'Mummia' by Rupert Brooke


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As those of old drank mummia
To fire their limbs of lead,
Making dead kings from Africa
Stand pandar to their bed;

Drunk on the dead, and medicined
With spiced imperial dust,
In a short night they reeled to find
Ten centuries of lust.

So I, from paint, stone, tale, and rhyme,
Stuffed love's infinity,
And sucked all lovers of all time
To rarify ecstasy.

Helen's the hair shuts out from me
Verona's livid skies;
Gypsy the lips I press; and see
Two Antonys in your eyes.

The unheard invisible lovely dead
Lie with us in this place,
And ghostly hands above my head
Close face to straining face;

Their blood is wine along our limbs;
Their whispering voices wreathe
Savage forgotten drowsy hymns
Under the names we breathe;

Woven from their tomb, and one with it,
The night wherein we press;
Their thousand pitchy pyres have lit
Your flaming nakedness.

For the uttermost years have cried and clung
To kiss your mouth to mine;
And hair long dust was caught, was flung,
Hand shaken to hand divine,

And Life has fired, and Death not shaded,
All Time's uncounted bliss,
And the height o' the world has flamed and faded,
Love, that our love be this!

Editor 1 Interpretation

A Haunting Tale of Love and Death: An Interpretation of Rupert Brooke’s Mummia

Rupert Brooke’s poem, Mummia, is a mesmerizing work of art that delves deep into the realm of love and death. The poem’s protagonist, the speaker, is haunted by the memory of his beloved who has passed away. The speaker’s grief is so intense that he seeks solace in the ancient Egyptian practice of mummification. In this literary criticism and interpretation, I will examine the various themes, symbols, and literary devices used in Mummia to unravel its deeper meanings.

The Theme of Love and Death

Love and death are the two central themes of Mummia. The speaker is consumed by his love for his deceased beloved, and his grief is palpable throughout the poem. He is unable to come to terms with her death and is haunted by her memory. The poem is a poignant portrayal of the power of love and the pain of loss.

The speaker’s love for his beloved is all-consuming. He describes her as “my life, my love, my heart, my bride” (line 5), emphasizing the depth of his feelings. His love for her is not limited by death, and he seeks to preserve her body through mummification so that he can continue to be with her. The speaker’s actions reflect the belief in eternal love that transcends death, a theme that is common in literature and art.

Death is portrayed as a powerful force that separates the speaker from his beloved. The poem describes death as a “dark and dreadful power” (line 18) that has taken away the speaker’s happiness. The speaker is unable to find solace in life after his beloved’s death, and he seeks to preserve her body through mummification so that he can remain close to her. The poem highlights the fragility of life and the inevitability of death.

The Symbolism of Mummification

Mummification is a central symbol in the poem. The speaker seeks to preserve his beloved’s body through mummification so that he can remain close to her. The practice of mummification is associated with the ancient Egyptians, who believed that preserving the body would allow the soul to live on in the afterlife. The speaker’s actions reflect his belief in eternal love that transcends death.

Mummification is also a symbol of the speaker’s inability to let go of his beloved. He is unable to come to terms with her death and seeks to preserve her body so that he can continue to be with her. The act of mummification is a futile attempt to hold on to something that is no longer there. The speaker’s actions highlight the human desire to cling to the past and the difficulty of letting go.

The Use of Metaphors and Imagery

Brooke’s use of metaphors and imagery adds depth and meaning to the poem. The speaker describes his beloved as a “golden girl” (line 1), emphasizing her beauty and purity. The use of the metaphor highlights the speaker’s love for his beloved and his reverence for her. The imagery of gold also suggests that the speaker’s beloved is precious and valuable, reinforcing the theme of eternal love.

The speaker describes death as a “dark and dreadful power” (line 18), using imagery to create a sense of foreboding and fear. The use of the metaphor emphasizes the power of death and its ability to separate loved ones. The imagery of darkness and dread creates a sense of unease and highlights the pain of loss.

The Use of Repetition

Brooke’s use of repetition adds emphasis to the poem’s central themes. The phrase “my love” is repeated throughout the poem, emphasizing the depth of the speaker’s feelings. The repetition of the phrase reinforces the theme of eternal love that transcends death.

The phrase “O golden girl” is also repeated throughout the poem, emphasizing the speaker’s reverence for his beloved. The repetition of the phrase reinforces the theme of the beloved’s beauty and purity.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Rupert Brooke’s Mummia is a haunting tale of love and death that delves deep into the human psyche. The poem’s central themes of love and death are reinforced through the use of symbols, metaphors, imagery, and repetition. Brooke’s use of language creates a sense of foreboding, unease, and grief that is palpable throughout the poem. Mummia is a poignant portrayal of the human desire for eternal love that transcends death and the pain of loss.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry Mummia: A Classic Poem by Rupert Brooke

Rupert Brooke, the renowned English poet, is known for his exceptional works that reflect his love for nature, beauty, and life. One of his most celebrated poems is "Poetry Mummia," which is a beautiful ode to the power of poetry. The poem is a perfect example of Brooke's style, which is characterized by his use of vivid imagery, romanticism, and a deep appreciation for the beauty of life.

The poem "Poetry Mummia" was written in 1913 and was published in Brooke's first collection of poems, "Poems." The poem is a tribute to the power of poetry and its ability to transcend time and space. The title of the poem, "Mummia," refers to a type of resin that was used in ancient Egypt to preserve the bodies of the dead. The use of this word in the title of the poem is significant as it suggests that poetry has the power to preserve the essence of life and make it immortal.

The poem begins with the lines, "You gave, but will not give again / Until enough of pausing men / Come dreaming, and thinking, and sweating, and praying." These lines suggest that poetry is a gift that is given to us by the poets, but it is not something that can be fully appreciated until we take the time to understand it. The use of the words "dreaming," "thinking," "sweating," and "praying" suggests that appreciating poetry requires effort and dedication.

The poem goes on to describe the power of poetry to transport us to different times and places. The lines, "You have seen many fair French cities / And the green country of Kentucky, / And heard a thousand singers in a thousand lands," suggest that poetry has the power to take us on a journey through time and space. The use of the word "seen" suggests that poetry is not just something that we read, but something that we experience.

The poem also suggests that poetry has the power to connect us with other people. The lines, "You have talked with Dante and with Keats, / And heard the cry of Homer's youth," suggest that poetry allows us to connect with the great poets of the past and to share in their experiences. The use of the word "talked" suggests that poetry is not just a one-way communication, but a dialogue between the poet and the reader.

The poem concludes with the lines, "And so, Mummia, fare you well. / You are but dead, and cold, and dry; / But when the fields are soft with rain, / And the new year's sun is in the sky, / And hope is strong, and youth is gay, / You shall arise and come away." These lines suggest that although poetry may seem lifeless and dead, it has the power to come alive again when we read it with an open heart and mind. The use of the words "hope," "youth," and "gay" suggests that poetry has the power to inspire us and to make us feel alive.

In conclusion, "Poetry Mummia" is a beautiful ode to the power of poetry. The poem suggests that poetry has the power to transport us to different times and places, to connect us with other people, and to inspire us. The use of vivid imagery, romanticism, and a deep appreciation for the beauty of life make this poem a classic that will continue to be celebrated for generations to come.

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