Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Wallace Stevens’ “Cortege for Rosenbloom” is a rhythmic, surreal meditation on death, ritual, and transformation. The poem?s structure and repetition evoke the ceremonial pace of a funeral procession, while its vivid, dreamlike imagery merges the physical and metaphysical realms. Through the figure of Rosenbloom, Stevens explores the passage from life to death as an existential and poetic journey.

The poem opens with stark finality: “Now the wry Rosenbloom is dead.” This simple declaration, repeated throughout, creates a refrain that echoes the inevitability and universality of death. The adjective “wry” suggests irony or a twist in the character of Rosenbloom, setting him apart as a figure of individuality even in death. From the outset, Stevens positions Rosenbloom as a central figure whose demise serves as a focal point for ritual, reflection, and myth-making.

The carriers of Rosenbloom’s body are described as “finical,” suggesting an air of precision and fussiness. This detail imbues the procession with a sense of ritualistic care, as if the act of bearing the body is both a duty and an art. The carriers tread on “a hundred legs,” a surreal exaggeration that shifts the scene from a straightforward funeral march to an almost mythical event. This hyperbolic image suggests that the act of carrying Rosenbloom is communal and monumental, involving more than human effort—it is as if the weight of his life requires an extraordinary collective endeavor.

Stevens weaves repetition into the poem to mimic the measured, relentless rhythm of the procession. Lines like “Treading a tread / In unison for the dead” echo with a sense of inevitability, as if the march of death cannot be stopped. The repetition also blurs the boundaries between ritual and reality, creating a hypnotic effect that mirrors the trance-like state of those participating in or witnessing the cortege.

As the carriers ascend a “sullen hill,” the imagery takes a cosmic turn. The march does not halt at the hilltop but “turns / Up the sky.” Here, Rosenbloom’s journey transcends earthly bounds, suggesting an ascent into the metaphysical. The carriers are now described as wearing “turbans” and “boots of fur,” attire that evokes a blend of the exotic and the elemental, reinforcing the otherworldly nature of this ritual. The “region of frost” they enter suggests a cold, stark afterlife, contrasting with traditional notions of warmth or light in death. This imagery aligns with Stevens’ frequent exploration of the sublime and the austere in his poetry.

The auditory elements of the procession add another layer of intensity. The “chirr of gongs,” “chitter of cries,” and “heavy thrum” create a cacophony that mirrors the complexity and gravity of death. These sounds, paired with the relentless “tread” of the carriers, evoke a sense of inexorable motion. The poem’s auditory landscape emphasizes that death is not silent but filled with the echoes of life, ritual, and mourning.

Rosenbloom’s burial “in a place in the sky” suggests a transcendence that is both physical and symbolic. His ascent reflects a departure from earthly concerns, but the “jabber of doom” and “jumble of words” that accompany him underscore the confusion and fragmentation that often surround death. Stevens juxtaposes the “intense poem” and the “strictest prose” of Rosenbloom, suggesting that his life and death encompass both artistic imagination and stark reality. This duality speaks to the human condition, where the poetic and the prosaic coexist.

The poem concludes with a lament: “The lamentable tread! / Rosenbloom is dead.” The exclamation underscores the weight of loss and the inexorability of death, while the continued repetition of his name ensures that Rosenbloom’s individuality is not lost. Even in death, he remains a distinct figure, his presence immortalized through the ritual and the poem itself.

“Cortege for Rosenbloom” exemplifies Stevens’ ability to merge the ordinary and the extraordinary. The procession becomes a metaphor for the universal human experience of mourning, while its surreal elements elevate Rosenbloom’s death to a cosmic event. Through repetition, rhythm, and rich imagery, Stevens transforms a simple funeral into a meditation on the mysteries of life, death, and the imagination’s role in shaping our understanding of both.

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