sky
On which the scarlet bars of sunset lie.
But when o'er wastes of lily-haunted field
The tired birds had stayed their amorous tune,
And broad and glittering like an argent shield
High in the sapphire heavens hung the moon,
Did no strange dream or evil memory make
Each tremulous petal of its blossoms shake?
Ah no! to this bright flower a thousand years
Seemed but the lingering of a summer's day,
It never knew the tide of cankering fears
Which turn a boy's gold hair to withered grey,
The dread desire of death it never knew,
Or how all folk that they were born must rue.
For we to death with pipe and dancing go,
Nor would we pass the ivory gate again,
As some sad river wearied of its flow
Through the dull plains, the haunts of common men,
Leaps lover-like into the terrible sea!
And counts it gain to die so gloriously.
We mar our lordly strength in barren strife
With the world's legions led by clamorous care,
It never feels decay but gathers life
From the pure sunlight and the supreme air,
We live beneath Time's wasting sovereignty,
It is the child of all eternity.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Athanasia: A Deep Dive into Oscar Wilde's Poetic Genius
Oscar Wilde is one of the most celebrated literary figures of all time, and one of the most fascinating things about him is how he managed to create works that were both beautiful and subversive. His poetry is a prime example of this, and one of his most captivating works is the sonnet Athanasia. In this 4000-word literary criticism and interpretation, we will explore the depths of Wilde's poetic genius and the themes and motifs that make Athanasia a timeless masterpiece.
The Structure and Form of Athanasia
Athanasia is a sonnet, a type of poem that consists of 14 lines with a strict rhyme scheme and meter. The rhyme scheme of Athanasia is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, which means that the first and third lines of each quatrain (four-line stanza) rhyme, as do the second and fourth lines. The final couplet is a rhyming couplet, which means that the last two lines rhyme with each other.
The poem has a regular iambic pentameter, which means that each line is made up of five feet (units of stressed and unstressed syllables) and that the stress falls on the second syllable of each foot. This gives the poem a rhythmic and musical quality that is typical of sonnets, but Wilde also plays with the meter in some lines, using enjambment (the continuation of a sentence or phrase across a line break) to create a sense of momentum and fluidity.
The sonnet form is often associated with love poetry, and Wilde's use of it in Athanasia suggests that he is exploring themes of love and longing. However, the poem is not a conventional love poem, and its subject matter is more philosophical and abstract than personal and emotional.
The Themes and Motifs of Athanasia
The title of the poem, Athanasia, means immortality or eternal life, and this is one of the main themes of the poem. Wilde reflects on the idea of death and what it means to live forever, using imagery and metaphor to explore the concepts of time, beauty, and decay.
The opening lines of the poem set the tone and establish the central metaphor:
To that gaunt House of Art which lacks for naught Of all the great things men have saved from Time, The withered body of a girl was brought Dead ere the world's glad youth had touched its prime.
Here, Wilde describes a dead girl whose body is brought to a house of art, which is a metaphor for the world of culture and creativity that human beings have built over time. The girl's body represents the fleeting nature of youth and beauty, which are transient and subject to decay. The house of art, on the other hand, stands for the enduring works of human culture, which can survive the passage of time.
Wilde goes on to describe the girl's body in vivid and haunting imagery, using a series of metaphors to convey the sense of loss and sorrow:
The roses which had wreathed her lovely head And all the flowers wherewith her hands had played Had been borne with her on her last dim bed, The night before; for like a flower she died.
The roses and flowers symbolize the beauty and vitality of youth, which are now gone forever. The girl's death is compared to that of a flower, which withers and dies after a brief period of blooming. This motif of flowers and plants recurs throughout the poem, underscoring the theme of mortality and the fleeting nature of life.
The central metaphor of the poem is developed further in the second quatrain, where Wilde reflects on the beauty of art and the power of creativity to transcend death:
And sitting down beside the silent dead, Whose friends had left her in her new strange bed, And sitting down before her with a sigh, I said: "Poor girl, so young to have to die!"
Here, the speaker (who is not identified, but can be assumed to be Wilde himself) sits beside the dead girl and contemplates her fate. The girl's youth is compared to the freshness and beauty of a flower that has been cut down before its time. The speaker expresses sympathy and sadness for the girl, but he also acknowledges the power of art to preserve her memory and her beauty:
"Poor girl," I said again, "And was she fair As poets tell,—and who shall now gainsay? But beauty vanishes, and youth must fade, And nothing left to die or to decay.
The speaker acknowledges the transience of beauty and youth, but he also suggests that these qualities can be immortalized through art. The girl may be dead, but her beauty can live on through the poems and songs that are written about her. This is a recurring theme in Wilde's poetry, which celebrates the power of art to transcend time and to capture the essence of human experience.
