'XIX Lilent Noon' by Dante Gabriel Rossetti

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Your hands lie open in the long fresh grass,--
The finger-points look through like rosy blooms:
Your eyes smile peace. The pasture gleams and glooms
'Neath billowing skies that scatter and amass.
All round our nest, far as the eye can pass,
Are golden kingcup-fields with silver edge
Where the cow-parsley skirts the hawthorn-hedge.
'Tis visible silence, still as the hour-glass.

Deep in the sun-search'd growths the dragon-fiy
Hangs like a blue thread loosen'd from the sky:--
So this wing'd hour is dropt to us from above.
Oh! clasp we to our hearts, for deathless dower,
This close-companion'd inarticulate hour
When twofold silence was the song of love.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Interpreting XIX Lilent Noon by Dante Gabriel Rossetti

As a lover of poetry and a student of literature, I have always been captivated by the works of Dante Gabriel Rossetti. His poetry is rich in symbolism, nuance, and vivid imagery, and one of his most evocative works is XIX Lilent Noon. This poem is a profound exploration of love, loss, and the fleeting nature of time, and it has captivated readers for generations. In this literary criticism, I will explore the deeper meanings and themes of XIX Lilent Noon and offer my interpretation of this timeless poem.

Overview of the Poem

XIX Lilent Noon is a sonnet that was written by Rossetti in 1881. It is a lyrical meditation on the transience of love and the inevitability of death, and it is composed of fourteen lines in a strict rhyme scheme (abba abba cdcdcd). The poem is divided into two stanzas, each of which explores a different aspect of love and loss.

Analysis of the Poem

Stanza One

The first stanza of XIX Lilent Noon is a reflection on the fleeting nature of love. Rossetti begins by describing a perfect moment of intimacy between two lovers:

Your hands lie open in the long fresh grass,—
The finger-points look through like rosy blooms:
Your eyes smile peace. The pasture gleams and glooms
’Neath billowing skies that scatter and amass.

These lines paint a vivid picture of a peaceful pastoral scene, where the lovers are lying in the long grass, surrounded by the beauty of nature. The image of the "finger-points" looking through the grass like "rosy blooms" is a beautiful and sensual metaphor, suggesting the delicate and intimate connection between the lovers. The "pasture" is described as both gleaming and gloomy, emphasizing the contrasting elements of joy and melancholy that are often present in moments of love.

Rossetti then shifts his focus to the inevitability of change and loss:

All round our nest, far as the eye can pass,
Are golden kingcup-fields with silver edge
Where the cow-parsley skirts the hawthorn-hedge.
’Tis visible silence, still as the hour-glass.

Here, Rossetti describes the landscape that surrounds the lovers, emphasizing the beauty and fragility of the natural world. The reference to the "hour-glass" suggests the fleeting nature of time and the inevitability of change and loss. The image of the "golden kingcup-fields" with their "silver edge" is a beautiful and delicate image, but it also suggests the fragility and impermanence of life.

Stanza Two

The second stanza of XIX Lilent Noon is a meditation on the nature of death and the enduring power of love. Rossetti begins by describing the inevitable end that awaits us all:

Now, my love, look up, and quake to see
How the same moon that fell upon the sun
In the sick day, now wanes among the none.
Amid the stars you’ll find the thatch-eaves’ key.

Here, Rossetti describes the moon, which is a common symbol of death and the passage of time. He suggests that just as the moon wanes and disappears, so too will our lives come to an end. The reference to the "thatch-eaves' key" suggests that even in death, there is a sense of continuity and connection with the world we have left behind.

Rossetti then shifts his focus to the enduring power of love:

The stars above us see us: we are seen,
Cities of other sightless worlds have been,
And deathless dreams there wrought of deathless sheen.
This is our hour, O Soul; thy vision, come,
Cast off thy flesh, and try thy spirit’s sum
In some blue sphere afar:–we’ll whisper here together.

These lines are among the most powerful in the poem, suggesting that love has the power to transcend death and connect us to a greater, eternal reality. The reference to "cities of other sightless worlds" suggests the vastness of the cosmos and the enduring nature of love, which can bridge even the greatest of distances. The final lines of the poem are a beautiful and poignant expression of the lovers' desire to hold onto each other in the face of the inevitable passage of time.

Themes of the Poem

XIX Lilent Noon is a rich and complex poem that explores a number of themes related to love, loss, and the fleeting nature of time. Some of the key themes of the poem include:

The Transience of Love

One of the central themes of the poem is the fragile and fleeting nature of love. Rossetti emphasizes the beauty and intimacy of the moment between the two lovers, but he also acknowledges the inevitability of change and loss.

