Death themes in literature and culture

¶ … Death Explored in "Thanatopsis" and "The Raven"

Death, as painful and mysterious as it is, cannot be avoided and the fact that we do not know what death is all about is enough to awaken thought. Writers and artists have expressed thoughts concerning death as long as there has been art because after all of our thoughtful introspection, we know nothing about it. Two poets that bring us two different points-of-view regarding death are William Cullen Bryant and Edgar Allan Poe. These men were touched by death - one poet sees it as a natural progression of life that should not be feared and the other sees death as the eternal separation of loved ones that results in madness from isolation. "Thanatopsis" and "The Raven" demonstrate the all-encompassing grip of death and each poem takes us on a journey into the mystery of death and they ultimately convey the myriad of notions associated with death and dying. Their different points-of-view illustrate the power of the unknown.

Death affects everyone in different ways and our perception of things is often the direct result of an experience. Frank Gado maintains that Bryant witnessed a "siege of typhus, or a typhuslike illness" (Gado) in his neighborhood and some of his friends were stricken by the disease. According to Gado, Bryant was especially affected when a young woman friend fell ill; her death forced him into a "melancholy" (Gado). Gado asserts, "These various dark strands almost certainly led to the composition of the approximately fifty middle lines of the poem" (Gado). Here we see how death compelled the poet to not only consider what was on the other side of life but to present that idea with the world because most of the world fears death. Bryant's poem is interesting in that it does not exemplify traditional Christian beliefs about death and dying but that does not men that the poem is negative in any way. Instead of a host of angels awaiting the dying, "Thanatopsis" "represents death as awaiting the nothingness toward which all life ineluctably moves" (Gado). By eluding conventional Christian ideas associated with death, the poem is "nothing if not heretical" (Gado) and essentially "negates the meaning of Christ as redeemer" (Gado). While this may sound shocking, it is interesting to note that it is note in the reading of the poem. While it is true that the poet does not mention any of the familiar notions we normally attribute to death in a Christian world, the poem is wonderfully centered and peaceful nonetheless. R. Rio-Jelliffe also adds, "Enunciating romantic tenets in the twenties, Bryant may have promoted the shift from the rational-mechanistic to an organic view of mind and art" (Rio-Jelliffe). This move might explain why the poem explores death from this organic perspective.

In "Thanatopsis," is the speaker is meditating upon death, reflecting upon it with a gentle mood and tone. The speaker surmises that we should not fear death because it will lead us to better things. If we look to the peaceful and calm elements of nature, we will discover that beauty awaits us in what lies beyond death. The poet is encouraging about death, observing that when we die, we will join:

Kings,

The powerful earth of the earth -- the wise, the good,

Fair forms, and hoary seers of ages past,

All in one sepulchre. (Bryant 34-7)

The poet is attempting to soothe any worrisome spirits about death by noting that we will not be alone when we die. Instead, we will be in the company of all that have ever lived. The poet states, "all that breathe/Will share thy destiny" (60-1). The ending of the poem is comforting, soliciting readers to be "sustained and soothed/by an unfaltering trust" (78-9) that peace awaits us after this life. More than anything, the poet wants to convey a message of peace and harmony between humanity and the earth, with death being only an extension of that soulful relationship. The connection with earth is significant in that it reinforces the poet's thoughts regarding a philosophical opinion of death. The speaker recognizes death as nothing but a part of human destiny. The significance about this impression is that nature does not attempt to escape this reality whereas mankind always does. If man decides to let nature have its way, the mind is free from materialistic frills and can concentrate on "sun prayer/and child laughter" (6-7). Here, the poet associates images of pleasure with the afterlife.

Edgar Allan Poe experienced death in his life as well. His mother died when he was a young boy and his foster mother died when he was young G.R. Thompson maintains, "As with the memories of his mother, combined with his natural concern over Frances Allan's deteriorating health, idealized womanly beauty was once again associated with illness, death, and loss" (Thompson). With this impression, we can see how the beautiful Lenore's death is so bitterly painful for the speaker of "The Raven." While "Thanatopsis" takes us into the realm of nature when considering death, "The Raven" carries into the realm of a weakened mind. Dennis Eddings contends, "the narrative progression of the poem depicts the dead end of the uncontrolled Romantic imagination" (Eddings). The poet is stepping outside traditional literary boundaries just like the speaker of "Thanatopsis" steps outside the traditional Christian values associated with death. The structure of "The Raven" is significant to understanding it in that it is lyrical and the rhyming emphasizes the speaker's intense emotions. The repetitive "Nevermore!" (Poe 42) demonstrates how the speaker is slowly losing his grip on reality. The speaker's final analysis, "my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor / Shall be lifted - nevermore!" (108), confirms our suspicions that the sorrow is too great and he has given way to madness. With this poem, there is no pleasant escape and what makes this more maddening is that the victim is trapped in his own mind and there is not hope of relief.

While "Thanatopsis" is meditative, Poe's "The Raven" is a narrative poem that presents us with an entirely different view regarding death. With this poem, we see death from the experience of the one that was left behind. The speaker in this poem is distraught and despondent and the appearance of the bird only seems to drive him further into desperation. The power of the poem lies in the victim's sorrow and the overarching theme that death is destructive for the grieving. Unlike "Thanatopsis," the mood and tone of "The Raven" is dark and gloomy. Our speaker has presented us with an image of a "bleak December" (Poe 7) midnight hour. The lost Lenore is mentioned and the poet tells us that she is "Nameless here for evermore" (12), indicating that once a life has passed through the earthly realm, there is nothing left. Essentially, there is no hope - in this world or any other. It is interesting that each poet can look at death and arrive at such different points-of-view.