Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Ballad of Kretschmer's Types" by Lawrence Durrell is a satirical exploration of human personality types, inspired by the typology of German psychiatrist Ernst Kretschmer. Kretschmer categorized people into various body types, each supposedly linked to certain psychological traits. In this poem, Durrell humorously plays with these classifications, particularly focusing on the pyknic (short, fat, and hairy) and leptosome (thin and tall) types.

The poem begins by introducing the "schizophrene" and "cyclothyme," two personality types linked to schizophrenia and cyclothymia (a form of bipolar disorder), respectively. These types "swerve from the droll to the sublime," indicating their unpredictable and extreme shifts in mood or behavior. The reference to "epileptoid stock" suggests that these traits may be hereditary or deeply ingrained, and the line "They tell the time without a clock" implies that these individuals operate by their own internal rhythms, disconnected from the conventional passage of time.

The pyknic is then introduced as "the prince of these," indicating a kind of superiority or centrality among Kretschmer's types. Durrell describes the pyknic as someone who "glorifies his mental status / Not by acts on mind's trapeze / But purely by divine afflatus." This suggests that the pyknic's wisdom or creativity is not a product of intellectual exertion but rather a natural, almost mystical gift ("divine afflatus" meaning an inspiration or breath from the divine).

Durrell contrasts the pyknic's carefree approach to life with that of the "rational booby," who follows "false decor"—perhaps representing the overly analytical or conventional critic who misses the deeper truths that the pyknic effortlessly grasps. The pyknic, instead, "swigs away the Absolute / And then demands some more," indicating a hedonistic and unrestrained pursuit of life's pleasures and truths.

The poem then shifts to the leptosome, who is described in less flattering terms. The leptosome is "lanky," "myoptic" (nearsighted, both literally and metaphorically), and "tenebrous" (dark or gloomy), painting a picture of a melancholic and rigid personality. The line "Whose little pigs must stay at home / Unless they move by rule of thumb" suggests that the leptosome's actions are dictated by caution and adherence to rules, in stark contrast to the pyknic's spontaneous nature.

Durrell ends the poem by urging the reader to "Salute the podgling pyknic then," celebrating this "gross and glabrous prince of men." The pyknic is portrayed as the embodiment of the "Comic Mode," a literary style that emphasizes humor, the absurd, and the grotesque. In contrast, the leptosome is condemned to "Golgotha his natural home," a reference to the site of Christ's crucifixion, symbolizing suffering and sacrifice. The pyknic, on the other hand, is to be "wafted on Thy parachute," suggesting a carefree, almost divine protection as he wanders through life where "alcohol is Absolute," embracing pleasure and avoiding the asceticism that plagues the leptosome.

In this ballad, Durrell humorously critiques and celebrates different human types, using Kretschmer's classifications as a framework. The poem contrasts the joyful, indulgent, and instinctive pyknic with the somber, rule-bound leptosome, ultimately favoring the former's embrace of life's absurdities and pleasures. Through this playful dichotomy, Durrell reflects on the diversity of human nature and the varying ways people navigate the complexities of existence.

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