Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Lawrence Durrell's poem "Cottager" offers a vivid exploration of the primal aspects of human existence and the cyclical nature of life. Through a mix of biblical allusion, natural imagery, and a reflection on domestic life, the poem examines the fundamental conditions of living, creation, and the passage of time.

The poem opens with the line, "Here is a man who says: Let there be light," an unmistakable reference to the biblical creation story in Genesis, where God commands light into existence. However, Durrell subverts the divine authority typically associated with such a command by placing it in the mouth of an ordinary "man," suggesting that the act of creation—or the desire to create—exists even in the most mundane, human contexts. The man’s command continues with "Let who is dressed in hair walk upright," which could refer to the evolutionary transition from animal to human, from quadrupedal to bipedal movement, emphasizing the awakening of consciousness and the emergence of civilization.

The imagery then shifts to domesticity: "The house give black smoke, the children / Be silenced by fire and apples." The "black smoke" from the house suggests the presence of a hearth, a center of warmth and activity in a home, but also hints at the darker, more burdensome aspects of domestic life. The children, "silenced by fire and apples," could symbolize the way in which traditional comforts and nourishment (fire for warmth, apples for sustenance) pacify or control the younger generation, perhaps suppressing their natural instincts or voices.

The following lines, "Let / A sedative evening bring steaming cattle / The domestic kettle, contagion of sleep, / Deeper purer surer even than Eden," paint a picture of rural tranquility and the comforting, almost hypnotic, routine of daily life. The "steaming cattle" returning home and the "domestic kettle" boiling suggest a sense of order and calm. The "contagion of sleep" implies a spreading drowsiness that envelops all, deeper and more certain than the mythical perfection of Eden. This comparison to Eden might suggest that there is a purity and sureness in the simplicity of human life that even paradise could not offer.

Durrell then introduces the concept of creation and multiplication with the line, "Twin tides speak making of two three / By fission by fusion, a logarithmic sea." Here, the imagery of "twin tides" evokes natural forces of growth and change, where "two" becomes "three" through processes of division and combination ("fission" and "fusion"). The "logarithmic sea" hints at the exponential growth and complexity of life, much like the sea’s constant ebb and flow, which is both predictable and infinitely variable.

The poem's concluding lines return to a darker tone: "What was bitter in the apple is eaten deep, / Rust sleeps in the steel, canker will keep." The "bitter" aspect of the apple, likely alluding to the biblical fruit of knowledge, is something that is "eaten deep," suggesting that the consequences of knowledge, sin, or experience are deeply ingrained and cannot be easily undone. "Rust sleeps in the steel" points to the inevitable decay that lies latent within even the strongest materials, while "canker will keep" implies that corruption or disease will persist and continue its slow destruction.

The final lines, "Let one plus one quicken and be two, / Keep silence that silence keep you," reinforce the theme of multiplication and creation, where the simple act of joining (one plus one) leads to growth. However, there is also a warning in "Keep silence that silence keep you," suggesting that maintaining quiet or stillness can preserve one’s safety or stability, but it might also hint at the dangers of breaking that silence—of disrupting the order and inviting the unknown.

In "Cottager," Durrell reflects on the fundamental elements of life—creation, decay, and the quiet rhythms of domestic existence. The poem blends the everyday with the profound, suggesting that the forces that shape human life are as ancient and inexorable as those that shape the universe. Through its meditative tone and rich imagery, the poem invites the reader to consider the deep connections between the mundane and the cosmic, the personal and the universal.

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