'Hayeswater' by Matthew Arnold


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A region desolate and wild.
Black, chafing water: and afloat,
And lonely as a truant child
In a waste wood, a single boat:
No mast, no sails are set thereon;
It moves, but never moveth on:
And welters like a human thing
Amid the wild waves weltering.

Behind, a buried vale doth sleep,
Far down the torrent cleaves its way:
In front the dumb rock rises steep,
A fretted wall of blue and grey;
Of shooting cliff and crumbled stone
With many a wild weed overgrown:
All else, black water: and afloat,
One rood from shore, that single boat.

Editor 1 Interpretation

"Hayeswater": A Poem of Nature, Loss, and Reflection

Matthew Arnold's poem "Hayeswater" is a haunting and evocative meditation on the beauty of nature, the fleetingness of mortal life, and the power of memory. Originally published in 1853 as part of Arnold's collection "Poems," "Hayeswater" has since become one of his most admired and celebrated works, praised for its elegiac tone, vivid imagery, and subtle exploration of the human psyche.

At its core, "Hayeswater" is a poem about the loss of innocence and the passage of time. The speaker recalls a visit to the titular lake in his youth, when he was "a boy, with never a grief to trouble" him, and the world was full of wonder and possibility. Now, however, he is older and wiser, and he sees the world in a different light. The lake, once a symbol of transcendent beauty and joy, is now a reminder of all that has been lost and all that can never be regained.

The Setting: A Place of Transcendent Beauty

Arnold's descriptions of Hayeswater are vivid and evocative, painting a picture of a place of almost unearthly beauty. The lake is "a silver flash through dark trees" that "gleams in the valley," and its waters are "clear and bright as heaven's own light." The surrounding hills are "green and soft and mild," and the air is filled with the "sweetest mellowest airs" of summer.

Moreover, the lake is not just a physical location; it is also a symbol of the speaker's inner life. It represents the innocence, wonder, and joy of his youth, when he was free from the cares and anxieties of adulthood. The speaker's sense of awe and wonder at the lake reflects his own sense of wonder at the world around him, a sense of wonder that has been lost as he has grown older.

The Theme: Loss and Nostalgia

The central theme of "Hayeswater" is the loss of innocence and the passage of time. The poem is suffused with a sense of nostalgia and regret, as the speaker looks back on his youth with a mixture of longing and sorrow.

The poem's opening lines set the tone for this sense of loss:

"I came not here at my own will, But, since I came, I would not go, Yet have I lost my way, and still Do not know where the waters flow."

The speaker is lost, both physically and emotionally, and he cannot find his way back to the innocence and joy of his youth. He is trapped in a world that is cold, lonely, and indifferent, and he longs for the warmth and comfort of the past.

Moreover, the speaker's sense of loss is not just personal; it is also cultural and historical. The poem is set in the Lake District, a region of northern England that was undergoing profound social and economic changes in the mid-19th century. The speaker's nostalgic longing for a simpler, more innocent past can be seen as a reflection of the wider anxieties and uncertainties of the time.

The Speaker: A Complex and Ambivalent Figure

The speaker of "Hayeswater" is a complex and ambivalent figure, torn between his memories of the past and his awareness of the present. He is both a participant in the world around him and a detached observer, able to see things from a distance and to reflect on his own emotions and experiences.

At times, the speaker is almost painfully aware of his own mortality and the fleetingness of human life. He laments the passing of time and the inevitability of death:

"Ah me! how all things pass and flee, And we, too, pass and flee with these; And when our life has ceased to be, A world is gone, if we but knew."

At other times, however, the speaker is able to find solace and comfort in his memories of the past. He recalls the beauty and wonder of his youth, and he draws strength from the knowledge that these memories will always be with him:

"So let me think and feel, until I know that all is true and sure; And I shall be, as I was still A boy, with never a grief to trouble."

In this way, the speaker embodies the tension between memory and reality, between the past and the present, that is at the heart of the poem.

