Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Lawrence Durrell’s poem "Asphodels: Chalcidice" is a contemplative dialogue that delves into the symbolism of the asphodel, a flower often associated with death and the afterlife in Greek mythology. Through this exploration, the poem examines themes of mortality, memory, and the human struggle to find meaning in the face of death. The conversation between the speakers reflects on the nature of death and how it is perceived, remembered, and ultimately represented through symbols like the asphodel.

The poem opens with a statement about the asphodels: "No one will ever pick them, I think, / The ugly off-white clusters: all the grace / Lies in the name of death named." This line immediately sets the tone, suggesting that the asphodels themselves are not valued for their beauty, but rather for what they symbolize—death. The flower’s "ugly off-white clusters" are unappealing, yet their significance comes from the "name of death named." The name "asphodel" is imbued with meaning, becoming a metaphor for death itself, and the discussion that follows probes whether these flowers are "a true certificate for death."

The dialogue continues as one speaker reflects on how "once the sages, / Death being identified, forgave it language: / Called it 'asphodel'." This line suggests that by naming death, by associating it with the asphodel, the ancients gave it a kind of acceptance or recognition. The asphodel is described as "scentless, colourless, / Solitary, / Rock-loving," characteristics that mirror the qualities of death—devoid of sensory appeal, isolated, and enduring. The idea that "Memory is all of these" connects the flower’s attributes to the nature of memory itself, which can also be solitary, selective, and enduring, but often lacking in warmth or vibrancy.

The poem’s reflection on memory continues, asserting that the "discipline of memory...admits of no relapse in its / Consignment, does not keep forever." Memory, like death, is relentless and unforgiving, and though it preserves, it also fades and does not last eternally. The line "Nor does death" might at first seem paradoxical, but it underscores the idea that death, once it occurs, is final and does not linger—it is an event, not an ongoing process.

The conversation shifts to the experience of being "Alone, neither happy nor unhappy, in / The deepest ache of reason." This introspective moment touches on the existential realization that comes with contemplating death—not merely the fear of dying, but the profound sense of solitude and the questioning of life’s meaning. The "love" mentioned here, which "Becomes a malefactor, clinging so," could represent a love that endures beyond its time, complicating the process of acceptance and reconciliation with death. The struggle to let go, even when love becomes a burden, is intertwined with the acceptance of mortality.

The poem then presents death as something that "will stand no panic," meaning that death is unyielding, unaffected by human fear or anxiety. The asphodels, symbolic of death, are described as potentially "beautiful in jars or on a coffin," indicating their role in the rituals and symbols surrounding death. They "Exonerate the flesh when it has turned," offering a form of absolution or acceptance once life has ended. The asphodels also "mock the enigma with an epitaph / It never earned," suggesting that while they symbolize death, they do so with a certain irony, as if the mystery of death is beyond the simple symbolism that humans try to impose upon it.

The poem concludes with a reflection on the truth that the asphodels represent: "These quite precisely guard ironic truth." The asphodels, in their stark, unadorned form, convey a truth about death that is unsentimental and perhaps a little mocking. The speaker contrasts this with the "modulation of the rose," a flower often associated with love and beauty, which can be used to "fill your jars / With pretty writing-stuff"—a metaphor for the more palatable, romanticized notions of life and death. However, for death itself, the poem insists on the asphodels: "Truly, always give us / These comfortless, convincing, even, yes, / A little mocking, Grecian asphodels."

In "Asphodels: Chalcidice," Durrell presents a philosophical exploration of death and memory, using the asphodel as a symbol to delve into the complexities of how humans understand and cope with mortality. The dialogue format allows for a nuanced discussion that contrasts the harsh realities of death with the more comforting but ultimately superficial symbols often used to represent it. Through this conversation, the poem suggests that true acceptance of death requires confronting its starkness and inevitability, as symbolized by the "comfortless, convincing" asphodels, which offer a more authentic reflection on the nature of death than more traditionally beautiful symbols.

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