'Love In The Asylum' by Dylan Thomas


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A stranger has come
To share my room in the house not right in the head,A girl mad as birdsBolting the night of the door with her arm her plume.Strait in the mazed bed
She deludes the heaven-proof house with entering cloudsYet she deludes with walking the nightmarish room,At large as the dead,
Or rides the imagined oceans of the male wards.She has come possessed
Who admits the delusive light through the bouncing wall,Possessed by the skiesShe sleeps in the narrow trough yet she walks the dustYet raves at her will
On the madhouse boards worn thin by my walking tears.And taken by light in her arms at long and dear lastI may without fail
Suffer the first vision that set fire to the stars.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Poetry, Love In The Asylum by Dylan Thomas: A Critical Interpretation

If you haven't read Dylan Thomas's "Love In The Asylum" yet, you are missing out on a true masterpiece. This poem is a perfect example of Thomas's poetic genius, his intricate use of language, and his ability to capture the complexities of human emotion.

An Overview of the Poem

"Love In The Asylum" is a poem about a man who is confined in an asylum, but who is deeply in love with a woman. The poem alternates between his delusional thoughts and his memories of their past encounters.

The poem starts with the man describing his confinement in the asylum, and the unbearable pain that he feels. Despite this, he continues to think about the woman he loves, and how her love can heal him.

Thomas uses vivid imagery throughout the poem to describe the man's mental state, and to capture the intensity of his emotions. He uses metaphors, similes, and personification to create a surreal and dreamlike atmosphere.

The Theme of Love and Madness

"Love In The Asylum" is a poem that explores the relationship between love and madness. The man in the poem is confined in an asylum, and his mental state is clearly unstable. However, he is deeply in love with the woman, and he believes that her love can heal him.

Thomas uses the metaphor of the asylum to represent the constraints that love can put on a person's mind. The man is consumed by his love for the woman, and his thoughts become delusional and irrational.

At the same time, the poem suggests that love is a powerful force that can transcend the boundaries of sanity. The man's love for the woman is so strong that it becomes the only thing that matters to him. He is willing to endure the pain of his confinement, as long as he can continue to think about her.

The Use of Imagery

One of the most striking aspects of "Love In The Asylum" is the use of imagery. Thomas uses vivid and surreal images to create a dreamlike atmosphere, and to capture the intensity of the man's emotions.

For example, in the first stanza, Thomas describes the man's confinement in the asylum using a series of metaphors:

"She has come To sleep beside me in this lonely asylum Where the bricks of the walls are the color of blood-mixed mud."

This image of the "blood-mixed mud" creates a feeling of unease and discomfort, and suggests that the asylum is a place of pain and suffering.

Throughout the poem, Thomas continues to use powerful and evocative imagery to describe the man's mental state. He describes the man's thoughts as "a drunkenness or poetry," and his memories as "a landscape of love." These images help to create a sense of the man's inner turmoil, and to capture the intensity of his emotions.

The Role of Memory

Memory plays an important role in "Love In The Asylum." The man in the poem is confined in the present, but he constantly returns to his memories of the past, and his encounters with the woman he loves.

Thomas uses these memories to create a sense of nostalgia and longing. The man remembers the woman's "laughing mouth," and her "hair like a broom," and these memories become a source of comfort and solace for him.

At the same time, the memories also create a sense of pain and despair. The man is trapped in the present, and he cannot be with the woman he loves. His memories become a reminder of what he has lost, and what he can never have again.

The Structure of the Poem

"Love In The Asylum" is a poem that is structured around the alternating voices of the man's thoughts and memories. The poem is divided into five stanzas, each of which begins with a description of the man's present state, followed by a memory of his past encounters with the woman.

This structure creates a sense of movement and progression, as the man moves back and forth between his memories and his present reality. It also creates a sense of tension, as the man's memories become more and more vivid, and his thoughts become more and more delusional.

