'Not Even My Pride Shall Suffer Much' by Edna St. Vincent Millay
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Not even my pride shall suffer much;
Not even my pride at all, maybe,
If this ill-timed, intemperate clutch
Be loosed by you and not by me,
Will suffer; I have been so true
A vestal to that only pride
Wet wood cannot extinguish, nor
Sand, nor its embers scattered, for,
See all these years, it has not died.And if indeed, as I dare think,
You cannot push this patient flame,
By any breath your lungs could store,
Even for a moment to the floor
To crawl there, even for a moment crawl,
What can you mix for me to drink
That shall deflect me? What you do
Is either malice, crude defenseOf ego, or indifference:
I know these things as well as you;
You do not dazzle me at all-Some love, and some simplicity,
Might well have been the death of me-
Editor 1 Interpretation
Poetry, Not Even My Pride Shall Suffer Much: A Masterpiece by Edna St. Vincent Millay
When it comes to poetry that captures the essence of human emotions with a delicate touch, Edna St. Vincent Millay's name shines bright like a beacon in the literary world. Her poem "Not Even My Pride Shall Suffer Much" is a masterpiece that showcases her exceptional talent in portraying the complexities of human relationships, love, and pride. In this literary criticism and interpretation, I will delve into the intricate layers of this timeless poem and explore its themes, motifs, and symbols.
Background and Context
Before diving into the poem, it's essential to understand its historical and societal context. Edna St. Vincent Millay was born in 1892 and lived through the tumultuous times of the First World War, the Women's Suffrage Movement, and the Great Depression. During this era, women's roles and rights were limited, and societal norms dictated their behavior and choices. Millay, a feminist and a rebel, challenged these norms through her poetry and her life choices.
"Not Even My Pride Shall Suffer Much" was published in 1922, a time when Millay had already established herself as a prominent poet with several critically acclaimed collections under her belt. This poem is a part of her collection, "Second April," which explores themes of love, loss, and mortality.
Poem Analysis
"Not Even My Pride Shall Suffer Much" is a sonnet, a highly structured form of poetry that consists of fourteen lines and follows a strict rhyme scheme. Millay's skillful use of this form highlights the precision and elegance of her language.
Lines 1-4
"If I should learn, in some quite casual way,
That you were gone, not to return again--
Read from the back-page of a paper, say,
Held by a neighbor in a subway train--"
The poem begins with an "if" statement, setting up a hypothetical situation. Millay imagines learning about the departure of a loved one in a casual and unexpected manner, through a newspaper held by a neighbor in a subway train. The use of the subway train as a setting adds a sense of urgency and movement to the poem, suggesting that life goes on, even in the face of loss.
Lines 5-8
"How at the news my eyes would darken and strain
With a black weight of things remembered;
And though I'd smile and say, "He'll come again,"
The want of him would throb like a dull pain."
In these lines, Millay portrays the emotional impact of the news on the speaker. The image of the eyes darkening and straining with a "black weight" of memories is powerful, evoking the feeling of deep sorrow and loss. The speaker tries to put on a brave face and convince herself that the loved one will return, but the "want of him" continues to throb like a dull pain.
Lines 9-12
"If I should find,
After the years and seasons hurrying by,
You were no more than a name remembered,
Half-understood, not even a word to me,"
Here, Millay shifts from the hypothetical situation to a more concrete image of the loved one's absence. The speaker imagines discovering that the loved one has become nothing more than a "name remembered" that is "half-understood" and "not even a word" to her. This suggests that the speaker has moved on with her life, but the memory of the loved one still lingers, albeit faintly.
Lines 13-14
"That you were gone,
Not to return--Stirred such a depth of me."
The final two lines of the poem pack a powerful punch. The repetition of the phrase "not to return" emphasizes the finality of the loved one's departure. The word "stirred" suggests a deep emotional reaction that the speaker cannot control. The use of the word "depth" invokes an image of the ocean, suggesting that the speaker's emotions are vast and uncontainable.
Themes and Motifs
The poem explores several recurring themes and motifs that are characteristic of Millay's work.
Love and Loss
The most prominent theme in the poem is love and loss. Millay portrays the deep emotional impact that the absence of a loved one can have on a person. The speaker tries to convince herself that the loved one will return, but the pain of their absence continues to throb like a dull ache. The speaker's emotional reaction is raw and unfiltered, emphasizing the depth of her love for the departed.
