This poem is lengthy and if you are not out to find the true meaning of it you probably won't. I had to look up most of its meaning of articles written on the internet. These sources gave me a deeper look and meaning on the message Stevens is trying to sell to the reader.
In my opinion the poem had a masculine voice as well as a feminine one as well. The female was trying to justify her reasoning behind not going to church and believing in the same old way her forefathers had in the past. She asked the question when will this time of religion come to an end? Why does my soul have to live here on Earth and experience all the pain and love? She is finally answered by a masculine voice saying that it will always be there and her predecessors are the ones that mad these laws that we follow today.
To me Stevens is seeding the answer for truth and defines it in his poem by separating religion and desires; separating God and Palestine. It is as if he is saying that there is nothing wrong with desires as long as they do not effect, in a negative way, others around you.
In the end he some how finds the truth but still leaving the question if religion is the right answer, then what about faithful followers of previous religions? Are we all not going to end up living in the same after life in a similar heaven?
Stevens did a great job at making a reader not question his own religion but instead try to prove our faith. If we can all justify our love for our religion than it will lead us all to great deeds as just men.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I think Moss states it best when he says that the poem is wrote in a mascaline and feminine voice. The poem, to me, seems to be about a woman trying to figure out what she needs to believe in- whether it be in objects she can hold and feel or the higher being which forces her to believe in faith. She seems to be confused on which belief to stand behind; and the mascaline voice helps her, or tries to guide her rather. And again, when the poem leaves the question of faith and religion to the reader is amazing. It somehow makes the reader question his or her own faith, which in return makes them build their religion stronger.
ReplyDelete