Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Barbarossa" by Roden Berkeley Wriothesley Noel, the poet brings the legend of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa to life, presenting it as both a haunting myth and an allegory for the resurgence of imperial power in the modern era. Frederick Barbarossa, the 12th-century Holy Roman Emperor, is said to sleep in a hidden cave, awaiting the right moment to return and reclaim his empire. Through rich imagery and a tone that blends awe with fear, Noel examines this legend and its implications, ultimately framing Barbarossa’s return as a threat to liberty and a revival of dangerous autocratic forces.

The poem opens by describing Barbarossa’s resting place as a "mountain’s caverned hall," immediately setting a tone of mystery and isolation. The setting is dark and foreboding, marked by a "weird, sepulchral glow." This glow, while faint and ghostly, illuminates the figure of Barbarossa, depicted as an "armed phantom, crowned and tall." These descriptions emphasize both the emperor’s majesty and his otherworldliness; Barbarossa is not merely a dead ruler but a spectral presence, lying in wait for his moment to reemerge. His "hoary beard of centuries," growing into the very stone on which he lies, reflects how deeply rooted his power and legacy are in the fabric of history. He is a figure both frozen in time and sustained by it, a symbol of the enduring nature of imperial ambition.

Surrounding Barbarossa are his loyal knights, who are described as "jewelled" and possessing "glittering eyes." Despite their ornamental grandeur, they too are trapped in a state of stasis, "glower[ing] round in trance profound." These knights, though resplendent in their bejeweled armor, are like their leader: figures of immense potential power, held in suspense until the appointed time. Their trance-like state suggests that they are not fully alive, but neither are they truly dead. They, like Barbarossa, await the moment when they will be called back to action.

At intervals, Barbarossa sends out a raven, a creature of foreboding often associated with death and prophecy. This raven is tasked with learning how close the "fated hour" is when Barbarossa may "reassume the power" that once defined his reign. The raven’s mission suggests that Barbarossa’s return is inevitable, part of a larger, unstoppable cycle of history. The use of the raven as a messenger reinforces the eerie tone of the poem, connecting it to older myths and superstitions in which birds, particularly ravens, serve as omens of significant events, often tied to death or calamity.

However, the raven does not return to its master. Noel writes, "Behold! no raven comes again. / Behold! the raven devours the slain!" This crucial moment introduces a sinister twist: instead of bringing back information or signaling the time for Barbarossa’s return, the raven turns to violence, feeding on the dead. This image suggests that Barbarossa’s reawakening will not be a peaceful restoration of order, but rather a bloody and destructive event. The raven’s feeding on the slain links Barbarossa’s resurgence to death and destruction, foreshadowing the violence that will accompany his return to power.

The poem then shifts dramatically as Noel describes the moment when the subterranean vaults that house Barbarossa "burst in thunder." This is not a quiet or gradual return; it is a sudden, cataclysmic event, marked by noise and force. The imagery of vaults breaking open and thunderous sound evokes the idea of something long buried erupting back into the world, shaking the very foundations of the earth. It is as if the world can no longer contain the force of Barbarossa’s power, and his release from the mountain signals an upheaval that will affect everyone.

In the final stanza, Noel brings the ancient legend of Barbarossa into the contemporary world, linking it to the rise of the German Empire in the late 19th century. He writes, "Lo! in the hall of mirrors yonder, / In a palace consecrate to all / Age-long glories of the Gaul, / A German wears imperial / Purple." Here, Noel refers to the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles, where Wilhelm I was crowned Emperor of Germany in 1871, following the Franco-Prussian War. The "age-long glories of the Gaul" evoke the French imperial past, while the image of a German emperor donning the imperial purple suggests a transfer of power and glory from one empire to another. The Hall of Mirrors, traditionally a place of French grandeur, now becomes the site of a new imperial order, one that echoes the legend of Barbarossa’s return.

Noel’s next lines, "Barbarossa lives! / The ghost of a dark age revives," make explicit the connection between the legendary emperor and the modern political reality. In this moment, the return of Barbarossa is not merely a historical or mythical event, but a metaphor for the resurgence of imperialism in contemporary Europe. The "ghost of a dark age" refers not only to Barbarossa himself but to the revival of autocratic rule and imperial ambition, forces that had been thought buried but now rise again. The phrase "the heart of every freeman dies, / Seeing him rise!" captures the poem’s ultimate message: the return of Barbarossa, whether in legend or in the form of modern emperors, represents a profound threat to freedom. The resurgence of imperial power brings with it the death of liberty, as those who value democracy and self-determination are crushed under the weight of these old, revived forces.

Noel’s "Barbarossa" uses the legend of the sleeping emperor to comment on the cyclical nature of history and the dangers of unchecked power. The poem’s vivid imagery, from the eerie glow of the cavern to the thunderous eruption of the vaults, creates a sense of awe and dread, as if the return of Barbarossa is both inevitable and catastrophic. The poem’s final connection to the modern German Empire underscores its political relevance, suggesting that the forces of imperialism, though they may appear dormant for centuries, are always waiting to return. Barbarossa, with his "hoary beard of centuries" and his loyal, entranced knights, is not merely a figure of the past; he is a symbol of the persistence of autocratic power, a reminder that the struggle for freedom is never truly over.

In "Barbarossa," Noel presents a complex meditation on the tension between the past and the present, on the enduring allure of imperial power, and on the fragility of freedom. Through his portrayal of Barbarossa as both a ghostly relic and a living force, Noel warns that the dark forces of history can always rise again, threatening to destroy the hard-won liberties of the modern world.

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