Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Elegy on the Closing of the French Brothels" [complete poem] by Lawrence Durrell is a reflective and mournful meditation on the end of an era, symbolized by the closure of the French brothels. The poem is dedicated to Henry Miller and George Katsimbalis, two literary figures known for their unflinching explorations of human sexuality and experience, which suggests that Durrell views this subject with a certain reverence and sadness for what is being lost.

In the first stanza, Durrell sets the scene in Paris, "last of the great autumnal capitals," where the city's culture and the complexities of human relationships are metaphorically "disengaging daily like a sword." The image of "houses of shining glass" and "tablecloths stained with pools of light" conjures a Paris that is both fragile and beautiful, a place where daily life carries with it an inherent elegance and a subtle burden of "pain." The mention of "the inkwells overturn" at evening and the figure who "pours himself out / One glass of moonlight" emphasizes a sense of ritual and the end of the day, reflecting the inevitable closing of the brothels, which is itself an ending of a cultural ritual. The stanza closes with a haunting image of clocks and shuffled cards, representing the passage of time and the inevitable fate that awaits everyone.

The second stanza delves into the "great axis of the sex," the primal force that drives human behavior and relationships. Here, Durrell explores how love and desire are intertwined with the act of self-destruction, as "each separation by kisses forges new bonds." The stanza captures the tension between love as a binding force and love as something that also carries the potential for harm or loss. The imagery of "Tessa waiting on a corner with all she feels" and "Rain glittering in that peacock's eye" adds a vivid, almost cinematic quality to the scene, evoking the beauty and melancholy inherent in these encounters.

In the third stanza, Durrell reflects on the experience of Paris itself, describing it as an "autumnal" city that has its own unique sickness—a self-infection that is paradoxically beneficial. The "hole in a paper lantern" where the "seeing I" looks out is a metaphor for the small but crucial insights gained through the city's hidden, often sordid, experiences. The "ferocious knuckle of a sex" and the "tribe / Holy and ridiculous at once" highlight the complex relationship between desire and identity, where even the most carnal acts carry a deeper, almost spiritual significance.

The fourth stanza portrays the brothels and their inhabitants as symbols of the human condition, where the girls "like squirrels / Leaned in the tarnished mirrors sadly sighing." These brothels are likened to "rotten galleries," reflecting the decay and the passing of time, while also serving as a mirror to society's own flaws and desires. The imagery of Tessa, the "darker niece of Egypt," and the hashish-pipe, evokes a sense of exoticism and decay, as well as a sense of history and tradition being slowly eroded.

The final stanza brings the poem to a close with a meditation on suffering and the passage of time in cities. Durrell suggests that in the urban environment, people are gradually stripped of their "great healers," those who understand the "penalties of confession" and can confront the "half-invented Gods" of pain and suffering. The reference to "our own cities of unconquered pain" implies that even as we move forward and modernize, there are aspects of the human experience—such as the pain of lost traditions and forgotten rituals—that remain unresolved.

"Elegy on the Closing of the French Brothels" is a poignant reflection on the end of an era, filled with rich imagery and a deep sense of loss. Through his exploration of the brothels as symbols of human desire, identity, and decay, Durrell captures the complex emotions surrounding the closure of these institutions, viewing them as more than just physical spaces, but as integral parts of the cultural and emotional landscape of Paris. The poem is both a tribute to and a lament for a world that is disappearing, leaving behind only memories and the lingering sense of what has been lost.

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