Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Charles Olson?s "She, Thus" is a rich and evocative exploration of love and its inherent tensions, rendered in a lyrical interplay of imagery and metaphor. The poem portrays the speaker, presumably a woman, as caught in the complex dynamics of a romantic relationship characterized by restraint, miscommunication, and a yearning for freedom. Olson uses mythological allusions, natural imagery, and a rhythm that oscillates between turbulence and calm to delve into the psychological and emotional nuances of love.

The opening lines establish a sense of physical and emotional unease: "The bottom of the air is disturbed as with an undertow / Breathing is difficult." These lines evoke an oppressive atmosphere, suggesting that the speaker feels weighed down by the relationship. The "undertow" becomes a metaphor for hidden forces pulling her away from equilibrium, indicative of the unseen pressures and emotional constraints she experiences. The heaviness and difficulty in breathing reflect the stifling impact of her partner?s "strictures," which "tighten, bind [her] wonder."

Olson masterfully incorporates sound and sensation to convey the speaker?s vulnerability. The "thunder of his voice" causes her ear to "huddle like a child," a striking image that underscores her discomfort and retreat into herself. This auditory element of the partner’s dominance contrasts with the speaker?s inward reflections, where she yearns for autonomy and joy. Her longing for freedom is poignantly expressed in lines like, "Only in sleep do I belong to myself," revealing the dream as her only refuge from the constraints imposed by the relationship.

The poem draws heavily on the myth of Atalanta, the swift-footed huntress whose suitors had to outpace her to win her hand in marriage. Olson uses this mythological reference to frame the relationship?s dynamic. The speaker likens herself to Atalanta, "too quick for his slow pace," embodying vitality and restlessness. The partner is described as deliberate and calculated, "turtle wise" in his approach. The image of the "apples" she drops, which he admires, resonates with the golden apples used to distract Atalanta in her race. This metaphor suggests that while the speaker tries to maintain her individuality and pace, the partner’s attentiveness or strategy causes her to pause, reflecting the concessions she makes within the relationship.

The tension between autonomy and submission is further illustrated in lines such as, "I drop my apples. He stops, admires. / Something he fails to do hurts like wires." The act of dropping apples signifies moments of vulnerability or accommodation, while the partner’s admiration falls short of meeting her deeper needs. This unfulfilled longing is likened to a painful restraint, encapsulating the emotional toll of the imbalance between them.

The speaker’s internal conflict is palpable as she grapples with her own worth and identity. She vacillates between self-reproach—calling herself a "weed" and a "nettle"—and self-affirmation, asserting her beauty and complexity: "And yet I know I am as lovely as a flower / as subtle as the image in the pool." This duality reflects her struggle to reconcile her perceived inadequacies with her intrinsic sense of value and allure. The allusion to Narcissus’ reflection in the pool adds a layer of fragility to her self-perception, as she acknowledges the fleeting and delicate nature of her self-image.

In the climactic lines, Olson reaffirms the mythological resonance of the poem. The meadow where the partner "wooed" her becomes a liminal space of memory and transformation. The speaker’s acknowledgment that "he is the master" reveals her recognition of his dominance in the relationship, even as she questions how it came to be. This moment of submission, however, is tempered by her plea: "O make the wind blow sweeter / O make the air be light." Here, she expresses her desire for a renewal of love that is liberating rather than confining.

The poem concludes on a note of ambivalence, as the speaker yearns to reclaim her breath and become her partner’s love "tonight," suggesting both a readiness to embrace vulnerability and a hope for a relationship that allows her to flourish. The interplay of submission and agency, dominance and freedom, underscores the complexity of love as both a binding and liberating force.

In "She, Thus", Olson crafts a poignant meditation on the dynamics of love, enriched by mythological allusion and vivid natural imagery. The poem captures the speaker’s inner turmoil and yearning with a lyrical intensity that resonates deeply. Olson’s exploration of love’s constraints and possibilities speaks to the universal tension between individuality and connection, making the poem an enduring reflection on the human experience of intimacy.

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