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Elegy For Jane Analysis
Author: Poetry of Theodore Roethke Type: Poetry Views: 3147
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And her quick look, a sidelong pickerel smile;
And how, once startled into talk, the light syllables leaped for her,
And she balanced in the delight of her thought,A wren, happy, tail into the wind,
Her song trembling the twigs and small branches.
The shade sang with her;
The leaves, their whispers turned to kissing,
And the mould sang in the bleached valleys under the rose.Oh, when she was sad, she cast herself down into such a pure depth,
Even a father could not find her:
Scraping her cheek against straw,
Stirring the clearest water.My sparrow, you are not here,
Waiting like a fern, making a spiney shadow.
The sides of wet stones cannot console me,
Nor the moss, wound with the last light.If only I could nudge you from this sleep,
My maimed darling, my skittery pigeon.
Over this damp grave I speak the words of my love:
I, with no rights in this matter,
Neither father nor lover.
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||| Analysis | Critique | Overview Below |||
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The most striking tension in this poem exists within the speaker's (a teacher named Roethke) feelings of love for the named (college) student, which are both sexual and fatherly. Its thesis being that the two loves aren't exclusive. Also, there's a tension in the fact that he was unable to be either one for the student: it's stated explicitly that he was never a lover, and implied that he failed to perform/be an adequate father-figure for her at some point in the past, in the line "even a father could not find her".
Oh, and I agree with the earlier comment, that he's the maimed horse.
| Posted on 2009-09-08 | by a guest
The most striking tension in this poem exists within the speaker's (a teacher named Roethke) feelings of love for the named (college) student, which are both sexual and fatherly. Its thesis being that the two loves aren't exclusive. Also, there's a tension in the fact that he was unable to be either one for the student: it's stated explicitly that he was never a lover, and implied that he failed to perform/be an adequate father-figure for her at some point in the past, in the line "even a father could not find her".
Oh, and I agree with the earlier comment, that he's the maimed horse.
| Posted on 2009-09-08 | by a guest
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Are we confusing pedophilia with being a stalker? Just because the teacher watches the student in detail doesn't make him a pedophile - that is just a ridiculous analysis of the poem. I don't even think he is a stalker, but instead a great teacher who loves, respects, and admires his student.
| Posted on 2009-06-09 | by a guest
Are we confusing pedophilia with being a stalker? Just because the teacher watches the student in detail doesn't make him a pedophile - that is just a ridiculous analysis of the poem. I don't even think he is a stalker, but instead a great teacher who loves, respects, and admires his student.
| Posted on 2009-06-09 | by a guest
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Does anyone know what he means when he says " waiting like a fern, making a spiny Shadow"??? what does it mean to wait like a fern???
| Posted on 2009-06-08 | by a guest
Does anyone know what he means when he says " waiting like a fern, making a spiny Shadow"??? what does it mean to wait like a fern???
| Posted on 2009-06-08 | by a guest
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You can read this poem two different ways. You could look at it as if the teacher was in love with her, or you could reads as if he were just admiring her. He was a teacher who greatly admired her. Some think he was in love with her and some think it’s just normal for teachers to admire their better students. But, if he was in love with her, it really shows in this poem. When he says, “Over this damp grave I speak the words of my love:
I, with no rights in this matter,” proves it. Also, at the end, when he says “Neither father nor lover.” That also states he’s not in love with her.
BUT HE IS NOT A PEDOPHILE PEOPLE. WAKE UP! THAT WOULD MEAN WHEN UR DAD TELLS YOU HE LOVES YOU, YOU WOULD THINK OF HIM AS A PEDOPHILE. YALL R SOME JACKS WHO NEED 2 REALLY WAKE UP. READ A BOOK.
| Posted on 2009-05-12 | by a guest
You can read this poem two different ways. You could look at it as if the teacher was in love with her, or you could reads as if he were just admiring her. He was a teacher who greatly admired her. Some think he was in love with her and some think it’s just normal for teachers to admire their better students. But, if he was in love with her, it really shows in this poem. When he says, “Over this damp grave I speak the words of my love:
I, with no rights in this matter,” proves it. Also, at the end, when he says “Neither father nor lover.” That also states he’s not in love with her.
