Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Shame" by Richard Wilbur is a rich tapestry that explores the dynamics of a fictional state that serves as a mirror to our complex psychological and social constructs. The poem starts by depicting a "cramped little state with no foreign policy," immediately setting the stage for a locale that is not just geographically constrained, but also limited in its worldview and ambitions. This state's lack of foreign policy is not due to an absence of ideas but because its only aim is "to be thought inoffensive." Here, Wilbur captures a societal trait-of wanting to remain unobtrusive, passive, and unobjectionable-to a point where it becomes a policy. This desire for inoffensiveness trickles down to the very language of the state, where "each sentence [is allowed] to trail off in confusion."

The setting then moves to a journey through "Scusi," the capital city, which can only be reached by a railway route that passes through "country best described as unrelieved." The landscape, the people, and even the "sheep" which are the "national product," seem to belong to a realm of perpetual vagueness. The absence of churches or comfort stations gives "an odd impression of ostentatious meanness." The state seems to exist in a constant state of negation and abstinence, not from a place of active choice but from a lack of conviction or self-belief.

It's in this backdrop that the poem's deeper psychological dimensions come to light. The citizens, wrapped in "ratty sheepskins" and "shying at cracks in the sidewalk," are described as lacking "the peace of mind of the truly humble." It implies that there's a veneer of humility that masks a core of repressed desires and insecurities. They're humble not as a virtue but as a default state imposed by their insecurities.

Towards the end of the poem, Wilbur takes us through the ironic defense mechanisms of this state. The border guards admit "not merely the usual carloads of deodorant but gypsies, g-strings, hasheesh, and contraband pigments," highlighting a strange sense of laxity in what is otherwise a stringent society. This paradox is best encapsulated in the lines about the "hoped-for invasion," where the citizens would use their very shortcomings as a weapon. Through "overwhelming submission," they would infiltrate the system, usurp the throne, and finally "proclaim themselves to be sun-gods," collapsing the empire. This is an ultimate subversion, a brilliant play on the dichotomy of power and submission, highlighting how vulnerability can sometimes turn into an unexpected form of strength.

"Shame" works as a keen satire on societal values, the concept of statehood, and the human condition. It delves into how a collective sense of inadequacy can mold not just individual lives but also entire societies, culminating in a worldview that is a complex mix of submissiveness, cunning, and latent ambition. In doing so, Richard Wilbur crafts a poem that transcends its fictional bounds to offer critical insights into the realms of psychology, politics, and social norms.

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