Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Robert Frost’s “Genealogical” is a narrative poem that explores the history of the poet's ancestor, revealing a complex relationship with heritage, morality, and identity. The poem’s tone is simultaneously reflective, sardonic, and critical, as Frost delves into a dark episode in his family’s past with both pride and discomfort.

The poem begins with an acknowledgment of the vague historical distance separating the poet from his ancestor: “It was my grandfather's grandfather's grandfather's / Great-great-grandfather or thereabouts I think -- / One cannot be too precise in a matter like this.” This imprecision sets the stage for a story that is as much about legend as it is about fact. The ancestor in question was hanged, not for sorrow or grief, but for his actions, which the poem recounts with a mix of irony and solemnity.

The poem describes a family tradition of recounting the ancestor’s story at a yearly gathering. This ancestor, referred to as the Major, undertook a genocidal campaign against an Indigenous tribe. Frost's description of this act is laced with bitter irony: “As in those extravagant days they wasted the woods / With fire to clear the land for tillage.” This comparison highlights the destructive recklessness of both clearing land and annihilating people, hinting at a critical view of such historical acts of violence.

The Major’s actions are depicted with a stark lack of nuance or moral consideration. He simply “seized / Upon any unprotected idea that came to hand,” showcasing a ruthless pragmatism devoid of ethical concerns. Frost's language here is intentionally blunt, emphasizing the brutal simplicity of the Major's methods.

The poem distinguishes between the motivations of a statesman and an artist: “I should say that the first believes that the end justifies the means / The second that the means justify the end.” The Major is portrayed as neither, but rather as someone who believed “the end and means justify each other,” a perspective that allowed him to commit atrocities without moral qualms.

A particularly harrowing episode involves the Major inviting the hungry Indigenous people to a barbecue, only to slaughter them as they feasted. Frost notes the anachronism in calling it a barbecue, but the event’s barbarity is clear. The Major's subsequent capture and sale of the survivors into slavery, including Chief Philip’s son, underscores the brutality of his actions.

The poem doesn’t shy away from the grisly aftermath of the Major’s deeds. Some members of the tribe survive and exact revenge, killing the Major “with great barbarity” and hanging his corpse. This cycle of violence continues as the Major’s sons bury him, only for the tribe to exhum and hang his body again, leading to his final interment beneath a massive stone.

Frost’s tone shifts towards a sardonic reflection on his ancestor’s legacy: “And there he lies in glory the ancestor of a good many of us. / And I think he explains my lifelong liking for Indians.” This closing line is laden with irony, suggesting that the poet’s affinity for Indigenous people may stem from a deep, perhaps subconscious, guilt or need to reconcile with this dark chapter of his heritage.

Structurally, the poem flows as a continuous narrative, with each stanza building upon the previous one to create a vivid, albeit disturbing, historical tableau. Frost’s use of conversational language and understated humor contrasts sharply with the gravity of the events described, enhancing the poem’s critical tone.

“Genealogical” is a powerful exploration of history, morality, and identity. Frost uses his ancestor’s story to question the glorification of violent deeds and to reflect on the complicated legacy of such actions. The poem’s blend of irony, narrative detail, and moral inquiry makes it a profound meditation on the darker aspects of human history and their lingering impact on present identity.

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