Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

The poem begins with a hypothetical scenario: "Suppose there were a bear and a man." This opening line sets the stage for a comparison between two seemingly disparate beings. The bear, an emblem of the wild, is intimately connected with nature—its "kin" includes "old pebbles, fifty-five-gallon barrels, big pine trees in the moonlight, [and] abandoned down jackets." These elements symbolize the bear's adaptability and its integration with both the natural environment and the remnants of human presence in the wilderness.

In contrast, the man's identity is defined through his cultural achievements and knowledge, as he "has read Tolstoy, knows a few symphonies." This distinction underscores a fundamental difference in how the bear and the man relate to the world around them: one through a primal, instinctual connection to nature, and the other through the lens of human culture and intellectual achievement.

However, Bly swiftly bridges this divide by revealing a shared experience of loss: "Each has lost a son." The bear's son was "killed by a trap," while the man's son was "killed by a bear." This tragic symmetry binds the bear and the man in their grief, suggesting that pain and loss are universal experiences that cut across the artificial boundaries separating species. The detail that the man's son was "partly drunk, alone in the woods" adds a layer of human vulnerability and recklessness, further complicating the narrative of loss.

The bear's physical description, "The bear puts out black claws firmly on earth," evokes its strength and presence in the physical world, grounding the creature in its environment. The comparison that follows, "He's not dumb. Skinned, he's like a man," challenges the reader to reconsider the distinctions we draw between humans and animals. By suggesting a commonality in vulnerability and essence, Bly invites a reflection on the shared fate and kinship of all living beings.

The poem concludes with a mystical, almost mythical image: "The old grandmother of both bear and man / Sits netted among the stars, looking down." This figure, likely representing nature or a universal ancestral spirit, symbolizes the interconnectedness of life and the overarching unity that encompasses both bear and man. It implies that both creatures, despite their different paths and experiences, are under the watchful gaze of a shared progenitor, further emphasizing the poem's theme of interconnectedness and shared destiny.

Robert Bly's "The Bear and the Man" transcends a simple narrative to explore profound themes of kinship, loss, and the interconnectedness of the natural world with human experience. By drawing parallels between a bear and a man, Bly illuminates the shared emotions and experiences that unite all living beings, urging readers to recognize and honor the deep connections that bind us to the natural world. The poem's vivid imagery, coupled with its exploration of loss and kinship, invites a contemplation of our place in the natural order and the universal nature of grief and resilience.

POEM TEXT: https://romenu.eu/2021/12/

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