Anatomy of Monotony

Anatomy of Monotony

"Anatomy of Monotony" is a poem from the second, 1931, editionof Wallace Stevens's first book of poetry,"Harmonium." Unlike most ofthe poems in this collection, it was first published in 1931, [Stevens, H. p. 260] so it isrestricted by copyright until 2025 in America and similarjurisdictions, because of legislation like the
Sonny Bono Copyright TermExtension Act. However, it is quoted here in full, as justified by
fair use for the purpose of scholarly commentary.

The poet conceives us as evolving and increasingly civilized products of anearthly process. Indeed the earth itself is growing and growing old,while we sport our complex bodies and venture ever more sophisticateddesires. Human experience is a kind of illusion engendered by ourevolved sense organs, vulnerable to "the mother's death" and the colddeath of the universe. The spirit sees this and is aggrieved, for itwould harbor experience in some place that transcends nature, free fromthe contingencies of earth and universe.

The poem can be read as ironic, as calling into question the pretensionof `the spirit'. This reading is supported by the naturalistic tenorof the "Harmonium" collection as a whole, and specifically by theparallel of Invective Against Swans. Thedesire for transcendence of nature is one of those "finer, moreimplacable chords" that the poet disavows, as also in Sunday Morning.

Notes

References

  • Stevens, Holly. "Letters of Wallace Stevens". 1966: Alfred A. Knopf

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Harmonium (poetry collection) — Harmonium is a book of poetry by U.S. poet Wallace Stevens. His first book, it was published in 1923 by Knopf in an edition of 1500 copies. He was in middle age at that time, forty four years old. The collection comprises 85 poems, ranging in… …   Wikipedia

  • painting, Western — ▪ art Introduction       history of Western painting from its beginnings in prehistoric times to the present.       Painting, the execution of forms and shapes on a surface by means of pigment (but see also drawing for discussion of depictions in …   Universalium

  • speech — /speech/, n. 1. the faculty or power of speaking; oral communication; ability to express one s thoughts and emotions by speech sounds and gesture: Losing her speech made her feel isolated from humanity. 2. the act of speaking: He expresses… …   Universalium

  • sexual behaviour, human — Introduction       any activity solitary, between two persons, or in a group that induces sexual arousal. There are two major determinants of human sexual behaviour: the inherited sexual response patterns that have evolved as a means of ensuring… …   Universalium

  • English literature — Introduction       the body of written works produced in the English language by inhabitants of the British Isles (including Ireland) from the 7th century to the present day. The major literatures written in English outside the British Isles are… …   Universalium

  • Phantasy Star II Text Adventures — Infobox VG caption = Title Screen of Eusis s (Rolf s) Adventure title = developer = Sega publisher = Sega release = vgy|1990 genre = Text Adventure modes = Single player ratings = platforms = Sega Mega Drive, Sega CD media = Download requirements …   Wikipedia

  • literature — /lit euhr euh cheuhr, choor , li treuh /, n. 1. writings in which expression and form, in connection with ideas of permanent and universal interest, are characteristic or essential features, as poetry, novels, history, biography, and essays. 2.… …   Universalium

  • Lyly, John — (1554? 1606)    Dramatist and miscellaneous writer, was b. in the Weald of Kent, and ed. at both Oxf. and Camb. He wrote several dramas, most of which are on classical and mythological subjects, including Campaspe and Sapho and Phao (1584),… …   Short biographical dictionary of English literature

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”