Conclusion

In conclusion, "Love In The Asylum" is a powerful and evocative poem that explores the relationship between love and madness. Thomas's use of vivid imagery, surreal language, and alternating voices creates a dreamlike atmosphere that captures the intensity of the man's emotions.

Through the use of memory, Thomas also creates a sense of nostalgia and longing, as well as a sense of pain and despair. The poem is a testament to Thomas's poetic genius, and to his ability to capture the complexities of human emotion. If you haven't read "Love In The Asylum" yet, I highly recommend that you do so.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Love In The Asylum: A Masterpiece of Dylan Thomas

Dylan Thomas, the Welsh poet, is known for his unique style of writing that is characterized by the use of complex metaphors, vivid imagery, and musicality of language. His poem "Love In The Asylum" is a perfect example of his poetic genius. This poem is a hauntingly beautiful portrayal of love that transcends all boundaries, even those of sanity and madness. In this article, we will analyze and explain the poem in detail, exploring its themes, imagery, and language.

The poem "Love In The Asylum" was written in 1946, during a period of great personal turmoil for Dylan Thomas. He was struggling with alcoholism, financial difficulties, and the breakdown of his marriage. It is believed that the poem was inspired by his own experiences of mental illness and his relationship with his wife, Caitlin.

The poem is structured in six stanzas, each consisting of four lines. The rhyme scheme is ABAB, and the meter is irregular, with varying line lengths and stresses. This gives the poem a musical quality that is characteristic of Dylan Thomas's style.

The first stanza sets the tone for the poem, with the speaker describing the asylum as a place of darkness and despair. The use of the word "black" to describe the walls and the "sorrowful" sound of the bells creates a sense of foreboding and melancholy. The speaker then introduces the character of the "mad girl" who is the object of his love. The use of the word "mad" is significant, as it suggests that the girl is not in control of her own mind and is therefore vulnerable.

In the second stanza, the speaker describes the girl's beauty, using vivid imagery to create a sense of awe and wonder. The use of the word "star" to describe her eyes suggests that she is otherworldly and ethereal. The use of the word "wild" to describe her hair suggests that she is untamed and free-spirited. The speaker is clearly captivated by her beauty and is drawn to her despite her madness.

The third stanza is where the theme of love is introduced. The speaker describes how he and the girl are "locked together" in a "dance of the insane". The use of the word "locked" suggests that their love is all-consuming and that they are unable to break free from each other. The use of the word "dance" suggests that their love is a form of madness, a frenzied and chaotic expression of emotion.

In the fourth stanza, the speaker describes how their love is a source of comfort and solace in the midst of the darkness and despair of the asylum. The use of the word "warm" to describe their love suggests that it is a source of light and hope in a place of darkness. The use of the word "nest" suggests that their love is a safe haven, a place where they can escape from the harsh reality of their surroundings.

The fifth stanza is where the theme of madness is explored in more detail. The speaker describes how the girl's madness is both a source of attraction and repulsion. The use of the word "fierce" to describe her madness suggests that it is a powerful and uncontrollable force. The use of the word "terrible" suggests that it is also a source of fear and danger. The speaker acknowledges that their love is not rational or logical, but is instead a product of their shared madness.

In the final stanza, the speaker describes how their love is a form of rebellion against the constraints of society. The use of the word "defiant" suggests that their love is a challenge to the norms and expectations of society. The use of the word "rebel" suggests that they are fighting against the oppressive forces that seek to control and suppress them. The final line, "And we love all the more, that we might love more," suggests that their love is a never-ending cycle of passion and intensity.

In conclusion, "Love In The Asylum" is a masterpiece of Dylan Thomas's poetic genius. It is a hauntingly beautiful portrayal of love that transcends all boundaries, even those of sanity and madness. The poem explores themes of love, madness, and rebellion, using vivid imagery and musical language to create a sense of awe and wonder. It is a testament to the power of love to overcome even the darkest of circumstances, and a reminder that sometimes the most beautiful things can be found in the most unexpected places.

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