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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | |||
"Humanities Course" by John Updike provides a critical and somewhat cynical view of how literature and philosophy are taught in academia, particularly through the persona of Professor Varder. The poem uses quotation marks to emphasize the skepticism and distance with which Professor Varder treats these seminal figures and ideas from the humanities, suggesting a detachment and perhaps even a dismissal of their deeper value. The poem starts with Dante, a towering figure in literary history, known for his intricate allegories and moral philosophies embedded in "The Divine Comedy." Professor Varder handles Dante "With wry respect," acknowledging the craftsmanship of Dante’s work ("the 'beauty' of the 'imagery'") yet implying through the tone and the use of quotation marks that these qualities are less substantive or truthful ("It’s all a lie"). This opening sets a tone of irreverence and critical distance that permeates the poem. As the poem progresses to discuss Hegel, a philosopher known for his complex explorations of dialectics, history, and reality, Professor Varder describes him as a "sage" but quickly qualifies this with a hint of irony. Hegel's value, according to Varder, is that he reflects the "temper" of his "age," suggesting that his ideas might not have intrinsic truth but are valuable for understanding the context in which they were developed. This approach reduces Hegel's work to a historical artifact rather than a source of timeless wisdom. The mention of Montaigne, Tom Paine, and St. Augustine further illustrates how these thinkers are positioned within the course. Described as figures whose "notions came to naught," they are nonetheless regarded as "crucial figures" in the "pageantry" of "Western thought." This description suggests a view of the humanities as a spectacle or a series of intellectual exercises rather than a field with practical or existential impact on current life. The word "pageantry" implies a certain performative or superficial aspect to how these figures are presented in academic settings. Overall, "Humanities Course" uses a satirical lens to critique the way humanities education can sometimes trivialize or historicize important thinkers and ideas, treating them as mere curiosities or relics of their time rather than engaging with their enduring insights or truths. Updike, through concise language and strategic use of quotation marks, invites readers to question the depth and sincerity with which humanities are taught and perhaps to reflect on the difference between genuine understanding and academic tokenism.
| Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ADDRESS TO THE SCHOLARS OF NEW ENGLAND by JOHN CROWE RANSOM FAIR HARVARD by GEORGE SANTAYANA APOLOGIES TO HARVARD; THE PHI BETA KAPPA POEM, 1973 by JOHN UPDIKE WIDENER LIBRARY, READING ROOM by JOHN UPDIKE TWO STUDIES IN IDEALISM: 2. HARVARD '61: BATTLE FATIGUE by ROBERT PENN WARREN W. E. B. DUBOIS AT HARVARD by JAY WRIGHT COMMEMORATION ODE READ AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL V.B. NIMBLE, V.B. QUICK by JOHN UPDIKE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE, IN NEW-ENGLAND by PHILLIS WHEATLEY AN ELECTIVE COURSE by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH |
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