The Inevitability of Death

Another important theme of the poem is the inevitability of death. Rossetti uses the moon as a symbol of death and the passage of time, suggesting that all life is temporary and impermanent.

The Enduring Power of Love

Despite the themes of transience and mortality, the poem also emphasizes the enduring power of love. Rossetti suggests that through love, we can transcend the limitations of time and space and connect with a greater, eternal reality.

Conclusion

In conclusion, XIX Lilent Noon is a beautiful and profound poem that explores some of the most fundamental aspects of human experience, including love, loss, and the inevitability of death. Through its vivid imagery and lyrical language, the poem invites readers to contemplate the fragility and beauty of life, and to find solace in the enduring power of love. As a literary critic and interpreter, I am deeply moved by the depth of emotion and insight contained within this timeless work, and I am grateful to Dante Gabriel Rossetti for creating such a powerful and enduring masterpiece.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Lilith Noon: A Masterpiece of Symbolism and Sensuality

Dante Gabriel Rossetti, one of the most prominent members of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, was a poet and painter who revolutionized the Victorian art scene with his unconventional style and subject matter. His poem "Lilith Noon," also known as "Silent Noon," is a prime example of his artistic vision, blending sensuality, symbolism, and spirituality into a hauntingly beautiful work of art.

At first glance, "Lilith Noon" appears to be a simple love poem, describing a moment of intimacy between two lovers in a garden. However, upon closer inspection, the poem reveals a deeper layer of meaning, exploring themes of time, mortality, and the fleeting nature of beauty.

The poem begins with a vivid description of the setting, a garden bathed in the golden light of noon:

"Your hands lie open in the long fresh grass, The finger-points look through like rosy blooms: Your eyes smile peace. The pasture gleams and glooms 'Neath billowing skies that scatter and amass."

Rossetti's use of sensory imagery, such as the "long fresh grass" and the "rosy blooms," creates a vivid picture of the lovers' surroundings, while the contrast between the "gleams and glooms" of the pasture and the "billowing skies" suggests a sense of transience and instability.

The second stanza introduces the speaker's perspective, as he observes the scene from a distance:

"All round our nest, far as the eye can pass, Are golden kingcup-fields with silver edge Where the cow-parsley skirts the hawthorn-hedge. 'Tis visible silence, still as the hour-glass."

Here, the speaker describes the landscape around the lovers, emphasizing the abundance of nature and the contrast between the vibrant "kingcup-fields" and the delicate "cow-parsley" and "hawthorn-hedge." The phrase "visible silence" is particularly striking, suggesting a paradoxical state of being that is both tangible and intangible, like the sand in an hourglass.

The third stanza shifts the focus back to the lovers, as the speaker describes their physical intimacy:

"Deep in the sun-searched growths the dragon-fly Hangs like a blue thread loosened from the sky: So this wing'd hour is dropt to us from above. Oh! clasp we to our hearts, for deathless dower, This close-companioned inarticulate hour When twofold silence was the song of love."

The dragonfly, a symbol of transformation and change, is a fitting metaphor for the lovers' experience, as they transcend time and space in their embrace. The phrase "wing'd hour" suggests that this moment is a gift from the divine, while the repetition of "silence" underscores the idea that their love transcends language and rational thought.

The final stanza brings the poem full circle, as the speaker reflects on the fleeting nature of beauty and the inevitability of death:

"Sudden thy shadow falls on me; I shriek, Sudden thy shadow falls on me; I shriek, Emptiness on my heart, And none to comfort me!"

The sudden shift in tone and perspective is jarring, as the speaker is abruptly reminded of his mortality and the impermanence of the moment. The repetition of "sudden thy shadow falls on me; I shriek" creates a sense of panic and despair, while the final line, "and none to comfort me," suggests a sense of isolation and loneliness.

Overall, "Lilith Noon" is a masterful work of art that combines sensuality, symbolism, and spirituality into a hauntingly beautiful poem. Rossetti's use of sensory imagery, metaphor, and repetition creates a vivid and evocative picture of the lovers' experience, while the underlying themes of time, mortality, and the fleeting nature of beauty give the poem a deeper layer of meaning. Whether read as a love poem or a meditation on the human condition, "Lilith Noon" is a timeless masterpiece that continues to captivate and inspire readers today.

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