Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Sharon Olds' poem "The Guild" offers a poignant and haunting depiction of generational transmission of destructive behaviors within a family, specifically focusing on the ritual of drinking as a form of escape and emotional numbness. Through vivid imagery and symbolic language, the poem explores themes of inheritance, legacy, and the perpetuation of pain.

The poem begins with a scene set in a darkened room where the speaker's grandfather sits in front of a fire, holding a glass of bourbon. The bourbon, described as "like fire in his hand," serves as a metaphor for both warmth and potential destruction. The "glittering" of his eye in the firelight, contrasted with the "baleful and stony" glass eye, emphasizes a duality within him—one eye possibly representing a semblance of life or presence, while the glass eye symbolizes a cold, lifeless gaze, detached and unfeeling.

The presence of the young man, identified as the speaker's father, introduces the notion of an apprentice learning from a master. The description of the father as a "college boy with white skin, unlined," and a "narrow beautiful face" suggests innocence and potential, yet his "broad domed forehead" and "amber" eyes hint at a latent capacity for introspection and depth, qualities that might be misused or redirected. The comparison of his eyes to "resin from trees too young to be cut yet" subtly implies that he is still formative, not yet shaped or hardened by life’s trials.

As the poem unfolds, the ritualistic nature of their evenings becomes apparent. The young man sits with his father "in silence and darkness," mirroring the older man's actions. The phrase "glass of coals" metaphorically links the glasses of bourbon to the imagery of a glowing, consuming fire, reinforcing the notion of drinking as a ritual that brings warmth but also potential danger. The act of drinking "when the old man drank" signifies the son's initiation into this grim "guild"—a lineage of men who find solace and oblivion in alcohol.

The poem starkly reveals the father's evolution from an "apprentice" into a master of "cruelty and oblivion." This transformation is underscored by the acknowledgment that the son will eventually surpass the father in these traits. The dark metaphor of his hair being "as dark as the soil that feeds the tree's roots" suggests that this behavior is deeply ingrained, perhaps nourished by the very foundation of the family's history and experiences. The soil, essential for growth, is ironically the medium through which this destructive legacy is perpetuated.

The concluding line, "that young man my father," brings the narrative full circle, directly linking the speaker to this painful legacy. The use of the possessive "my" personalizes the revelation, making it clear that the speaker is grappling with the weight of this familial inheritance. The phrase "drinking steadily by the flames in the blackness" not only reinforces the image of habitual drinking but also symbolizes the ongoing nature of this destructive pattern, perpetuated in the darkness of unaddressed emotional pain and oblivion.

"The Guild" powerfully captures the tragic cycle of inherited behaviors, particularly those that lead to emotional numbness and cruelty. Olds employs rich, evocative imagery and metaphor to illustrate how such patterns are passed down through generations, often with increasing severity. The poem serves as a stark reminder of the impact of familial legacies, highlighting the difficulty of breaking free from the destructive behaviors learned from our predecessors. Through its exploration of these themes, "The Guild" challenges readers to reflect on the legacies they inherit and, potentially, perpetuate.

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