Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Charles Olson?s "Laughing Ones" is a provocative meditation on cultural and existential contrasts, exploring themes of vitality, violence, and the tension between lightness and darkness. Through its depiction of the "light-hearted races," Olson examines how exuberance, heedlessness, and a fascination with the external world can coexist with destruction and shallow engagement. The poem juxtaposes these "laughing ones" with darker, more rooted counterparts, constructing a sharp dichotomy that probes the dynamics of human nature, identity, and interaction.

The poem opens by defining the "laughing ones" as "light-hearted races" who revel in life’s pleasures, notably "the cracking of skulls." This jarring juxtaposition of lightness and brutality establishes the paradox at the heart of the poem. These races, children of the sun, are characterized by a kind of buoyant energy that is simultaneously life-affirming and destructive. Olson situates them in Troy, a historical and mythic symbol of war and collapse, where "fields were covered with ?em," emphasizing their pervasive and enduring presence across time and space. Their "mortality is altogether pervasive," suggesting that their lightheartedness masks an intrinsic destructiveness tied to their very existence.

Olson contrasts these sunlit figures with "the Others," who perceive the earth as "darkling." This divide between the laughing ones and their opposites—those who are rooted, somber, and introspective—defines the central tension of the poem. The laughing ones, immune to the myths of Persephone and Demeter (figures of death, renewal, and motherhood), approach women as "delights, things to run with, equals." Their view of women as companions or "small game" reflects a superficial, playful attitude that aligns with their broader disposition toward life. Yet, their vitality is tinged with violence; they are "makers of spring and slayers," suggesting that creation and destruction are inseparable forces within them.

The poem’s focus on the Celts introduces a specific cultural and historical lens. Olson describes them as "light, light, thin with it," a people whose energy and spirit seem almost insubstantial. Their love for the dark, "which they never know," underscores their paradoxical relationship with depth and rootedness. Unlike the "dark men" who "root in woman as a cave," the laughing ones are restless and externalized, their blood racing outward rather than sinking inward. This outward movement reflects their connection to space and action, as they "only remember what space has had her arms around." Their identity is defined by movement, expansion, and a refusal to engage with the inward, darker aspects of existence.

The contrast between the laughing ones and the "dark men" extends to their approach to life and the world. The laughing ones "want to dance, only to dance & slay," embodying a superficial joy that prioritizes motion and conquest over introspection or rooted connection. They are "without suspicion, stupid, gay," viewing the world as "a banquet leading not to conversation but a scrap." This characterization paints them as hedonistic and unthinking, their vitality unchecked by deeper reflection or restraint.

Olson?s speaker wrestles with how to address the threat posed by these exuberant but destructive forces: "O what shall men do with these empty-heads before they destroy us?" The question reflects a sense of urgency and helplessness in the face of their recklessness. The speaker contrasts their heedlessness with an alternative ethos, represented by "you who favor the beat not the color of blood." This line suggests a preference for rhythm, harmony, and depth over the chaotic vitality and violence of the laughing ones. Yet the speaker’s tone is tinged with both disdain and fascination, as if recognizing the allure and energy of the laughing ones even as he critiques their destructiveness.

The poem’s closing lines, "what shall we do to bring them down, the laughing ones who do not have beautiful teeth?" encapsulate its central tension. The laughing ones, for all their energy and lightness, lack refinement and depth; their teeth—symbols of beauty, strength, and vitality—are not "beautiful," implying an imperfection or lack of balance. The question of how to "bring them down" reflects a desire to counteract their destabilizing influence, but it also acknowledges the difficulty of such an endeavor.

Structurally, the poem’s free verse mirrors its thematic content, with its fluid, fragmented lines reflecting the chaotic and exuberant energy of the laughing ones. Olson’s language is visceral and evocative, with phrases like "cracking of skulls," "blood does not go down," and "root in woman as a cave" creating stark, memorable images. The use of parentheses and abrupt shifts in tone and focus underscore the poem’s exploratory nature, as if Olson is thinking through these ideas in real time.

"Laughing Ones" ultimately examines the tension between vitality and depth, between lightness and darkness, and between the external and internal forces that shape human experience. Olson’s depiction of the laughing ones is both critical and ambivalent, recognizing their destructive potential while also marveling at their energy and exuberance. The poem challenges the reader to grapple with these oppositions, leaving open the question of how to balance the exuberant, outward-facing aspects of life with the rooted, inward-facing depths that sustain it.

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