Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Wole Soyinka's poem "Night" is a deeply introspective piece that delves into the themes of oppression, vulnerability, and the overwhelming power of the night. The night is personified as a heavy, almost oppressive force, which the speaker must endure, but which also brings a mysterious and unsettling beauty. The poem’s imagery and tone reflect a struggle with inner darkness, the weight of existence, and the inevitable submission to forces beyond one's control.

The poem begins with the speaker directly addressing the night: "Your hand is heavy. Night, upon my brow." This opening line immediately sets a tone of oppression and burden, as if the night is not just a time of day but a force pressing down on the speaker, both physically and emotionally. The use of "heavy" suggests a sense of exhaustion or weariness, and the "brow" symbolizes the mind, indicating that the speaker is mentally burdened by the night’s presence.

The speaker contrasts their own emotional state with that of the night, stating, "I bear no heart mercuric like the clouds, to dare / Exacerbation from your subtle plough." Here, the "heart mercuric" suggests something volatile and changeable, like mercury. Unlike the clouds that can shift and adapt, the speaker feels unable to resist the "subtle plough" of the night, which slowly and methodically exacerbates their inner turmoil. The night’s influence is subtle yet powerful, digging into the speaker's psyche in a way that is both insidious and unavoidable.

The next lines introduce a vivid and striking image: "Woman as a clam, on the sea's crescent / I saw your jealous eye quench the sea's / Fluorescence." The night is compared to a jealous woman, closing in on the sea and extinguishing its light. The sea's "fluorescence," which represents life, movement, and vitality, is dimmed by the night’s "jealous eye." This suggests a struggle between light and dark, between life and the suffocating force of the night, which seeks to dominate and subdue. The "clam" metaphor implies something closed off and protective, yet also vulnerable and exposed to the night’s influence.

As the speaker continues, they describe themselves as "drained / Submitting like the sands, blood and brine / Coursing to the roots." This imagery evokes a sense of surrender, as the speaker likens themselves to sand being pulled and shaped by the tides. The "blood and brine" suggest a mingling of life’s essential elements, both physical and emotional, as the speaker feels themselves being drawn down to their very roots, deeply affected by the night’s presence.

The night continues to assert its dominance, as it "rained / Serrated shadows through dank leaves." The word "serrated" implies something sharp and jagged, indicating that the shadows are not gentle but rather cutting, almost painful. The "dank leaves" suggest a sense of decay or stagnation, further emphasizing the oppressive atmosphere. The speaker then describes being "bathed in warm suffusion of your dappled cells," a moment that blends discomfort with a kind of intimate, unavoidable connection to the night. This "warm suffusion" is both a physical and emotional experience, one that brings pain and unease, much like "faceless, silent... night thieves," who steal away peace and security.

The final stanza deepens the speaker’s sense of dread and vulnerability: "Hide me now, when night children haunt the earth / I must hear none!" The "night children" can be seen as manifestations of fears, anxieties, or memories that come alive in the darkness. The speaker's plea to "hear none" reflects a desire to escape these haunting presences, which threaten to "undo" them. The phrase "naked, unbidden, at Night's muted birth" conveys a sense of exposure and helplessness, as the speaker faces the inevitable onset of night, which brings with it a muted but powerful presence that they cannot resist or escape.

"Night" by Wole Soyinka is a powerful exploration of the psychological and emotional weight of darkness. The night in this poem is not just a time of day, but a pervasive force that dominates and overwhelms the speaker, bringing with it feelings of vulnerability, fear, and submission. Through rich and evocative imagery, Soyinka captures the tension between the beauty and terror of the night, and the deep, often unsettling impact it can have on the human psyche. The poem ultimately reflects a struggle with inner darkness, the inevitability of facing one's fears, and the complex emotions that arise in the stillness and silence of the night.

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