Pride
The title of the poem, "Not Even My Pride Shall Suffer Much," suggests that the speaker is trying to maintain her dignity and composure in the face of loss. However, as the poem progresses, it becomes clear that the speaker's pride is just as vulnerable as her heart. The final two lines of the poem suggest that the news of the loved one's departure has stirred a deep emotional reaction in the speaker, one that she cannot control or suppress.
Movement
The use of the subway train as a setting and the image of seasons hurrying by suggest a sense of movement and change. The poem emphasizes that life goes on, even in the face of loss.
Symbols
Millay uses several symbols to enhance the poem's meaning and emotional impact.
The Newspaper
The newspaper held by the neighbor in the subway train symbolizes the unexpected and casual nature of loss. The news of the loved one's departure comes as a shock, disrupting the speaker's sense of stability and order.
The Black Weight
The phrase "black weight" symbolizes the heaviness of grief and loss. The image of the eyes darkening and straining with this weight conveys the depth of the speaker's emotional pain.
The Ocean
The word "depth" in the final line of the poem symbolizes the vastness and uncontainability of the speaker's emotions. The ocean is a common symbol in Millay's poetry, representing the unknown and the uncontrollable.
Conclusion
"Not Even My Pride Shall Suffer Much" is a masterpiece of modern poetry that showcases Edna St. Vincent Millay's exceptional talent in portraying the complexities of human emotions. The poem explores themes of love, loss, and pride, using a highly structured form and skillful language to evoke a powerful emotional response in the reader. Millay's use of symbols and motifs enhances the poem's meaning and emotional impact, making it a timeless work of art that continues to resonate with readers today.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry has always been a medium for expressing emotions and thoughts that are difficult to articulate in everyday language. Edna St. Vincent Millay, a renowned American poet, was a master of this art form. Her poem "Not Even My Pride Shall Suffer Much" is a perfect example of her ability to convey complex emotions through simple yet powerful words.
The poem is a sonnet, a fourteen-line poem with a specific rhyme scheme. Millay uses the traditional rhyme scheme of a sonnet, which is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. This structure gives the poem a sense of order and balance, which is in contrast to the turbulent emotions that the speaker is experiencing.
The poem begins with the speaker stating that she will not let her pride suffer too much, even though she has been hurt deeply. This line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which is a reflection on the speaker's struggle to maintain her dignity in the face of heartbreak.
In the second quatrain, the speaker describes the pain that she is feeling. She compares her heart to a "wounded bird," which is a powerful metaphor that conveys the fragility and vulnerability of the speaker's emotions. The use of the word "wounded" also suggests that the pain is not self-inflicted, but rather the result of someone else's actions.
The third quatrain is where the poem takes a turn. The speaker acknowledges that she is not the only one who has suffered heartbreak. She says that "many a man hath done so," which suggests that she is not alone in her pain. This line also shows that the speaker is trying to find comfort in the fact that others have gone through similar experiences.
In the final couplet, the speaker resolves to move on from the pain. She says that she will "rise and go" and leave the pain behind. This line is a powerful statement of resilience and strength. The speaker is not giving up, but rather choosing to move forward and leave the pain behind.
The poem is a reflection on the human experience of heartbreak and the struggle to maintain dignity in the face of pain. Millay's use of language is simple yet powerful, and her ability to convey complex emotions through words is truly remarkable.
One of the most striking aspects of the poem is the use of the first-person point of view. The speaker is not a character in a story, but rather a real person who is experiencing real emotions. This makes the poem feel more personal and relatable, as if the speaker is speaking directly to the reader.
Another notable aspect of the poem is the use of imagery. Millay's use of metaphors and similes helps to create a vivid picture of the speaker's emotions. The comparison of the heart to a "wounded bird" is particularly effective, as it conveys both the fragility and the pain of the speaker's emotions.
The poem also has a strong sense of rhythm and meter. The use of iambic pentameter, which is a common meter in English poetry, gives the poem a sense of flow and musicality. This helps to emphasize the emotional content of the poem and makes it more engaging for the reader.
In conclusion, "Not Even My Pride Shall Suffer Much" is a powerful poem that explores the human experience of heartbreak and the struggle to maintain dignity in the face of pain. Millay's use of language, imagery, and rhythm creates a vivid and emotional portrait of the speaker's experience. The poem is a testament to the power of poetry to convey complex emotions and to connect us with the experiences of others.
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