BUT HE IS NOT A PEDOPHILE PEOPLE. WAKE UP! THAT WOULD MEAN WHEN UR DAD TELLS YOU HE LOVES YOU, YOU WOULD THINK OF HIM AS A PEDOPHILE. YALL R SOME JACKS WHO NEED 2 REALLY WAKE UP. READ A BOOK.
| Posted on 2009-05-12 | by a guest
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This poem isn't about a pedophile. The only comments I've read that make a bit of sense here are the 2005-05-01 and the 2008-04-01. Everyone else is missing the point. You guys are jacks
| Posted on 2009-05-11 | by a guest
This poem isn't about a pedophile. The only comments I've read that make a bit of sense here are the 2005-05-01 and the 2008-04-01. Everyone else is missing the point. You guys are jacks
| Posted on 2009-05-11 | by a guest
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A horse...??? WRONG
Not a pedophile....??? WRONG
He is a creeper. End of story.
| Posted on 2009-04-29 | by a guest
A horse...??? WRONG
Not a pedophile....??? WRONG
He is a creeper. End of story.
| Posted on 2009-04-29 | by a guest
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Okay, sorry to everyone that thinks that the speaker is a pedophile, but that's clearly not what he is saying, because at the end he says that he is "Neither father nor lover." Which means that he was NOT in love with her, he just happened to admire her and have a friendly relationship with her. Also, technically if the students are over 18, they are considered adult enough to consider their own actions and the consequences associated with them. And even if you still believe the pedophile idea, consider that the speaker of the poem and the author are not necessarily one and the same.
| Posted on 2009-04-19 | by a guest
Okay, sorry to everyone that thinks that the speaker is a pedophile, but that's clearly not what he is saying, because at the end he says that he is "Neither father nor lover." Which means that he was NOT in love with her, he just happened to admire her and have a friendly relationship with her. Also, technically if the students are over 18, they are considered adult enough to consider their own actions and the consequences associated with them. And even if you still believe the pedophile idea, consider that the speaker of the poem and the author are not necessarily one and the same.
| Posted on 2009-04-19 | by a guest
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this is a pic of me riding my horse just in case you are interested x
| Posted on 2009-03-09 | by a guest
this is a pic of me riding my horse just in case you are interested x
| Posted on 2009-03-09 | by a guest
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Back when me and my family lived on a farm we had a couple of horses so this poem really brings me back to those glorious days
| Posted on 2009-03-09 | by a guest
Back when me and my family lived on a farm we had a couple of horses so this poem really brings me back to those glorious days
| Posted on 2009-03-09 | by a guest
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It's obvious that the speaker is a maimed horse, mourning the loss of her young calf.
| Posted on 2009-03-09 | by a guest
It's obvious that the speaker is a maimed horse, mourning the loss of her young calf.
| Posted on 2009-03-09 | by a guest
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No it says that his student was THROWN by THE HORSE not she is the horse.
| Posted on 2009-03-04 | by a guest
No it says that his student was THROWN by THE HORSE not she is the horse.
| Posted on 2009-03-04 | by a guest
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Is she a HORSE? We did this for a literature test and people are saying she's a HORSE !! :O
| Posted on 2009-02-27 | by a guest
Is she a HORSE? We did this for a literature test and people are saying she's a HORSE !! :O
| Posted on 2009-02-27 | by a guest
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Roethke taught in a university. Aren't most students 18 or over? Thus unless the girl was a very young freshman how could he be a pedopile?
| Posted on 2009-02-12 | by a guest
Roethke taught in a university. Aren't most students 18 or over? Thus unless the girl was a very young freshman how could he be a pedopile?
| Posted on 2009-02-12 | by a guest
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You could read this either way: either he was simply an admiring teacher, or he was in love with her. And that is how Roethke probably intended it...to be ambiguous. It lends the poem much more depth when we are not sure of its intentions.
| Posted on 2009-01-26 | by a guest
You could read this either way: either he was simply an admiring teacher, or he was in love with her. And that is how Roethke probably intended it...to be ambiguous. It lends the poem much more depth when we are not sure of its intentions.
| Posted on 2009-01-26 | by a guest
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I have had close relationships with teachers that were through mutual respect and admiration. I know that many of them would react in the same way. You cannot jump to ridiculos conclusions about this poems meaning when it is clearly about a teacher who loved and respected a student. Nothing more. it is not a sin to feel tragedy when a student you admire dies.
