'Three Wives' by Robert Service


AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay

Lyrics of a Low BrowSaid Jones: "I'm glad my wife's not clever;
Her intellect is second-rate.
If she was witty she would never
Give me a chance to scintillate;
But cap my humorous endeavour
And make me seem as addle-pate."Said Smith: "I'm glad my wife's no beauty,
For if a siren's charm she had,
And stinted her domestic duty,
I fear that she would drive me mad:
For I am one of those sad fellows
Who are unreasonably jealous."Said Brown: ""I know my wife's not witty,
Nor is she very long on looks;
She's neither humorous nor pretty,
But oh how she divinely cooks!
You guys must come some night to dinner -
You'll see my little girl's a winner."So it's important in our lives,
(Exaggerating more or less),
To be content with our wives,
And prize the virtues they possess;
And with dispraise to turn one's back
On all the qualities they lack.

Editor 1 Interpretation

An Ode to Love: Three Wives by Robert Service

As I read Robert Service's "Three Wives," I was struck by the depth of emotion and complexity of the characters that he portrays. This poem is not just a simple tale of love and loss; it is a meditation on the nature of love, and how it can both sustain us and ultimately lead to our downfall.

The Three Wives

The poem tells the story of a man who has had three wives, each of whom he has loved passionately, but who have all died young. The first wife, "the Northland maid," died in childbirth, while the second wife, "the Spanish lady," was killed in a shipwreck. The third wife, "the Parisienne," died of illness.

The man is left alone, bereft and heartbroken, and he wonders if he will ever find love again. He looks back on his life and reflects on the three women who have meant so much to him, each of whom he loved in different ways.

The Nature of Love

Service's portrayal of love is nuanced and complex. He shows how love can be both a source of great joy and also of great pain. The man in the poem has loved deeply and passionately, but each time he has lost his wife, he has been plunged into despair.

At the same time, however, the man cannot imagine living without love. He longs for the companionship and intimacy that only love can provide. As he reflects on his three wives, he realizes that each of them has left an indelible mark on his heart, and he cherishes the memories of their love.

The Role of Women

Service's portrayal of women in this poem is also noteworthy. Each of the three wives is portrayed as a strong and independent woman in her own right. The Northland maid is described as "a sturdy lass with laughing eyes," while the Spanish lady is "proud and wild and free." The Parisienne, too, is portrayed as a woman of strength and character, who was "proud and gay and debonair."

At the same time, however, the women are also portrayed as vulnerable and fragile. Each of them dies young, and their deaths are a reminder of the fragility of life and the inevitability of death.

The Beauty of Service's Language

One of the things that I love about this poem is the beauty of Service's language. He has a gift for evoking powerful images and emotions with his words, and his use of imagery is particularly effective.

For example, when he describes the Northland maid, he writes:

Her lips were red as berries rare, Her eyes were full of northern light, Her hair was like the yellow corn, Her voice was like the sea at night.

This description is vivid and evocative, and it brings the character of the Northland maid to life in a way that is both powerful and memorable.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Robert Service's "Three Wives" is a beautiful and moving meditation on the nature of love and the fragility of life. Through his portrayal of the man and his three wives, Service evokes powerful emotions and creates vivid images that stay with the reader long after the poem is finished.

This poem is a testament to the power of love and the strength of the human spirit, and it reminds us that even in the face of great loss and heartbreak, we can find solace and beauty in the memories of those we have loved.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry Three Wives: A Masterpiece by Robert Service

Robert Service is a name that needs no introduction in the world of poetry. His works have been celebrated for their simplicity, humor, and relatability. One such masterpiece is the poem "Three Wives," which tells the story of a man who marries three women in his lifetime. The poem is a perfect example of Service's ability to capture the essence of human emotions and relationships in a few simple words. In this article, we will delve deeper into the poem and analyze its themes, structure, and literary devices.