The final couplet of the poem returns to the theme of immortality, but in a more ambiguous and uncertain way:
"She seemed," I said, "a thing that could not die, And now she is dead. Above the young and gay Thou, in thy beauty, Death, hast triumphed then." And I, who sat beside thee, said it,—I.
Here, the speaker suggests that the dead girl possessed a quality of immortality that transcended her physical existence. However, he also acknowledges that death has triumphed over her youth and beauty, and that even the most beautiful and vibrant things in life are subject to decay and mortality. The ambiguity of the final couplet is deliberate, and it reflects Wilde's fascination with the paradoxical nature of life and death.
The Significance of Athanasia
Athanasia is a deeply philosophical poem that explores themes of mortality, beauty, and the power of art to transcend time. Wilde uses vivid imagery and metaphor to create a sense of poignancy and loss, but he also suggests that even in the face of death, there is a possibility of immortality through art and creativity.
The poem's central metaphor of the dead girl's body as a symbol of the fleeting nature of youth and beauty is a powerful and haunting image that recurs throughout Wilde's poetry. It is a reminder that even the most beautiful and vibrant things in life are subject to decay and mortality, and that we must cherish them while they last.
At the same time, Wilde celebrates the power of art to preserve the memory of these fleeting things and to capture the essence of human experience. He suggests that through art, we can achieve a kind of immortality that transcends the limitations of physical existence.
In conclusion, Athanasia is a masterful example of Oscar Wilde's poetic genius, and a testament to his ability to explore complex philosophical themes through vivid imagery and metaphor. It is a poem that resonates with readers of all ages and backgrounds, and a reminder that even in the face of death, there is a possibility of beauty and immortality.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry Athanasia: An Immortal Ode to the Power of Poetry
Oscar Wilde, the legendary Irish poet, playwright, and novelist, is known for his witty and satirical works that challenged the social norms of his time. However, one of his lesser-known works, Poetry Athanasia, is a profound and moving ode to the power of poetry and its ability to transcend time and mortality.
The title of the poem, Athanasia, is derived from the Greek word for immortality, and it sets the tone for the theme of the poem. Wilde begins by describing the fleeting nature of life and how everything in the world is subject to decay and death. He writes, "All things pass, and all things perish, / Time alone doth not decay." This opening stanza sets the stage for the central message of the poem, which is that poetry is the only thing that can transcend time and death.
Wilde goes on to describe how poetry is a form of immortality, as it allows the poet to live on through their words long after they have passed away. He writes, "Poets are the hierophants / Of an unapprehended inspiration; / The mirrors of the gigantic shadows / Which futurity casts upon the present." Here, Wilde is saying that poets are the keepers of a divine inspiration that is beyond our understanding, and that their words reflect the shadows of the future that are cast upon the present.
The poem then takes a turn, as Wilde describes how poetry is not just a form of immortality for the poet, but also for the reader. He writes, "The poet is a winged and holy thing, / The truest teacher and the best of kings; / He is a voice and a mysterious light / Unto the gentle hearts that see by night." Here, Wilde is saying that the poet is not just a creator of immortal words, but also a guide and a light for those who seek to understand the mysteries of life.
Wilde then goes on to describe how poetry can bring comfort and solace to those who are suffering. He writes, "He is the golden messenger / That giveth peace unto the souls of men; / The comforter in sorrow and distress, / The healer of the wounds that will not mend." Here, Wilde is saying that poetry has the power to heal the wounds of the soul that cannot be healed by any other means.
The poem then takes a darker turn, as Wilde describes how poetry can also be a weapon against tyranny and oppression. He writes, "He is the sword, the sceptre, and the crown / Of nations, and the shield wherein they find / A faithful friend to guard them from disgrace, / And shame, and all the little ills of life." Here, Wilde is saying that poetry can be a powerful tool for social change, as it can inspire people to rise up against injustice and fight for their rights.
The final stanza of the poem is perhaps the most powerful, as Wilde describes how poetry is the only thing that can truly conquer death. He writes, "And when oblivion is o'erthrown, / And death no longer reigns supreme, / The poet's voice shall ring throughout the ages, / A deathless song of love and dream." Here, Wilde is saying that even when death is no longer a threat, poetry will still endure, as it is the only thing that can truly conquer the passage of time.
In conclusion, Poetry Athanasia is a profound and moving ode to the power of poetry and its ability to transcend time and mortality. Wilde's words are a testament to the enduring nature of poetry, and how it can bring comfort, solace, and inspiration to those who seek it. This poem is a reminder that even in a world that is subject to decay and death, there are still things that can endure, and that poetry is one of those things.
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