Self -Dependence Analysis

Weary of myself, and sick of asking
What I am, and what I ought to be,
At this vessel's prow I stand, which bears me
Forwards, forwards, o'er the starlit sea.

And a look of passionate desire
O'er the sea and to the stars I send:
"Ye who from my childhood up have calm'd me,
Calm me, ah, compose me to the end!

"Ah, once more," I cried, "ye stars, ye waters,
On my heart your mighty charm renew;
Still, still let me, as I gaze upon you,
Feel my soul becoming vast like you!"

From the intense, clear, star-sown vault of heaven,
Over the lit sea's unquiet way,
In the rustling night-air came the answer:
"Wouldst thou be as these are? Live as they.

"Unaffrighted by the silence round them,
Undistracted by the sights they see,
These demand not that the things without them
Yield them love, amusement, sympathy.

"And with joy the stars perform their shining,
And the sea its long moon-silver'd roll;
For self-poised they live, nor pine with noting
All the fever of some differing soul.

"Bounded by themselves, and unregardful
In what state God's other works may be,
In their own tasks all their powers pouring,
These attain the mighty life you see."

O air-born voice! long since, severely clear,
A cry like thine in mine own heart I hear:
"Resolve to be thyself; and know that he,
Who finds himself, loses his misery!"

.: :.

II. Highlights:
Stanza 3: The speaker (author) calls out to the stars and waters because he wanted their to be like his.
Stanza 5: The answer of the rustling night air (which is the nature) is that nature is self-dependent in the way they are undisturbed by their surroundings nor they need love, amusement or sympathy.
III. Critique
a. Characters: speaker (author) and the nature (rustling night air or air born voice)
b. Conflict: none
c. Theme: the nature of self-dependence
d. Message: Be self-dependent as nature does.
e. Kind of language used: poetic language
IV. Overall evaluation
Is it commendable?
Even though the poem is very rhetorical and the words used are deep and represents imagery, the poem is still commendable.
The poem narrates a story on how the speaker relates his character to the nature in terms of self-dependence. The nature (rustling night air or air born voice) replies his characteristics at which the speaker realizes to resolve himself and lose his misery or worry.
The poem gives us a very stunning lesson that people are isolating themselves from nature and from one another. This is very true today and this lesson must make people realize their wrong perception of self-dependence.


| Posted on 2007-10-24 | by a guest