Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Linda Pastan's poem "Ethics" delves into the complexities of moral decision-making and the evolution of understanding that comes with age and experience. Through the lens of a classroom exercise, the poem explores how abstract ethical dilemmas take on deeper, more personal meaning as life progresses.

The poem begins with a recollection of an ethics class from the speaker's past, where the teacher posed the same provocative question every fall: "if there were a fire in a museum / which would you save, a Rembrandt painting / or an old woman who hadn't many years left anyhow?" This question is designed to challenge the students' values, forcing them to weigh the worth of human life against the value of art. However, the students, "restless on hard chairs," are detached from the gravity of the question, alternating between choosing life and art with a sense of indifference, indicating that their answers are given "half-heartedly." The ethical dilemma is treated as a theoretical exercise, disconnected from the reality and significance of the lives and objects in question.

Pastan introduces a personal element when the speaker imagines the old woman as her own grandmother, "leaving her usual kitchen / to wander some drafty, half imagined museum." This projection adds a layer of intimacy and personal stakes to the dilemma, illustrating how abstract questions can become more charged when they touch on personal experiences and relationships. Yet, even with this personal connection, the ethical question remains unresolved, hovering in the realm of the hypothetical.

The speaker's youthful response—suggesting that the woman decide for herself—is met with the teacher's disapproval: "Linda, the teacher would report, / eschews the burdens of responsibility." This response highlights the tension between evading difficult choices and confronting the responsibility that comes with ethical decision-making. The speaker's clever but evasive answer reflects a desire to sidestep the moral complexity of the situation, a common reaction in youth when confronted with challenging or uncomfortable questions.

As the poem progresses, the speaker shifts from past reflection to present reality. Now an "old woman, or nearly so," the speaker finds herself standing before a real Rembrandt in a museum. This moment of confrontation with the actual painting contrasts sharply with the earlier classroom discussions. The colors in the Rembrandt are described as "darker than autumn, darker even than winter," evoking a sense of depth, complexity, and perhaps the encroachment of mortality. The "browns of earth" suggest a connection to the natural world, to the cycle of life and death, while the "radiant elements" that "burn through the canvas" symbolize the enduring power and beauty of art.

In this moment of reflection, the speaker reaches a deeper understanding: "I know now that woman and painting and season / are almost one and all beyond saving by children." This realization signifies a profound shift in perspective. The old woman, the painting, and the season—symbols of life, art, and time—are all interconnected, representing the inevitable passage of time and the limitations of human agency. The speaker acknowledges that the decision to save one over the other is ultimately futile, as both are subject to the same forces of decay and impermanence. The idea that these elements are "beyond saving by children" suggests that the ethical dilemma posed to the young students was too simplistic, failing to account for the complexities of life, art, and mortality that only become apparent with age and experience.

"Ethics" by Linda Pastan is a meditation on the evolution of moral understanding, the interconnectedness of life and art, and the limitations of human agency in the face of time's passage. Through its reflective tone and vivid imagery, the poem explores how abstract ethical questions take on new significance as one grows older, leading to a deeper appreciation of the complexities and nuances of life. The poem invites readers to consider how their own perspectives on such dilemmas might change over time, as they gain experience and confront the realities of mortality and impermanence.

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