Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Wallace Stevens’ "Of Heaven Considered as a Tomb" engages with the existential questions of death, the afterlife, and the human imagination’s attempts to conceptualize the unknowable. Through its somber imagery and philosophical inquiry, the poem presents a vision of heaven not as a realm of eternal joy but as a void, a "tomb," that reflects humanity’s fears, hopes, and uncertainties about mortality.

The poem opens with a direct address to "interpreters," those who seek to decipher the mysteries of existence and the fate of the soul. Stevens frames his inquiry with a vivid image of men who "walk by night" in the "tomb of heaven." This depiction immediately subverts traditional notions of heaven as a place of light and transcendence, instead casting it as a shadowy realm where "the darkened ghosts of our old comedy" wander. These ghosts, representatives of human history and drama, suggest that even in death, the weight of earthly existence lingers.

The phrase "old comedy" evokes the classical tradition of literature, where comedy often highlighted the follies and resilience of human life. Here, however, the comedy is rendered as "darkened," implying a loss of vitality and joy. The ghosts are left to roam the "gusty cold," an inhospitable and desolate landscape. The question arises: do they wander with purpose, as "freemen of death," still striving for meaning? Or are they trapped in a cyclical, aimless search, their lanterns "borne aloft to light the way" through an eternal void?

Stevens deepens the tension by invoking "that burial, pillared up each day as porte." The imagery of burial suggests not only physical interment but also the metaphysical weight of mortality that towers over human life. The "porte" or gateway underscores the paradox of death as both an end and a potential passage. Yet, the description of this gateway as a "spiritous passage into nothingness" challenges any comforting notion of an afterlife. Instead of offering resolution, death seems to lead to an "abysmal night," a void where the wandering host—the souls of the departed—can no longer wander, and even the light of their lanterns ceases to "creep across the dark."

This unsettling vision of death as a state of absolute nullity contrasts with traditional religious interpretations of heaven as a place of eternal rest or reward. Stevens suggests that humanity’s attempts to define or understand the afterlife are as ephemeral as the "dark comedians" who halloo into the void. The phrase "dark comedians" may refer to those who grapple with the absurdity and finality of life through wit and imagination, only to find themselves met with silence.

The poem concludes by imagining an attempt to summon an answer from "their icy elysee." The term "elysee" alludes to the Elysian Fields, a paradisiacal realm for the virtuous dead in Greek mythology. However, by describing it as "icy," Stevens transforms this idealized afterlife into a cold and distant place, devoid of warmth or intimacy. The phrase encapsulates the tension between human longing for transcendence and the stark reality of mortality.

Structurally, the poem’s free verse mirrors the elusive and fragmented nature of its subject. Stevens poses questions rather than providing answers, inviting readers to ponder the implications of death and the afterlife. The language is dense and abstract, emphasizing the difficulty of articulating or imagining the ineffable.

"Of Heaven Considered as a Tomb" reflects Stevens’ broader preoccupation with the limits of human understanding and the role of imagination in confronting existential dilemmas. By recasting heaven as a tomb, Stevens challenges readers to reconsider their assumptions about the afterlife. The poem resists offering solace, instead embracing the ambiguity and mystery that surround death. Ultimately, it suggests that the answers we seek may lie not in definitive truths but in the ongoing exploration of our deepest fears and desires.

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...