Conclusion: A Poem of Beauty and Sadness

In conclusion, Matthew Arnold's "Hayeswater" is a poem of beauty and sadness, a meditation on the transience of life and the power of memory. Through its vivid imagery, elegiac tone, and nuanced portrayal of the speaker's emotions, the poem captures the complexity and ambiguity of human experience, as well as the enduring power of nature and the landscape.

As readers, we are invited to join the speaker on his journey of reflection and remembrance, to share in his sense of loss and nostalgia, and to find comfort in the beauty of the world around us. In this way, "Hayeswater" is not just a poem of the past, but a poem for the present and the future, a testament to the enduring power of poetry to capture the human experience in all its complexity and richness.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Hayeswater: A Poem of Nature and Loss

Matthew Arnold's poem "Hayeswater" is a beautiful and haunting meditation on the power of nature and the inevitability of change. Written in 1877, the poem is set in the Lake District of England, a region known for its stunning natural beauty and rugged terrain. The poem tells the story of a small lake called Hayeswater, which is slowly disappearing due to the construction of a dam. Through vivid imagery and powerful language, Arnold explores the themes of loss, mortality, and the enduring power of nature.

The poem begins with a description of the lake itself, which is portrayed as a place of great beauty and tranquility. Arnold writes:

"Far in the bosom of Helvellyn, Remote from public road or dwelling, Pathway or cultivated land, From trace of human foot or hand."

This opening stanza sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which is characterized by a sense of isolation and detachment from the world of human beings. The lake is described as a place of "solitude profound," where the only sounds are the "plaintive voice" of the wind and the "murmur low" of the water. This sense of stillness and quietude is contrasted with the noisy, bustling world of human society, which is portrayed as a place of confusion and chaos.

As the poem progresses, Arnold introduces the theme of loss, as he describes the gradual disappearance of the lake. He writes:

"But time, and change, and mortal pain, Are various monitors;—they tell That all this fair, and all is vain, And vainly mortal men rebel Against the law of death and change, And wax and wane, and ebb and flow, Like this poor water, void of range, Or any certain path to go."

Here, Arnold is suggesting that the disappearance of the lake is a metaphor for the transience of all things in life. Just as the lake is slowly disappearing, so too are all things in the world subject to change and decay. This idea is reinforced by the image of the "mortal pain" that accompanies the passing of time, and the suggestion that human beings are powerless to resist the "law of death and change."

Despite this sense of loss and impermanence, however, Arnold also celebrates the enduring power of nature. He writes:

"But Nature, though she changes all, And all in order doth arrange, So that each thing shall rise and fall, And have its hour of change and change, Yet, being to herself the same Unaltered, and unchanged, doth see The manifold array of game And interchange of ministry."

Here, Arnold is suggesting that while human beings are subject to the whims of time and change, nature itself is eternal and unchanging. The "manifold array of game" and "interchange of ministry" that he describes are a testament to the enduring power of nature, which is capable of sustaining itself even in the face of human destruction.

In the final stanza of the poem, Arnold returns to the theme of loss, as he describes the final disappearance of the lake. He writes:

"And now, farewell to Water-side! Unseen, unheard, ungladdened, Sad mem'ry must suffice To make thee still a love for me."

Here, Arnold is acknowledging the finality of the lake's disappearance, and the sense of sadness and loss that accompanies it. At the same time, however, he is also suggesting that the memory of the lake will endure, and that it will continue to be a source of inspiration and beauty for those who remember it.

In conclusion, Matthew Arnold's poem "Hayeswater" is a powerful meditation on the themes of loss, mortality, and the enduring power of nature. Through vivid imagery and powerful language, Arnold explores the transience of all things in life, and the inevitability of change and decay. At the same time, however, he also celebrates the enduring power of nature, which is capable of sustaining itself even in the face of human destruction. Ultimately, the poem is a testament to the enduring power of memory, and the ability of the natural world to inspire and uplift us even in the darkest of times.

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