Sonnet Analysis

ON THE MASSACRE OF THE CHRISTIANS IN BULGARIA.

CHRIST, dost thou live indeed? or are thy bones
Still straightened in their rock-hewn sepulchre?
And was thy Rising only dreamed by Her
Whose love of thee for all her sin atones?
For here the air is horrid with men's groans,
The priests who call upon thy name are slain,
Dost thou not hear the bitter wail of pain
From those whose children lie upon the stones?
Come down, O Son of God! incestuous gloom
Curtains the land, and through the starless night10
Over thy Cross the Crescent moon I see!
If thou in very truth didst burst the tomb
Come down, O Son of Man! and show thy might,
Lest Mahomet be crowned instead of Thee!

.: :.

Oooo, this is a very good piece that questions faith. He is giving instances that, in the seeming absence of God and Jesus, people are being killed. Priests were being killed and children being murdered --- what kind of world would this be if God had existed? Surely He would have prevented all this, right? Yes, wherein lies Wilde's doubt of Him.

God is all knowing so perhaps there is a reason behind all this?

Who is Mahomet? A figure in Wilde's time, I'm sure, but he is questioning Jesus's paramount status and instead is indicating that there is more of a qualified man (or woman) for the "crown" (which he refers to quite often --- I think it is the crown of thorns, symbolic of pain and suffering but also forgiveness? I'm not a religeous person, or man of faith or any background on religion, so I don't know the exact meaning behind the thorns).

He's calling upon Jesus. Lots of suffering is happening...

| Posted on 2005-02-20 | by the weird eel