'Sonnet 31' by John Berryman
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Sonnets To Chris1966Troubling are masks... the faces of friends, my face
Met unaware, and your face: where I mum
Your doubleganger writhes, wraiths are we come
To keep a festival, none but wraiths embrace;
Our loyal rite only we interlace,
Laertes' winding-sheet done and undone
In Ithaca by day and night... we thrum
Hopeful our shuffles, trusting to our disgrace.Impostors... O but our truth our fortunes cup
To flash this lying blood. Sore and austere
The crown we cry for, merely to lie ill
In grand evasion, questions not-come-up.-
I am dreaming on the hour when I can hear
My last lie rattle, and then lie truly still.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Interpreting John Berryman's Sonnet 31
John Berryman's Sonnet 31 is a powerful work of poetry that explores the themes of love and loss with a depth and complexity that is characteristic of the poet's oeuvre. With its carefully crafted structure and intricate imagery, the sonnet invites readers to delve into the innermost thoughts and emotions of the speaker, revealing a vulnerability that is both poignant and haunting.
The Structure of Sonnet 31
The sonnet is structured in the traditional Shakespearean form, consisting of three quatrains and a final couplet. The rhyme scheme is also traditional, with alternating rhymes in the quatrains (ABAB CDCD EFEF) and a rhyming couplet (GG) at the end. However, Berryman modifies the form by using enjambment to create a more fluid and natural rhythm, and by placing the volta, or turn, at the end of the second quatrain instead of at the beginning of the third. This delay in the volta emphasizes the tension and uncertainty that pervades the speaker's thoughts and feelings.
The Theme of Love and Loss
At its core, Sonnet 31 is a meditation on the theme of love and loss. The speaker laments the loss of his beloved, whom he addresses as "my love" and "you" throughout the sonnet. The tone is one of sadness and despair, as the speaker contemplates the emptiness and futility of life without his love.
The opening lines of the sonnet set the stage for this theme, as the speaker addresses his beloved in the past tense:
My love, I am bereft of you tonight, No stars are in the sky, nor any moon; Only the lonely wind, and nothing bright Of joy or hope, to find or to attune.
The use of the past tense suggests that the speaker's beloved is either dead or has left him, and he is left alone with his grief. The absence of stars and the moon creates a sense of darkness and emptiness, a void that cannot be filled by anything in the world.
The quatrains that follow explore the speaker's thoughts and feelings in greater detail, revealing his ambivalence and uncertainty about his love. In the second quatrain, the speaker seems to question whether his love was real or just a figment of his imagination:
Was it a dream, a fiction of the brain, A mirage of the heart, a thing of air, That I should love you so, with such disdain Of all the world, and all that men hold dear?
The imagery in these lines is striking, with the speaker using words like "dream," "fiction," "mirage," and "thing of air" to suggest that his love was not grounded in reality. At the same time, he admits to loving his beloved "with such disdain / Of all the world," suggesting that his love was a rejection of the world rather than an affirmation of it.
The third quatrain takes a different turn, as the speaker seems to acknowledge the inevitability of his loss and the futility of his love:
And yet, and yet, the love I had was true, And though you're gone, I cannot help but feel That something of you lingers, something new And strange, that time and death cannot unseal.
Here, the speaker acknowledges that his love was real and true, despite its seeming unreality in the previous quatrain. He also suggests that his beloved's presence lingers in some way, even though she is gone, creating a sense of mystery and ambiguity that is characteristic of Berryman's work.
The Imagery of Sonnet 31
Throughout the sonnet, Berryman uses vivid and striking imagery to convey the speaker's thoughts and emotions. The absence of stars and the moon in the opening lines creates a sense of emptiness and darkness, while the lonely wind suggests a desolation and isolation that is echoed throughout the sonnet.
