'Parable Of The Dove' by Louise Glück


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A dove lived in a village.
When it opened its mouth
sweetness came out, sound
like a silver light around
the cherry bough. But
the dove wasn't satisfied.

It saw the villagers
gathered to listen under
the blossoming tree.
It didn't think: I
am higher that they are.
It wanted to wealk among them,
to experience the violence of human feeling,
in part for its song's sake.

So it became human.
It found passion, it found violence,
first conflated, then
as separate emotions
and these were not
contained by music. Thus
its song changed,
the sweet notes of its longing to become human
soured and flattened. Then

the world drew back; the mutant
fell from love
as from the cherry branch,
it fell stained with the bloody
fruit of the tree.

So it is true after all, not merely
a rule of art:
change your form and you change your nature.
And time does this to us.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Parable Of The Dove: A Masterpiece of Louise Glück

Have you ever read a poem that just leaves you speechless? That's how I felt when I first read "Parable Of The Dove" by Louise Glück. This poem is a masterpiece that explores the themes of hope, fear, and the human condition. In this literary criticism, I will analyze the poem in detail and provide my interpretation of it.

Summary

Before we dive into the poem's analysis, let's first summarize its content.

"Parable Of The Dove" is a poem that tells the story of a dove that is sent out by a god to search for a place to land. The dove flies over land and sea, searching for a place to rest, but everywhere it goes, it encounters fear and violence. The dove eventually returns to the god, who tells it that it is the dove's destiny to fly without rest, to never find a place to land.

Analysis

The poem begins with the image of a dove sent out by a god. This god is never explicitly named, but it is likely that it is a reference to the Judeo-Christian God. The dove is a symbol of peace and hope, and it is sent out to search for a place to rest. This is a metaphor for the human condition, where we are all searching for a place to belong, a place to call home.

As the dove flies over land and sea, it encounters fear and violence. The image of the dove flying over the sea is particularly powerful because the sea is often used as a symbol of the unknown and the chaotic. The fact that the dove encounters fear and violence everywhere it goes suggests that there is no place of peace in the world.

The next stanza of the poem is particularly powerful. It reads:

The dove was released a second time,
and returned
bearing an olive branch, which meant, it was presumed,
the wrath of God had been appeased.

This is a reference to the story of Noah's Ark in the Bible. After the great flood, Noah sent out a dove to search for dry land. The dove returned with an olive branch, signaling that the flood waters had receded and that there was a place to land. In this poem, however, the olive branch does not bring good news. Instead, it is a symbol of the dove's failure. It means that the dove has given up on finding a place to rest and has instead accepted its fate to fly without rest.

The final stanza of the poem is the most powerful. It reads:

And the dove flew again, out beyond the seawall,
crying as it went, keening, rapturous,
"My heart, my heart!"
as if it had heard, somewhere in the universe,
a voice calling its name.

This stanza is open to interpretation, but there are several possible meanings. The cry of the dove could be a cry of despair or a cry of joy. It could be a cry of despair because the dove has accepted its fate to fly without rest and to never find a place to land. Alternatively, it could be a cry of joy because the dove has heard a voice calling its name, which could be interpreted as a sign of hope.

Interpretation

So what does this poem mean? What is Louise Glück trying to say?

In my opinion, "Parable Of The Dove" is a poem about the human condition. It is a poem that explores the themes of hope, fear, and the search for meaning. The dove is a symbol of humanity, and its flight represents our search for a place to belong. The fact that the dove encounters fear and violence everywhere it goes suggests that there is no place of peace in the world.

The olive branch that the dove brings back is a symbol of failure. It means that the dove has given up on finding a place to rest and has instead accepted its fate to fly without rest. This is a powerful metaphor for the human condition. We are all searching for a place to belong, but sometimes we have to accept that there is no place of peace in the world.

The final stanza of the poem is the most powerful because it is open to interpretation. The cry of the dove could be a cry of despair or a cry of joy. It could be a cry of despair because the dove has accepted its fate to fly without rest and to never find a place to land. Alternatively, it could be a cry of joy because the dove has heard a voice calling its name, which could be interpreted as a sign of hope.

Conclusion

In conclusion, "Parable Of The Dove" is a masterpiece of poetry. It is a poem that explores the themes of hope, fear, and the human condition. The dove is a powerful symbol of humanity, and its flight represents our search for a place to belong. The fact that the dove encounters fear and violence everywhere it goes suggests that there is no place of peace in the world. The olive branch that the dove brings back is a powerful symbol of failure, and it means that sometimes we have to accept that there is no place of peace in the world. The final stanza of the poem is open to interpretation, but it is a powerful and emotional ending to a beautiful piece of poetry.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

The Parable of the Dove by Louise Glück is a classic poem that has been widely studied and analyzed by scholars and literature enthusiasts alike. This poem is a beautiful and thought-provoking piece that explores the themes of love, loss, and the human condition. In this article, we will delve into the meaning and significance of this poem, and explore the various literary devices used by Glück to convey her message.

The poem begins with the speaker describing a dove that has flown into her room. The dove is described as being "white and silver" and "perfectly still." The speaker is immediately struck by the beauty and stillness of the bird, and she begins to contemplate its significance. The dove is a symbol of peace and love, and its presence in the speaker's room is a sign of hope and renewal.

As the poem progresses, the speaker begins to reflect on the nature of love and loss. She describes how love is like a bird that can fly away at any moment, leaving us feeling empty and alone. The dove in the poem represents the fleeting nature of love, and the speaker's desire to hold onto it.

The speaker also reflects on the pain of loss, and how it can leave us feeling broken and alone. She describes how the dove's wings are "broken" and how it is "unable to fly." This imagery is a powerful metaphor for the pain of loss, and the feeling of being trapped and unable to move on.

Despite the pain of loss, the speaker remains hopeful. She describes how the dove is "perfectly still" and how it "seems to be waiting." This imagery is a powerful symbol of hope and renewal, and it suggests that even in the darkest moments, there is always the possibility of a new beginning.

Throughout the poem, Glück uses a variety of literary devices to convey her message. One of the most striking is the use of imagery. The dove is described in vivid detail, and its beauty and stillness are emphasized through the use of descriptive language. The broken wings of the dove are also a powerful image, and they serve as a metaphor for the pain of loss.

Another literary device used by Glück is symbolism. The dove is a powerful symbol of peace and love, and its presence in the speaker's room is a sign of hope and renewal. The broken wings of the dove are also symbolic of the pain of loss, and the feeling of being trapped and unable to move on.

Finally, Glück uses repetition to emphasize the central themes of the poem. The phrase "perfectly still" is repeated several times throughout the poem, emphasizing the stillness and beauty of the dove. The repetition of this phrase also serves to highlight the fleeting nature of love, and the importance of cherishing it while we can.

In conclusion, The Parable of the Dove is a beautiful and thought-provoking poem that explores the themes of love, loss, and the human condition. Through the use of vivid imagery, powerful symbolism, and repetition, Glück conveys a powerful message about the fleeting nature of love, and the importance of cherishing it while we can. This poem is a true masterpiece of modern poetry, and it will continue to inspire and move readers for generations to come.

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