Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Some Frenchmen" by John Updike is a whimsical and inventive poem that creatively intertwines historical French figures with playful imagery and humorous wordplay. Each stanza of the poem presents a clever and succinct portrait of a well-known French personality, connecting their names and contributions to society with puns and visual metaphors that reflect their legacies.

1. Monsieur Etienne de Silhouette

The poem starts with Etienne de Silhouette, known for his association with the art of silhouette portraiture, which involves creating outlined images typically filled in with black. Updike plays on the term "silhouette," noting how Monsieur de Silhouette was "slim and uniformly black," a direct nod to the style of art named after him. The line "He vanished when he turned his back" humorously alludes to how a silhouette, or profile, disappears when viewed from other angles, emphasizing the visual trickery and ephemeral nature of silhouettes.

2. Docteur J. I. Guillotin

The second stanza focuses on Joseph-Ignace Guillotin, famously associated with the guillotine. Updike cleverly uses physical descriptions to draw a parallel to the guillotine's function, describing Guillotin as "humane and gaunt, precise and tall." The imagery of a single, "loose" tooth that, when it fell, spelled "fin" (end in French), humorously mirrors the finality of the guillotine's blade — a dark yet witty nod to Guillotin’s legacy.

3. André Marie Ampère

In the third stanza, Updike turns his attention to André-Marie Ampère, a physicist known for his work in electromagnetism. Ampère is portrayed as a vibrant character who could "gobble volts until the dark / Was lit by his resisting ohms." This vivid portrayal not only highlights Ampère's electrical experiments but transforms him into an almost magical figure, whose presence and actions directly manipulate electricity and light.

4. Louis Daguerre

Finally, the poet introduces Louis Daguerre, inventor of the daguerreotype process in photography. Updike uses Daguerre's contributions to craft an image of him "soak[ing] his head in silver salts" and being "developed just in time for bed," which cleverly plays on the photographic development process. This portrayal whimsically suggests that Daguerre himself underwent the chemical processes he developed for capturing images.

Overall, "Some Frenchmen" showcases John Updike’s playful use of language and his ability to engage with historical figures in a light-hearted manner. Each vignette is both a tribute and a gentle parody, offering insights into the individuals’ contributions while also inviting readers to see them in a new, often amusing light. Updike's poem is a delightful blend of wit, history, and poetic imagination, making it both educational and entertaining.

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