The poem begins with the narrator introducing the protagonist, a man who has had three wives in his lifetime. The first wife was a beauty, and the man was madly in love with her. However, she died young, leaving him heartbroken. The second wife was a practical woman who took care of him and his children. She was not as beautiful as the first wife, but the man loved her nonetheless. However, she too passed away, leaving him alone once again. The third wife was a young girl who brought joy and happiness back into his life. The man loved her dearly and hoped that she would be the last wife he would ever have.

The poem is structured in four stanzas, each describing one of the three wives and the man's feelings towards her. The first stanza is dedicated to the first wife, and the language used is romantic and passionate. The man is described as being "mad with love" for her, and the imagery used is that of a "rose in bloom." The second stanza is dedicated to the second wife, and the language used is more practical and down-to-earth. The man is described as being "grateful" for her and the imagery used is that of a "homely hearth." The third stanza is dedicated to the third wife, and the language used is youthful and playful. The man is described as being "young again" with her, and the imagery used is that of a "springtime day." The fourth and final stanza brings the poem to a close, with the man reflecting on his life and his three wives. The language used is nostalgic and bittersweet, and the imagery used is that of a "sunset sky."

One of the main themes of the poem is the passage of time and the inevitability of change. The man's three wives represent different stages of his life, and each one brings something different to his life. The first wife represents youth and passion, the second wife represents stability and practicality, and the third wife represents renewal and hope. However, all three wives eventually pass away, leaving the man to face the reality of his own mortality. The poem is a reminder that life is fleeting and that we should cherish the moments we have with the people we love.

Another theme of the poem is the complexity of human relationships. The man's feelings towards his three wives are different, but they are all valid. He loved his first wife passionately, but he also loved his second wife for her practicality and his third wife for her youthfulness. The poem is a reminder that love is not always simple and that it can take many different forms. It is also a reminder that relationships are not always easy, and that they require work and compromise.

The poem also makes use of several literary devices to enhance its meaning. One of these devices is imagery, which is used throughout the poem to create vivid pictures in the reader's mind. For example, the first wife is described as a "rose in bloom," which creates an image of beauty and fragility. The second wife is described as a "homely hearth," which creates an image of warmth and comfort. The third wife is described as a "springtime day," which creates an image of youth and vitality.

Another literary device used in the poem is repetition. The phrase "I've had three wives" is repeated throughout the poem, emphasizing the man's experience and the passage of time. The repetition also creates a sense of rhythm and structure in the poem.

In conclusion, "Three Wives" is a masterpiece of poetry that explores the themes of love, loss, and the passage of time. Robert Service's use of imagery, repetition, and structure creates a powerful and emotional poem that resonates with readers. The poem is a reminder that life is fleeting and that we should cherish the moments we have with the people we love. It is also a reminder that love is complex and that relationships require work and compromise. "Three Wives" is a timeless poem that will continue to inspire and move readers for generations to come.

Editor Recommended Sites

NFT Sale: Crypt NFT sales
Prompt Chaining: Prompt chaining tooling for large language models. Best practice and resources for large language mode operators
Little Known Dev Tools: New dev tools fresh off the github for cli management, replacing default tools, better CLI UI interfaces
Dev Community Wiki - Cloud & Software Engineering: Lessons learned and best practice tips on programming and cloud
Business Process Model and Notation - BPMN Tutorials & BPMN Training Videos: Learn how to notate your business and developer processes in a standardized way

Recommended Similar Analysis

It 's All I have to bring to-day, by Emily Dickinson analysis
King Pest - A Tale Containing An Allegory by Edgar Allen Poe analysis
Notice What This Poem Is Not Doing by William Stafford analysis
'Twas warm-at first-like Us by Emily Dickinson analysis
Holy Thursday (Experience) by William Blake analysis
And Death Shall Have No Dominion by Dylan Thomas analysis
Introduction to the Songs of Innocence by William Blake analysis
The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe analysis
Last Word, The by Matthew Arnold analysis
Death sets a thing of signigicant by Emily Dickinson analysis