Two Figures In Dense Violet Night

Two Figures In Dense Violet Night

Two Figures in Dense Violet Night is a poem from Wallace Stevens's first book of poetry, "Harmonium." It was first published in 1923. [Buttel, p. 122]

Buttel reads the poem as about the "humorous disparity between gauche male and suave female" [Buttel, p. 24] . But it can also be read as neither humorous nor gender-specific, but rather as a meditation on the lover's otherness or `alterity'. The former assimilates it to such poems as Plot Against The Giant, the latter to such as Le Monocle De Mon Oncle. Related to the latter reading is the suggestion that the poem addresses the relationship of a poet to the reader, who is enjoined to match the poet's imaginative response to the world.

Stevens endows the poem with pace by use of the imperative mood.

Notes

References

  • Buttel, Robert. "Wallace Stevens: The Making of Harmonium". 1967: Princeton University Press.

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Night Wizard! — 2nd ed. cover Designer(s) Takeshi Kikuchi, F.E.A.R. Publisher(s) Enterbrain Publication date 2002 (1st edition) 2007 (2nd edition) Ge …   Wikipedia

  • 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

  • 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

  • List of The Dresden Files characters — The Dresden Files series features a diverse cast of complicated characters. Contents 1 Main characters 1.1 Harry Dresden 1.2 Karrin Murphy 1.3 Bob …   Wikipedia

  • performing arts — arts or skills that require public performance, as acting, singing, or dancing. [1945 50] * * * ▪ 2009 Introduction Music Classical.       The last vestiges of the Cold War seemed to thaw for a moment on Feb. 26, 2008, when the unfamiliar strains …   Universalium

  • environment — environmental, adj. environmentally, adv. /en vuy reuhn meuhnt, vuy euhrn /, n. 1. the aggregate of surrounding things, conditions, or influences; surroundings; milieu. 2. Ecol. the air, water, minerals, organisms, and all other external factors… …   Universalium

  • arts, East Asian — Introduction       music and visual and performing arts of China, Korea, and Japan. The literatures of these countries are covered in the articles Chinese literature, Korean literature, and Japanese literature.       Some studies of East Asia… …   Universalium

  • Life Sciences — ▪ 2009 Introduction Zoology       In 2008 several zoological studies provided new insights into how species life history traits (such as the timing of reproduction or the length of life of adult individuals) are derived in part as responses to… …   Universalium

  • Western architecture — Introduction       history of Western architecture from prehistoric Mediterranean cultures to the present.       The history of Western architecture is marked by a series of new solutions to structural problems. During the period from the… …   Universalium

  • List of Bakugan Battle Brawlers characters — This is a list of characters from the Japanese anime series Bakugan Battle Brawlers. Contents 1 Heroes 1.1 Battle Brawlers …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

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