8. Out of the Cradle Enlessly Rocking Flashcards
Context
This is another poem that links Whitman to the Romantics. The “birth of the poet” genre was of particular importance to Wordsworth, whose massive Prelude details his artistic coming-of-age in detail. Like Wordsworth, Whitman claims to take his inspiration from nature.
Whitman finds an opportunity to anthropomorphize, and nature gives him very specific answers to his questions about overarching concepts. Nature is a tabula rasa onto which the poet can project himself. He conquers it, inscribes it. While it may become a part of him that is always present, the fact that it does so seems to be by his permission.
Helen Price (friend of WW) recalled WW reading it to her family and called the poem “the most lovely and wonderful thing ive read for years and years and there is such beautiful skill and subtle power in every word of it”
WW called it a curious warble of a child’s reminiscence.
Charles M. Oliver
on the title
“A “cradle endlessly rocking” evokes images of the continually repeating life cycle the baby rocked by its mother & the old man or woman in a rocking chair.
But it also evokes the sea - one of Whitman’s favourite metaphors - the sea constantly repeating its rocking motion & reminding readers of the inevitability of their journey through life to inevitable death.”
Theme: life and death
One prominent theme is the cycle of life and death, which Whitman evokes through vivid imagery and symbolic language.
The poem opens with the speaker recalling a moment from his childhood when he witnessed the he-bird mourning the loss of his mate, the she-bird. This event serves as a catalyst for the speaker’s contemplation of mortality and the transient nature of existence
“lilac-scent” in the air & the “Fifth-month grass” growing conjures a sense of springtime vitality & renewal, setting the stage for the emergence of new life
“May-be kill’d, unknown to her mate” - adds poignancy, highlighting the fragility of life & the unpredictability of fate
Repetition of “Nor” - strong negation underscores the inevitability of loss as the she-bird’s disappearance is a reminder of the transience of existence.
Theme: Transformative Power of Art and Nature
Another central theme in the poem is the transformative power of art and nature. Throughout the narrative, the speaker reflects on the role of the he-bird’s song in awakening his own creative spirit and giving voice to his innermost thoughts and emotions.
“mocking-bird’s throat, the musical shuttle” - the transformative power of music & art, which serves as a catalyst for the speaker’s introspection & emotional exploration
The description of the lone singer as “wonderful causing tears” - transformative power of music in its ability to evoke deep emotions in the listener, highlighting the transcendent nature of art & its ability to foster connections between individuals & the natural world.
Charles Walcutt
The song of the bird “is rich in images of human love, mature human love, of a personal & sensual nature.”
Theme: Complexities of Love and Longing
explores the complexities of human emotion, particularly love and longing. The speaker’s poignant descriptions of the he-bird’s grief and his own yearning for connection convey a deep sense of empathy and vulnerability.
“yellow half-moon late-risen & swollen as if with tears” - evokes melancholy & introspection as the speaker reflects on moments of yearning & love. pathetic fallacy.
This theme of longing is further emphasised by the repetition of the word “From”, which suggests a continuous search for meaning & connection amidst the enormity of the cosmos.
Despite the passage of time & the changing seasons, the he-bird remains a solitary figure, indicating that even nature & the cosmos will never be able to overcome death.
The he-bird continues to endure in the face of loss & adversity, underscoring themes of solitude & resilience.
The description of the he-bird as “the solitary guest from Alabama” - isolation & longing, highlighting the profound impact of his mate’s absence on his emotional state.
Diacope in “I wait & I wait till you blow my mate to me” - longing & hope for the restoration of the bird’s companion, emphasising the transfiguring power of love in the bird’s courage in the face of grief & suffering.
“Blow up sea-winds” - invocation of the sea-winds as intermediaries in the quest for reunion reflects a belief in the interconnectedness of all living beings & the potential for the natural world to respond to human emotion & desire.
Theme: Memory and Nostalgia
Additionally, the poem touches on the theme of memory and nostalgia, as the speaker reminisces about his childhood and the formative experiences that have shaped his identity.
“A man, yet by these tears a little boy again” - As the speaker wanders through the landscape, encountering memories & sensations, they are transported back to a state of innocence & vulnerability, symbolised by the image of the little boy. This juxtaposition of the past & present underscores the theme of memory & nostalgia, as the speaker grapples with the passage of time & new facets of the human experience.
Structure
‘Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking’ by Walt Whitman is a poem of considerable structural complexity, blending elements of free verse with a loose narrative structure and thematic progression.
While ‘Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking’ does not adhere to a traditional elegiac form with specific rhyme schemes or metrical patterns, it embodies the spirit of elegy through its thematic focus on mourning, loss, and the passage of time. The speaker’s lamentation over the death of the she-bird and his reflections on mortality imbue the poem with an elegiac tone.
The poem is structured in a series of episodes or vignettes, each capturing a moment of heightened emotion or revelation. These episodic fragments contribute to the poem’s overall mosaic-like quality, inviting readers to piece together the narrative and glean meaning from its multifaceted layers.
Aria like Structure
Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking is an operatic work with an overture, arias, recitatives and a finale.
An aria is a solo piece performed by one of the characters in which they express their emotions, thoughts or desires through vocals. Arias serve as showcases for singers vocal abilities while conveying moments.
This style of singing lies somewhere between dialogue and song. Recitatives are employed to advance the plot and convey information bridging musical numbers seamlessly.