| Posted on 2009-01-23 | by a guest
I have had close relationships with teachers that were through mutual respect and admiration. I know that many of them would react in the same way. You cannot jump to ridiculos conclusions about this poems meaning when it is clearly about a teacher who loved and respected a student. Nothing more. it is not a sin to feel tragedy when a student you admire dies.
| Posted on 2009-01-23 | by a guest
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The teacher is obviously not inlove with his student because he even states at the end that he has no right, the student he lost was probably just one that showed great potential and was a tragic loss, by the way admiration is not love. I also do not understand how people think of him as a pedophile escpecially when there is no evidence of the students age. FYI PEOPLE WHO ATTEND COLLEGE ARE STUDENTS TOO.
| Posted on 2009-01-19 | by a guest
The teacher is obviously not inlove with his student because he even states at the end that he has no right, the student he lost was probably just one that showed great potential and was a tragic loss, by the way admiration is not love. I also do not understand how people think of him as a pedophile escpecially when there is no evidence of the students age. FYI PEOPLE WHO ATTEND COLLEGE ARE STUDENTS TOO.
| Posted on 2009-01-19 | by a guest
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"...their whispers turned to kissing"
"bleached valleys under the rose"
Think about it. Of course he was in love with her.
| Posted on 2008-12-12 | by a guest
"...their whispers turned to kissing"
"bleached valleys under the rose"
Think about it. Of course he was in love with her.
| Posted on 2008-12-12 | by a guest
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You guys are all perverts of course he wasn't in love with the student. WTF?
| Posted on 2008-10-23 | by a guest
You guys are all perverts of course he wasn't in love with the student. WTF?
| Posted on 2008-10-23 | by a guest
.: Analysis :.
If a teacher may weigh in: There is no pedophilia in the poem, and he was not "in love" with the student. It is completely normal for a teacher to greatly admire a good student and to feel upset by her untimely death. Teachers partially enjoy teaching because they enjoy being around young people--for the right reasons. It is also not unusual for a teacher to be able to describe his students with rich imagery. A good teacher loves all of his students for being who they are.
| Posted on 2008-04-01 | by a guest
If a teacher may weigh in: There is no pedophilia in the poem, and he was not "in love" with the student. It is completely normal for a teacher to greatly admire a good student and to feel upset by her untimely death. Teachers partially enjoy teaching because they enjoy being around young people--for the right reasons. It is also not unusual for a teacher to be able to describe his students with rich imagery. A good teacher loves all of his students for being who they are.
| Posted on 2008-04-01 | by a guest
.: Poetry :.
This Poem is obviously about a pedophile. There are severl lines that suggest this. Even though he describes himself as a teacher he describes several extracuricular activities with his student.
| Posted on 2008-01-25 | by a guest
This Poem is obviously about a pedophile. There are severl lines that suggest this. Even though he describes himself as a teacher he describes several extracuricular activities with his student.
| Posted on 2008-01-25 | by a guest
.: Analysis: Elegy for Jane :.
This poem is written in the point of view of a teacher. This teacher is writing about his student which died. And his telling how much he admired her. He describes her and by the way he does it, it tells like he's in love with her. He watches every detail of the girl. He's sad because she's gone and this is demonstrated when he says: "My sparrow (bird), you are not here..." A regular teacher wouldn't talk like that about his student. And at the end the author says that he is neither father nor lover. When he says this it is confirmed that he is the teacher, and since he is the teacher he has no part in her life, he has no rights. But he surely is in love with her.
This analysis was done for the benefit of students that don't understand this beautiful poem written by Theodore Roethke.
| Posted on 2005-05-01 | by Approved Guest
This poem is written in the point of view of a teacher. This teacher is writing about his student which died. And his telling how much he admired her. He describes her and by the way he does it, it tells like he's in love with her. He watches every detail of the girl. He's sad because she's gone and this is demonstrated when he says: "My sparrow (bird), you are not here..." A regular teacher wouldn't talk like that about his student. And at the end the author says that he is neither father nor lover. When he says this it is confirmed that he is the teacher, and since he is the teacher he has no part in her life, he has no rights. But he surely is in love with her.
This analysis was done for the benefit of students that don't understand this beautiful poem written by Theodore Roethke.
| Posted on 2005-05-01 | by Approved Guest
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