'A Song Of Suicide' by Robert Service
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Rhymes of a RoughneckDeeming that I were better dead,
"How shall I kill myself?" I said.
Thus mooning by the river Seine
I sought extinction without pain,
When on a bridge I saw a flash
Of
Editor 1 Interpretation
A Song of Suicide: Robert Service’s Tragic Tale of Despair and Death
Have you ever read a poem that made you shiver with its raw, visceral emotions? One that took you on a journey through the darkest depths of the human psyche, leaving you both haunted and inspired at the same time? If not, then you need to read Robert Service’s A Song of Suicide, one of the most chilling and powerful poems in the English language.
Written in 1907, A Song of Suicide is a dramatic monologue that tells the story of a young man who has lost all hope in life and longs for death. He speaks directly to Death, personified as a seductive and alluring force, begging her to take him away from his pain and misery. The poem is divided into five stanzas, each one building in intensity and despair, until the final, devastating climax.
The first stanza sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The speaker introduces himself as a young man “born to sin” and “bred to strife”, who has known nothing but pain and suffering since his birth. He describes his life as a “cruel jest”, a meaningless existence filled with “loveless lust” and “joyless jest”. He sees no joy or beauty in the world, only darkness and despair.
The second stanza is where the poem starts to get really dark. The speaker begins to describe his intense longing for death, and his desperate desire to escape the pain and emptiness of his life. He calls Death his “lover”, and imagines her as a beautiful, seductive woman who will take him away to a better place. He longs to “crush [her] breasts against [his] lips” and “seize [her] in a mad embrace”, surrendering himself completely to her embrace.
The third stanza is perhaps the most chilling of all. The speaker describes in graphic detail the ways in which he has tried to kill himself, only to be saved from death each time. He has tried to drown himself in the sea, but the waves have brought him back to shore. He has tried to hang himself from a tree, but the rope has broken. He has tried to shoot himself with a gun, but the bullet has only grazed his head. Each time, Death has refused to take him, leaving him to suffer even more.
The fourth stanza is a final plea to Death, a desperate cry for release. The speaker begs her to take him away, promising to follow her wherever she leads. He imagines them wandering “down the shadowy aisles of Hell”, or soaring “through the starry voids of space”. He longs for the peace and freedom that only Death can give him, and is willing to do anything to obtain it.
The final stanza is the most devastating of all. The speaker realizes that Death will never come for him, that he is doomed to suffer in his pain and despair forever. He imagines his own funeral, and the mourners who will weep for him. He sees the world as a “howling wilderness” that will never know peace or beauty. And finally, he takes his own life, ending his suffering and despair once and for all.
What makes A Song of Suicide such a powerful and unforgettable poem? There are several factors at play here. First, there is the raw emotion that underlies every line of the poem. Service’s use of vivid imagery and intense language creates a sense of immediacy and urgency that draws the reader in and doesn’t let go. We feel the speaker’s pain and despair as if it were our own, and are swept along by his desperate quest for release.
Second, there is the theme of death and suicide that runs throughout the poem. Service is not afraid to confront the darkest aspects of the human experience head-on, and to explore the complex emotional terrain of suicide and despair. By doing so, he forces us to confront our own fears and anxieties about death, and to question our own beliefs and values.
Finally, there is the masterful use of language and form that Service employs in the poem. The use of the dramatic monologue allows us to enter into the mind of the speaker and to experience his thoughts and emotions firsthand. The use of repetition, rhyme, and meter creates a sense of musicality and rhythm that adds to the poem’s emotional impact. And the use of vivid imagery and symbolism creates a world that is both bleak and beautiful, a world that we cannot help but be drawn into.
In conclusion, A Song of Suicide is a masterpiece of English-language poetry, a work of art that speaks directly to the heart and soul of the reader. It is a tragic tale of despair and death, a powerful meditation on the human condition that leaves us both haunted and inspired. If you have not yet read this poem, I urge you to do so. It is not an easy read, but it is a necessary one, a work of genius that will stay with you long after you have finished it.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
A Song of Suicide: A Masterpiece of Robert Service
Robert Service, a renowned poet, is known for his exceptional ability to capture the essence of human emotions and experiences in his works. One of his most famous poems, A Song of Suicide, is a hauntingly beautiful piece that explores the depths of despair and the desire for release from the pain of life. In this analysis, we will delve into the themes, imagery, and language used in the poem to understand its significance and impact.
The poem begins with a powerful opening line, "Deeming that I were better dead." This line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, as it immediately establishes the speaker's desire for death. The use of the word "deeming" suggests that the speaker has thought long and hard about this decision, and has come to the conclusion that death is the only way out of their pain. This theme of hopelessness and despair is prevalent throughout the poem, as the speaker describes their desire to "sleep forever in an endless night."
The imagery used in the poem is striking and vivid, adding to the overall impact of the piece. The speaker describes the world around them as "a desert drear and brown," emphasizing the bleakness of their existence. The use of the word "desert" suggests a barren and lifeless landscape, mirroring the speaker's own feelings of emptiness and despair. The imagery of the "endless night" also adds to the sense of hopelessness, as it suggests a never-ending cycle of pain and suffering.
The language used in the poem is simple yet powerful, with each word carefully chosen to convey the speaker's emotions. The repetition of the phrase "better dead" throughout the poem emphasizes the speaker's desire for release from their pain. The use of the word "song" in the title of the poem is also significant, as it suggests that the speaker's desire for death is not just a fleeting thought, but a deeply ingrained desire that has become a part of their identity.
The poem also explores the theme of isolation and loneliness, as the speaker describes themselves as "a stranger in a strange land." This sense of alienation is further emphasized by the imagery of the "desert," as it suggests a vast and empty landscape with no one else around. The speaker's desire for death can be seen as a way to escape this sense of isolation and find peace in the void.
Despite the dark themes explored in the poem, there is also a sense of beauty and poetry in the language used. The use of alliteration in lines such as "sleep forever in an endless night" adds a musical quality to the poem, emphasizing the idea of a "song" of suicide. The use of metaphor in the line "the world is but a broken toy" also adds to the poetic quality of the piece, as it suggests a sense of fragility and impermanence in the world around us.
In conclusion, A Song of Suicide is a powerful and haunting poem that explores the depths of despair and the desire for release from pain. Through its vivid imagery, carefully chosen language, and exploration of themes such as isolation and loneliness, the poem captures the essence of the human experience in a way that is both beautiful and tragic. Robert Service's mastery of poetry is evident in this masterpiece, which continues to resonate with readers today.
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