The Snow Man by Wallace Stevens - Essay Example

26 March 2007 “The Snow Man” by Wallace Stevens – An Analysis “The Snow Man” is one of Wallace Stevens’s most famous and enduring poems. It does not lend itself easily to interpretation as it is a complex piece of work, layered with profound meaning. It has several elements that make it at once endearing and intriguing, it combines the properties of reality, fantasy and even dapples in the realms of metaphysical. The poem can be interpreted in a million ways and that is part of its overriding charm. On account of its complexity, it is controversial to this day as experts continue to argue about its myriad implications. Understanding its meaning and rich undertones can be a challenging task for the reader. Several readings and a careful, systematic analysis is called for, in order to fully comprehend its significance. But in the long run the effort is worthwhile as “The Snow Man” is a remarkable poem and reading it can be an enriching and rewarding experience. The poem begins by introducing the reader to a human, and it is through the eyes of this person that the paradoxical nature of winter, with its cold beauty and innate harshness is revealed. Initially the poet emphasizes the importance of being finely attuned to the nuances of winter at a mental level. Further by dint of prolonged exposure one must be inured to the hardships brought on by the wintry winds. Only then will it be possible for the process of metamorphosis to take place, transforming one into a snowman, which is truly integrated with the magnificent landscape. One evolves into “…the listener, who listens in the snow, / And, nothing himself, beholds/ Nothing that is not there and the nothing that is” (Stevens 9). Speculation as to the events that led to the shaping of the poem may help the reader to better grasp its import. It would appear that Stevens had written this poem, while merely gazing at a wintry landscape and studying its nature. Or, on a more profound note the poem may be his way of giving expression to the realization that the winter of his own life had approached, bringing with it a curious mixture of despondency and hope and the need to shed the unnecessary trappings of civilization, in order to become one with nature, and thereby achieve a purer state of being. This probably explains the sheer intensity of the poem and its theme of learning to let go - giving up everything and thereby acquiring everything which may just turn out to be nothing. From looking at the poem’s antecedents, the reader may divide it into its structural parts for purposes of comprehension. The structural form of the poem consists of five tercets or three line stanzas in unrhymed verse, otherwise called blank verse. The first two stanzas outline the conditions that need to be met, “One must have a mind of winter… And have been cold a long time” (Stevens 9), in order to truly identify with the awe – inspiring landscape. These stanzas also include evocative descriptions of the sheer beauty of winter that establishes the mood and sets the tone for the poem. The third and fourth stanzas bring out the emotional aspect of the transformation that is taking place assuming the conditions have been met, while accentuating the terrible beauty and harshness that is the defining characteristic of the winter scene. The final stanza is the most complicated as it is subject to interpretation. It talks of a sublime state of purity that is captured by the snowman’s nothingness. The intricate final stanza is the climax of the poem and it merits a closer examination as it is tersely packed with meaning. It is important to note the paradoxical nature of the concluding lines, where Stevens talks about what appears to be dual states of nothingness. The process of evolution that has been set in motion has been concluded and a harmonious blend with nature has been achieved. One has learned that in order to gain everything, one must be willing and able to give up everything. This type of paradox is evident throughout the poem: Stevens describes the lush fullness of the landscape in the initial stanzas, and then proceeds to depict its barrenness towards the end. Similarly exquisite pleasure is juxtaposed against terrible pain. These paradoxes culminate in the ultimate paradox in the climax. One gets the impression that Stevens is symbolically describing the process by which vibrant and vigorous life gives way to the emptiness and nothingness of death. Since the climax is so compelling, one is loathe to abandon the poem at this stage. Instead, one is inclined to read it again and again, in the hope of gleaning precious insights while deeply savoring every word. At this point, one notices that in the first three stanzas, the infinitive clauses are largely joined without employing conjunctions, while in the next two stanzas one sees an abundance of subordinate clauses. This has the effect of leaving the sentences unfinished. It is like playing a game of building bocks, where each sentence rather than conclude its meaning merely leads up to the next sentence and so on, leading up to the big finale. Thus this poem follows a serpentine, convoluted path, showing only glimpses of the big picture and providing clues needed to grasp it in its entirety. This structural aspect of the poem is representative of the evolutionary process outlined above, with each sentence conveying a thought that is a necessary link towards forming the finished product. Therefore it may be said that the poem is an architectural marvel, with every part serving as the foundation for the next. Having thoroughly dissected the structural parts of the poem, it is possible to see with a degree of clarity the bare bones or the ‘skeleton’ of the poem. The poem begins with instructions, which need to be fully adhered to in order to first see the winter landscape in its dazzling attire and in its supreme glory. But this is merely a superficial image, which holds the promise of more. It is necessary for one to become fully acclimatized not only to every miniscule, sometimes