The thing that I am most interested in about this poem is the last two lines. Line 11 starts as a complete thought in the middle of another. So the reading of the poem takes different emotional tones which connects to final line in stanza 1, which also mirrors the final line of the poem physical on the page. "And is almost afraid that I/ will commit that indiscretion." (11-12) So I have to ask myself why is line 11 in this state of limbo, between two thoughts, and I also have to realize the importance of the finality that the period gives the final line. I think the period tells the reader that the speaker will not engage with the the woman.
I also was not 100% on what anemia was and found that it is someone who has a lack of blood and who looks very unhealthy pale and feeble. This creates the the spark of what the speaker will do or will not do with the woman, and the final period gives us the answer.
Lastly I think that the title of the poem is borderline funny. If a garden is supposed to be a place of cultivation of many different types of veggies, fruits, and plants then the reader would assume that the Kensingtion Gardens is their ironic setting because there is no cultivation of life because the poet gives indication that we are our are the gardeners of our lives, and we suck at it. Strawberries chill with strawberries and mushrooms chill with mushrooms. When we look at a garden in this context everything is smooth(ie) and right with the world, but because humans are different but the same it becomes imposable to discuses strawberries and mushroom getting along.
What I am trying to get at is that I think Pound understands that equality is a nice notion, but not practical. The acceptance of necessary evil and how it works for the greater good and sucks for individuals as a whole individually.
I also was not 100% on what anemia was and found that it is someone who has a lack of blood and who looks very unhealthy pale and feeble. This creates the the spark of what the speaker will do or will not do with the woman, and the final period gives us the answer.
Lastly I think that the title of the poem is borderline funny. If a garden is supposed to be a place of cultivation of many different types of veggies, fruits, and plants then the reader would assume that the Kensingtion Gardens is their ironic setting because there is no cultivation of life because the poet gives indication that we are our are the gardeners of our lives, and we suck at it. Strawberries chill with strawberries and mushrooms chill with mushrooms. When we look at a garden in this context everything is smooth(ie) and right with the world, but because humans are different but the same it becomes imposable to discuses strawberries and mushroom getting along.
What I am trying to get at is that I think Pound understands that equality is a nice notion, but not practical. The acceptance of necessary evil and how it works for the greater good and sucks for individuals as a whole individually.
I'm confused about the last line of your post. I think that perhaps Pound is not saying that the great class and social divide was a necessary evil, but rather he is criticizing the upper class and the cycles that all of these people have found themselves in based on systemic inequality. So yes, it is unfortunate for the individual, but it is also making fun of the aristocrats in an oh-poor-you kind of way, especially with the phrase "emotional anemia"- her substance is being sapped from her and making her a weaker part of society.
ReplyDeleteI may be misinterpreting your post, and please correct me if I am, but I'm not sure the stance Pound takes in "The Garden" is one of acceptance of the evils of social division. I don't believe the conclusion would be that this division is necessary, either. Because, as you noted, the woman is "dying" (3) "of a sort of emotional anemia" (4), the division created by her social status does not seem to be presented in an acceptable light. To go with your mushroom/strawberry analogy, which is helpful(!), Pound's speaker seems to be critiquing the segregated gardening that would have certain "plants" (i.e., the woman described) withering away and dying.
ReplyDelete(I meant to add an introduction to my post that indicates it is an echo/extension of/agreement with "pep pep's" above, but cannot edit my comment.)
ReplyDeleteI don't think Pound is saying that inequality is okay and practical. All of the imagery involved is to show how the woman is hindered by the inequality and how the upper class isn't going to stay in power for long. There is a group of poor people in the garden with the speaker and the woman, showing that the class system is obsolete. And the ending lines about the speaker and the woman talking to one another further shows that the divide is unnecessary and outdated.
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