Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Phileremo," Lawrence Durrell explores the tension between intellectualism and the tangible reality of history, human values, and cultural decay. The poem's setting, possibly a historical site, serves as a backdrop for a philosophical reflection on the limitations of scholarly knowledge in truly grasping the essence of human experience.

The poem opens with the image of a philosopher searching for human values. This figure might be expected to find significance in something as mundane as the "coarse / Black boots the guide wore." These boots, described as having "cracked eyes and introspective / Laces," symbolize the wear and tear of history, embodying "historical error" much like the old wall covered in moss that the narrator and others are examining. The wall, layered with history, is rich in meaning, with the moss potentially representing the invasions by ancient civilizations like the Dorians or Medes. The boots, worn by a guide leading them through this historical site, suggest a connection to the past that is both personal and physical, yet the philosopher seems unable to fully appreciate this connection.

Durrell contrasts this with the figure of a "bearded arboreal historian," whose education has "derailed" him, reducing him to a "literary reminiscence." This historian, lost in his quotations and intellectual musings, is depicted as someone who has become disconnected from the tangible, visceral realities of history. He moves "through quotations only, fine as hair," implying that his understanding is thin, delicate, and perhaps superficial—unable to grasp the full weight of the past or the present.

The poem then shifts focus to a cistern, a reflective surface where the narrator hears another person's thoughts, possibly a companion or a reflection of the narrator's own thoughts. The thoughts express a bleak view of Europe's future: "Europe / Also, the whole of our egopetal culture / Is done for and must vanish soon." The term "egopetal" suggests a culture centered on the self, on ego, which is now facing its decline. This reflects a broader theme of cultural decay, where intellectual pursuits and historical knowledge have failed to provide the answers or comfort needed in the face of inevitable change and destruction.

Durrell questions whether the poet's truth can offer any comfort in this situation. The poet, representing a deeper, more intuitive understanding of the world, may hold the key to some form of solace, but the poem leaves this uncertain. The poem ends with a striking image of "two children / Asleep in the car beside a bear in cotton gloves," a scene that contrasts sharply with the intellectual and historical musings of the earlier stanzas. This image of innocence, comfort, and a somewhat surreal presence of a "bear in cotton gloves" suggests a retreat into the mundane and the domestic as a response to the overwhelming complexity and decline of the broader world.

In "Phileremo," Durrell presents a meditation on the inadequacy of intellectualism in addressing the deeper, more pressing issues of human existence. The poem critiques the disconnect between scholarly pursuits and the lived experience of history, suggesting that true understanding and comfort may lie not in intellectual detachment but in a more grounded, perhaps even childlike, engagement with the world. The poem is ultimately a reflection on the limitations of knowledge and the search for meaning in a world that seems to be unraveling.

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