W.L.W sets his opening scene on the rocky shore of a beach, surrounded by the roar of breaking waves. The poem personifies the ocean, creating a sense of intimate connection between the speaker and the ocean’s “brave . . . [and] friendly” (Lines 3-4) waves. These waves seem to fortify the speaker, “[whispering] courage . . . with a friendly roar” (Lines 3-4), and inspire him to tell a tale of the heart. The “rocky shore” represents a precipice on which the speaker stands before the stormy ocean of love. The “brave waves” that lie before him are described with conflicting imagery, which may echo the speaker’s conflicting views on the nature of love. Notably, the poem employs oxymoron when describing the nature of the waves (“[whispering]. . . [and] “murmuring” [Line 3 and 11]), illuminating the dual nature of its strength: inspiring, yet natural and uncontrollable. In the second stanza there is a shift in the author’s use of personification, and the ocean begins to represent the speaker’s lover. The waves are described as “fair” (Line 11), and they seem to answer the speaker’s address. Both the first and second stanzas lend a voice to the sounds of the ocean, its “falt’ring” (Line 5) swells laden with emotion, and emphasize the conflicting nature of love. In the third stanza of the poem the author quiets the noise of the ocean, mimicking the “happy silence” (Line 13) in which the speaker stands with his love. In this stanza the image of the ocean becomes a peaceful one: a sailing sunset.
The passing of time and the aging of the speaker and his love are represented by the setting of the sun. As the sky darkens, his love’s “lily hand [grows] thinner” (Line 25), her brow becomes wrinkled and her hair silver. However, despite the passing of many sunsets and the sailing of many ships, the speaker and his love still remain peacefully “hand-in-hand” (Line 36) upon their cliff.
The image that accompanies W.L.W’s poem is one depicting an aged man and woman, sitting amidst the rocks, looking out across a darkening sky. It is a sentimental image, which is appropriate given the mood of the poem. The characters are seated peacefully side-by-side, looking out of the frame, and while their pose is not obviously intimate, it does imply a comfortable sense of affection. There is a sense of peace in the image, which echoes the peaceful imagery of the sunset created at the end of the poem. Interestingly, the ocean is not portrayed in the illustration, and instead the artist chooses an angle which depicts only the surrounding land. Thus, we are presented with a detailed image of the "rocky shore" on which the opening and closing stanzas of the poem were set. The artist has obviously chosen to portray a scene from the end of the poem: the characters sitting together a safe distance from the turbulent waves of the ocean. They gaze out of the frame, viewing the ocean from a distance, comfortable in their love and aging bodies. The artist provides a grounded and comforting image, which contrasts the opening images of the ocean and reinforces the closing themes of the poem.
“A Score of Years Ago” by W.L.W
Once a Week, p. 416
I like what you said about the perspective that the artist chose to illustrate from. Perhaps this speaks to the conversation between the poem and the image. The illustrator maybe felt that the ocean was adequately described in the poem and did not need to show is to us, instead placing the focus on the couple. The ocean is left to the imagination of the reader, while we are offered a very detailed picture of the on-lookers on the shore. I agree that the serenity of the couple perhaps parallels the peaceful imagery of the sunset and maybe contrasts from the rising storm clouds in the distance? (i have not read the poem though, so probably am not qualified to comment on these things!)
ReplyDeleteI definitely felt a sense of calm and peace throughout the image which is well mirrored in the accompanying image. Especially, I like how you noted the old couples position and how it "is not obviously intimate," but "it does imply a comfortable sense of affection." I think this poem is trying to push forward that feeling of comfort and relaxation and that you get through spending your life with another person. As well, it is showing the passing of life from generation to generation, and how love is a constant.
ReplyDeleteI may be mistaken but it seems like you can see the young couple off on the distant shore walking together. Now, while this is contrary to the actual content of the poem, (the young couple is apparently sitting on the rocks below) it does make a cute image of the older generation watching the younger generation grow up and walk away.