'Last Man, The' by Thomas Campbell
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All worldly shapes shall melt in gloom,
The Sun himself must die,
Before this mortal shall assume
Its Immortality!
I saw a vision in my sleep
That gave my spirit strength to sweep
Adown the gulf of Time!
I saw the last of human mould,
That shall Creation's death behold,
As Adam saw her prime!
The Sun's eye had a sickly glare,
The Earth with age was wan,
The skeletons of nations were
Around that lonely man!
Some had expired in fight,--the brands
Still rested in their bony hands;
In plague and famine some!
Earth's cities had no sound nor tread;
And ships were drifting with the dead
To shores where all was dumb!
Yet, prophet-like, that lone one stood
With dauntless words and high,
That shook the sere leaves from the wood
As if a storm passed by,
Saying, "We are twins in death, proud Sun,
Thy face is cold, thy race is run,
'Tis Mercy bids thee go.
For thou ten thousand thousand years
Hast seen the tide of human tears,
That shall no longer flow.
"What though beneath thee man put forth
His pomp, his pride, his skill;
And arts that made fire, floods, and earth,
The vassals of his will;--
Yet mourn not I thy parted sway,
Thou dim discrowned king of day:
For all those trophied arts
And triumphs that beneath thee sprang,
Healed not a passion or a pang
Entailed on human hearts.
"Go, let oblivion's curtain fall
Upon the stage of men,
Nor with thy rising beams recall
Life's tragedy again.
Its piteous pageants bring not back,
Nor waken flesh, upon the rack
Of pain anew to writhe;
Stretched in disease's shapes abhorred,
Or mown in battle by the sword,
Like grass beneath the scythe.
"Ee'n I am weary in yon skies
To watch thy fading fire;
Test of all sumless agonies
Behold not me expire.
My lips that speak thy dirge of death--
Their rounded gasp and gurgling breath
To see thou shalt not boast.
The eclipse of Nature spreads my pall,--
The majesty of Darkness shall
Receive my parting ghost!
"This spirit shall return to Him
That gave its heavenly spark;
Yet think not, Sun, it shall be dim
When thou thyself art dark!
No! it shall live again, and shine
In bliss unknown to beams of thine,
By Him recalled to breath,
Who captive led captivity.
Who robbed the grave of Victory,--
And took the sting from Death!
"Go, Sun, while Mercy holds me up
On Nature's awful waste
To drink this last and bitter cup
Of grief that man shall taste--
Go, tell the night that hides thy face,
Thou saw'st the last of Adam's race,
On Earth's sepulchral clod,
The darkening universe defy
To quench his Immortality,
Or shake his trust in God!"
Editor 1 Interpretation
"Last Man, The" by Thomas Campbell: A Haunting Poetic Vision
Thomas Campbell's "The Last Man" is a haunting and powerful vision of the end of humanity. Written in the early 19th century, the poem captures the anxieties of a world on the brink of rapid change, where the forces of science and technology were beginning to reshape society, and the certainties of the past were giving way to a new and uncertain future.
At its heart, "The Last Man" is a meditation on mortality and the fragility of human existence. The poem imagines a world in which all of humanity has been wiped out, leaving only one survivor to bear witness to the end of the world. This survivor, the titular "Last Man," wanders through a desolate landscape, reflecting on the transience of life and the inevitability of death.
The poem is divided into four parts, each of which explores a different aspect of the Last Man's experience. In the first part, the Last Man reflects on the beauty of the natural world, marveling at the majesty of the mountains and the grandeur of the sea. But even as he revels in the splendor of nature, the Last Man is haunted by the knowledge that all of this beauty will one day be destroyed, and that he himself will not be immune to the ravages of time.
In the second part of the poem, the Last Man encounters the ruins of human civilization, and is struck by the contrast between the power and ambition of humanity and the ultimate futility of its endeavors. He sees the crumbling monuments of past civilizations, and realizes that all of human achievement is destined to decay and crumble into dust.
The third part of the poem takes a more existential turn, as the Last Man grapples with the meaning of his own existence. He wonders if his survival is a mere accident of fate, or if there is some deeper purpose to his continued existence. He muses on the nature of consciousness and the mysteries of the universe, but ultimately finds no answers to his questions.
Finally, in the fourth and final part of the poem, the Last Man confronts his own mortality, as he realizes that he too will one day die. He reflects on the inevitability of death, and on the way that all of human history will ultimately be erased by the passage of time. But even in the face of this bleak reality, the Last Man finds solace in the knowledge that he has lived, and that his experiences have been unique and irreplaceable.
Throughout the poem, Campbell's language is rich and evocative, painting a vivid picture of a world that has been reduced to ruins. His imagery is both majestic and eerie, capturing the awe-inspiring power of nature and the haunting emptiness of a world without humanity. The Last Man himself is a compelling figure, at once tragic and heroic, as he struggles to come to terms with his own mortality and the end of his species.
Overall, "The Last Man" is a haunting and powerful poem that captures the anxieties and uncertainties of an era in which the certainties of the past were giving way to a new and uncertain future. Campbell's vision of a world without humanity is both beautiful and terrifying, and his exploration of mortality and the meaning of existence is both poignant and thought-provoking. This is a poem that deserves to be read and studied by anyone who is interested in the enduring questions of human existence, and in the power of poetry to capture the deepest reaches of the human imagination.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Last Man is a classic poem written by Thomas Campbell, a Scottish poet, in 1826. The poem is a reflection of the author's thoughts on the end of the world and the last man standing. It is a powerful and emotional piece of literature that captures the reader's attention from the very beginning.
The poem is divided into four parts, each of which explores a different aspect of the end of the world. The first part sets the scene and describes the desolate landscape that the last man finds himself in. The second part explores the last man's thoughts and feelings as he contemplates his fate. The third part is a reflection on the past and the events that led to the end of the world. The final part is a message of hope and a call to action for humanity.
The first part of the poem paints a vivid picture of the desolate landscape that the last man finds himself in. The world is barren and lifeless, with no signs of civilization or human activity. The last man is alone in this world, with no one to talk to or share his thoughts with. He is surrounded by the ruins of a once-great civilization, and he is haunted by the memories of the people who once lived there.
The second part of the poem explores the last man's thoughts and feelings as he contemplates his fate. He is filled with despair and hopelessness, knowing that he is the last of his kind. He wonders why he was chosen to survive, and he questions whether he is truly alone in the world. He longs for companionship and human interaction, but he knows that it is impossible.
The third part of the poem is a reflection on the past and the events that led to the end of the world. The last man remembers the wars and conflicts that tore humanity apart. He remembers the greed and selfishness that led to the destruction of the planet. He reflects on the mistakes that were made and the opportunities that were missed. He realizes that it is too late to change the past, but he hopes that humanity can learn from its mistakes and create a better future.
The final part of the poem is a message of hope and a call to action for humanity. The last man realizes that he is not truly alone in the world. He is surrounded by the beauty and wonder of nature, and he knows that there is still hope for the future. He calls on humanity to come together and work towards a better world. He urges people to put aside their differences and work towards a common goal. He believes that if humanity can learn from its mistakes and work together, it can create a better future for all.
Overall, The Last Man is a powerful and emotional poem that explores the end of the world and the last man standing. It is a reflection on the past, a message of hope for the future, and a call to action for humanity. Thomas Campbell's use of vivid imagery and powerful language makes this poem a timeless classic that is still relevant today. It is a reminder that we must learn from our mistakes and work towards a better future for all.
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