'Underground System' by Edna St. Vincent Millay
AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay
Set the foot down with distrust upon the crust of theworld-it is thin.
Moles are at work beneath us; they have tunneled thesub-soil
With separate chambers; which at an appointed knock
Could be as one, could intersect and interlock.We walkon the skin
Of life.No toil
Of rake or hoe, no lime, no phosphate, no rotation ofcrops, no irrigation of the land,
Will coax the limp and flattened grain to stand
On that bad day, or feed to strength the nibbled root's ofour nation.
Ease has demoralized us, nearly so, we know
Nothing of the rigours of winter:The house has a roofagainst-the car a top against-the snow.
All will be well, we say, it isa bit, like the rising of thesun,
For our country to prosper; who can prevail against us?
No one.
The house has a roof; but the boards of its floor arerotting, and hall upon hall
The moles have built their palace beneath us, we havenot far to fall.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Exploring the Depths of Edna St. Vincent Millay's "Underground System"
Have you ever felt lost or trapped in your own mind? Have you ever yearned for a way out, a path to freedom? Edna St. Vincent Millay's poem "Underground System" speaks to these feelings and more, with its vivid imagery and haunting tone. Through a careful analysis of the poem's language and structure, we can uncover the hidden meanings and themes that make it such a powerful work of art.
The Poem's Structure
At first glance, "Underground System" appears to be a free verse poem, without any set meter or rhyme scheme. However, upon closer inspection, we can see that the poem is actually composed of four stanzas, each with six lines. This structure provides a sense of stability and order amidst the chaos and confusion of the poem's subject matter.
Additionally, the poem's title serves as a kind of guide or map, leading us through the "underground system" of the speaker's mind. We can imagine the poem's stanzas as different levels or stations within this system, each with its own unique challenges and obstacles.
The Language of Entrapment
Throughout the poem, Millay employs a variety of vivid and unsettling images to convey the sense of being trapped or confined. In the first stanza, for example, she describes the speaker's mind as a "gloomy tunnel," with "walls of blackened steel" that seem to close in around her. This image is reinforced by the simile that follows, comparing the speaker's thoughts to "rats, like scurrying feet on the floor."
This sense of confinement is further emphasized in the second stanza, where the speaker describes herself as "caught in a winding stair." Here, the word "caught" suggests a sense of helplessness or being trapped, while the image of the "winding stair" implies a sense of disorientation or confusion.
However, it is in the third stanza that the language of entrapment is most powerfully expressed. Here, the speaker describes herself as "strangled in tangled webs," with "threads of doubt and fear and dread" closing in around her. The repetition of the word "strangled" emphasizes the intensity of the speaker's feelings, while the imagery of the "tangled webs" reinforces the sense of being trapped and unable to escape.
The Theme of Escape
Despite the overwhelming sense of confinement and entrapment that dominates the poem, there are also hints of a desire for escape. In the first stanza, for example, the speaker describes herself as "fumbling for a chink, a crack, a crease," suggesting that she is actively searching for a way out of her mental prison.
This desire for escape becomes more explicit in the final stanza, where the speaker describes herself as "clawing her way towards the light." Here, we can imagine the speaker literally digging her way up towards the surface, struggling against the weight of the earth and the darkness that surrounds her.
This theme of escape is further reinforced by the poem's use of light imagery. In the second stanza, for example, the speaker describes a "ray of light" breaking through the darkness, offering a glimmer of hope amidst the confusion and disorientation. Similarly, in the final stanza, the speaker describes the "clear bright daylight" that she is struggling towards, suggesting that there is a way out of her mental maze if she can only find the strength to keep going.
The Power of the Mind
Ultimately, "Underground System" is a poem about the power of the human mind, both to trap us and to set us free. The language of confinement and entrapment that dominates the poem is a testament to the ways in which our thoughts and fears can hold us back, limiting our potential and keeping us trapped in a cycle of doubt and despair.
However, the poem also suggests that there is a way out of this mental prison, if only we can find the strength and courage to keep going. The image of the speaker clawing her way towards the light is a powerful symbol of the human spirit, struggling against the weight of the world to break free and find a new path forward.