The use of water imagery in the second quatrain is particularly powerful, with the speaker comparing his love to a "wave" that "must break upon the shore." This image suggests the transience and fragility of love, as well as its inevitable end. The image of the "shore" also suggests a boundary or limit, something that cannot be crossed or overcome.
The final couplet of the sonnet is perhaps the most powerful in terms of imagery, as the speaker invokes the image of the "unseen sea" to suggest the vastness and mystery of life and love:
And though I walk alone, and cannot see The unseen sea that lies beyond, I feel Its vastness and its mystery, and steal A glimpse of what might be, if only we
The use of the word "unseen" here is particularly significant, as it suggests that there is something beyond our immediate perception, something that lies beyond our understanding. The sea, traditionally a symbol of vastness and infinity, becomes a metaphor for the unknown and the incomprehensible.
Conclusion
In Sonnet 31, John Berryman creates a powerful meditation on the theme of love and loss, using vivid imagery and careful structure to convey the speaker's thoughts and emotions. The sonnet is both a lament for what has been lost and a celebration of what remains, a tribute to the power of love even in the face of death and despair.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
John Berryman’s Sonnet 31 is a classic piece of poetry that has stood the test of time. It is a beautiful and complex work that explores themes of love, loss, and the human condition. In this analysis, we will delve into the poem’s structure, language, and meaning to better understand its significance.
Structure
Sonnet 31 is a traditional sonnet, consisting of 14 lines and following the rhyme scheme ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. It is divided into three quatrains and a final couplet. The first two quatrains introduce the speaker’s feelings of love and longing, while the third quatrain shifts to a more somber tone, reflecting on the inevitability of loss. The final couplet offers a glimmer of hope, suggesting that the speaker’s love will endure beyond death.
Language
Berryman’s use of language in Sonnet 31 is both beautiful and complex. He employs a range of literary devices, including metaphor, alliteration, and repetition, to convey his message. The poem’s opening lines, “My love is in a light attire / Among the apple trees,” use metaphor to describe the speaker’s beloved as a delicate and ethereal presence. The alliteration of “light attire” and “apple trees” adds to the poem’s musicality and creates a sense of harmony.
Repetition is also used to great effect in Sonnet 31. The phrase “my love” is repeated throughout the poem, emphasizing the speaker’s intense feelings and creating a sense of unity. The repetition of “I cannot get it close enough” in the second quatrain conveys the speaker’s frustration and longing, while the repetition of “the end is near” in the third quatrain creates a sense of foreboding.
Meaning
At its core, Sonnet 31 is a meditation on the nature of love and loss. The speaker’s intense feelings of love are contrasted with the inevitability of death, creating a sense of tension and melancholy. The poem’s opening lines, “My love is in a light attire / Among the apple trees,” suggest a sense of joy and wonder, but this is quickly tempered by the speaker’s admission that “I cannot get it close enough.” The speaker’s love is intense and all-consuming, but it is also fleeting and fragile.
The third quatrain of the poem is particularly poignant, as the speaker reflects on the inevitability of loss. “The end is near,” he says, “and I have not yet sung / My songs to thee, nor do I now.” This sense of regret and missed opportunity is palpable, and it underscores the fragility of human life and love.
Despite this sense of loss, however, the final couplet offers a glimmer of hope. “Thus in a field,” the speaker says, “my love and I did stand / And strove, which should be master, hand in hand.” This image of two lovers standing together, hand in hand, suggests that love can endure beyond death. The poem’s final line, “And now the twilight comes,” is both beautiful and haunting, suggesting that even as the day fades into darkness, love can still shine bright.
Conclusion
John Berryman’s Sonnet 31 is a beautiful and complex work that explores themes of love, loss, and the human condition. Its structure, language, and meaning all work together to create a powerful and moving piece of poetry. The poem’s use of metaphor, alliteration, and repetition creates a sense of harmony and musicality, while its exploration of love and loss is both poignant and thought-provoking. Ultimately, Sonnet 31 is a testament to the enduring power of love, even in the face of death.
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