contradictory attributes of winter but particularly to its harshness, this though is reflected in the lines, “… and not to think / Of any misery in the sound of the wind” (Stevens 9). By learning to let go of pain, the mind’s eye is opened and one becomes incorporated with the elements and is able to behold winter in its naked splendor. Initially, one has merely a glimmer of an idea, pertaining to what it would take to become fully integrated with the landscape in order to experience it in its entirety. Inspiration then gives way to realization and finally a state of actualization which Stevens calls nothingness is reached. This constitutes the dynamic curve of the poem, where one gets an idea, that has a sobering effect and as it starts to materialize, the excitement is accelerated and when the transformation is complete, there is solemn tranquility. The paradoxical nature of the poem and the ambiguity that is evident in the final stanza gives the impression that Stevens has deliberately made the skeleton of the poem particularly flexible. The concluding lines seem to have negative connotations as the entire purpose of human existence has been negated and reduced to a state of nothingness. And for that matter everything in the world may be seen to amount to nothing. This cynical line of thinking may fill the average reader with dismay and a state of absolute non – being takes on a threatening aspect. However this may also be viewed with a positive slant, giving up the self need not be scary as there is the prospect of attaining a far superior state by this evolutionary process. One may be said to have reached a stage of enlightenment or nirvana, which is the purest state of being, where one is completely free from cumbersome worldly attachment and the ensuing misery and is finally at peace or in harmony with nature. Thus when Stevens blows life into his skeleton with the force of his words and ideas, it is liable to take on any number of shapes all of which are likely to be fascinating, deliciously complex and elusive to the touch. It is the language and words that Stevens uses that fleshes out the skeleton. He uses simple language, and yet it is eloquent. Many shades of meaning have been packed into the five small tercets. Imagery has been employed to bring out the realism of the scene and one is almost transported to the landscape and in due course enjoys an otherworldly experience as one becomes a snowman by the process of projection. This is akin to what actually occurs in the poem via metamorphosis, where one finally achieves a transcendental state. The words used are perfect for the context in which they are employed. The diction helps us understand the exact manner in which the events unfold for the reader. Initially, the words employed are prosaic, and bring out with stunning clarity, the grandeur of the winter landscape. Slowly one becomes aware that the words are trying to convey something incorporeal as the poem takes a metaphysical bent. Thus, the language is very much in keeping with the ambiguous, somewhat obscure theme of the poem and also establishes its tone. The poem is a serious one, thereby Stevens adopts a solemn tone. But it is by no means a uniform tone as there are moments of exultation capped with immense peril. Thanks to the variation in the tone, the reader experiences a whole gamut of emotions ranging from happiness and dread to awe. The poem is about the process of becoming a snowman. The agent in the poem is the human observer of the scene who, from merely observing the scene, becomes a listener who is part of the scene in a metaphysical sense. The verbs used initially are compelling the agent – “must have”, “have been cold” and “not to think” but soon the tone changes, as do the verbs, as if to indicate that it is assumed that the exhortations have been followed and it is the consequences which must be outlined – “who listens”, and “nothing himself”. The agent also literally undergoes a gradual metamorphosis. “The Snow Man” could have been a simple nature poem, along the lines of Wordsworth. The evocative descriptions of the visual phenomena in the first two stanzas , “… the frost and the boughs / Of the pine – trees crusted with snow”, and “… the junipers shagged with ice, / The spruces rough in the distant glitter” (Stevens 9) are reminiscent of his nature poems, but Stevens chooses to go beyond the idealization of nature and uplifting the mundane. He has added a philosophical slant to the poem making it an intricate puzzle which is forever enigmatic and hard to solve but which is absorbing nevertheless. Given its complexity, it is hard to relegate the poem to a particular genre or determine its rhythm. It may be called a lyrical poem, owing to its musical quality and the emotions it depicts. The poem has its roots in reality, but manages to break free in order to enter the realms of fantasy. It does not have a regular rhythm, tetrameters, pentameters and trimeters are seen. The poem starts on a compelling note, increases its pace and slows down in the end to allow the reader to register the sobriety of the words. It is the poet’s remarkable imagination that gives “The Snow Man” its succulent flavor. His prowess of imagination is evident in the metaphysical aspects of the poem and his visualization of a state of nothingness. The entire concept of the poem is rendered unique by the poet’s skill in this aspect. He does not restrict this quality to the use of similes, metaphors and the like, which are seen in most poems, rather he uses it to put wings to the thoughts he is trying to express and thereby allows them to soar in the minds of the readers. Imagination gives the poem its spirit and its magical quality, both of which have not faded with the passing of the decades. All or most of the factors outlined and analyzed above have contributed to the greatness of this poem and as a testament to this fact, it has become one of the most celebrated poems of our time. Works Cited Stevens, Wallace. The Collected poems of Wallace Stevens. New York: Vintage, 1990. Read More