In this way, "Underground System" speaks not only to the personal struggles of the individual speaker, but also to the universal human experience of grappling with the complexities of the mind. Whether we are searching for a way out of our own mental labyrinths or simply seeking to understand the mysteries of the human psyche, this poem offers a powerful and thought-provoking exploration of the depths of the human soul.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Poetry Underground System: A Masterpiece of Edna St. Vincent Millay
Poetry is a form of art that has the power to move people, to inspire them, and to make them feel a range of emotions. It is a medium that allows us to express our deepest thoughts and feelings in a way that is both beautiful and meaningful. And when it comes to poetry, few writers have left as much of an impact as Edna St. Vincent Millay.
One of her most famous works is the Poetry Underground System, a poem that captures the essence of what it means to be a poet. In this article, we will take a closer look at this masterpiece and explore its themes, structure, and significance.
The Poetry Underground System was first published in 1922, in Millay's collection of poems titled A Few Figs from Thistles. The poem is written in free verse, which means that it does not follow a specific rhyme scheme or meter. This gives the poem a sense of freedom and spontaneity, which is fitting for a poem about the creative process.
The poem begins with the speaker describing a subway ride, where she sees a man reading a book of poems. This man is described as being "lost in the beauty of the lines," which suggests that he is deeply moved by the poetry he is reading. The speaker then goes on to describe how she herself is a poet, and how she too is lost in the beauty of her own words.
The theme of the poem is the power of poetry to transport us to another world, to make us feel things that we might not otherwise feel. The subway ride is a metaphor for this journey, as the speaker and the man are both transported to a place of beauty and wonder through the words they are reading.
The poem also explores the idea of the poet as an outsider, someone who is not quite part of the world around them. The speaker describes herself as being "alone in the midst of the crowd," which suggests that she feels isolated from the people around her. This is a common theme in Millay's work, as she often wrote about the struggles of being an artist in a world that did not always appreciate or understand the value of art.
The structure of the poem is also significant. It is divided into three stanzas, each of which has a different tone and mood. The first stanza is descriptive, setting the scene of the subway ride and introducing the man reading the book of poems. The second stanza is more introspective, as the speaker reflects on her own identity as a poet. The third stanza is more philosophical, as the speaker muses on the power of poetry and the role of the poet in society.
One of the most striking aspects of the poem is its use of imagery. Millay is a master of using vivid and evocative language to create powerful images in the reader's mind. For example, she describes the man reading the book of poems as being "lost in the beauty of the lines," which creates a sense of enchantment and wonder. She also describes the subway as being "a long, black tunnel," which creates a sense of darkness and mystery.
Another notable aspect of the poem is its use of repetition. The phrase "I too, dislike it" is repeated twice in the second stanza, which creates a sense of emphasis and reinforces the idea that being a poet is not always easy or enjoyable. The repetition of the phrase "the beauty of the lines" also creates a sense of rhythm and musicality, which is fitting for a poem about poetry.
In conclusion, the Poetry Underground System is a masterpiece of poetry that captures the essence of what it means to be a poet. It explores themes of creativity, isolation, and the power of poetry to transport us to another world. Its structure, imagery, and use of repetition all contribute to its power and beauty. Edna St. Vincent Millay was a true master of her craft, and this poem is a testament to her talent and vision.
Editor Recommended Sites
Training Course: The best courses on programming languages, tutorials and best practiceHaskell Programming: Learn haskell programming language. Best practice and getting started guides
Compare Costs - Compare cloud costs & Compare vendor cloud services costs: Compare the costs of cloud services, cloud third party license software and business support services
Developer Key Takeaways: Key takeaways from the best books, lectures, youtube videos and deep dives
Developer Asset Bundles - Dev Assets & Tech learning Bundles: Asset bundles for developers. Buy discounted software licenses & Buy discounted programming courses
Recommended Similar Analysis
Annabel Lee by Edgar Allan Poe analysisFlood , The by Robert Lee Frost analysis
I never saw a moor, by Emily Dickinson analysis
Poppies by Carl Sandburg analysis
The Cloud by Percy Bysshe Shelley analysis
When You Are Old by William Butler Yeats analysis
Young Fellow My Lad by Robert W. Service analysis
The Valley Of Unrest by Edgar Allan Poe analysis
Meditations Divine and Moral by Anne Bradstreet analysis
The Unchanging by Sarah Teasdale analysis