Analysis of Poetic Symbolism and Imagery in Verse
Poetic Symbolism and Imagery Analysis
Analysis of Specific Poetic Elements
(a) Multiple Meanings of ‘Ride’ in “The Last Ride Together”
In Robert Browning’s poem “The Last Ride Together,” the word ‘ride’ carries several meanings. On the literal level, it refers to the final horse ride shared by the speaker and his beloved after their relationship has failed. Symbolically, the ride represents a temporary escape from rejection, social rules, and emotional pain. Philosophically, it suggests the journey of life, where success and failure coexist. Spiritually, the ride hints at a moment of transcendence, where the speaker achieves fulfillment not through possession but through acceptance. Thus, the ‘ride’ becomes a metaphor for love, life, imagination, and the human desire to find meaning even in loss.
(b) Winter Landscape in “The Snowman”
In Wallace Stevens’s “The Snowman,” the winter landscape is stark, cold, and stripped of life. Images of snow, frost, ice, and bare trees dominate the poem, creating a scene of absolute stillness and emptiness. This landscape reflects the poem’s philosophical idea that one must perceive reality without emotional projection. The observer must have a “mind of winter” to truly understand nature as it is. The bleak setting symbolizes nothingness and neutrality, suggesting that reality exists independent of human feelings. The winter landscape thus becomes a tool for **exploring perception**, objectivity, and existential truth.
(c) Tree as a Symbol in Daruwalla’s Poem “Chinar”
In Keki N. Daruwalla’s poem “Chinar,” the tree functions as a powerful symbol of Kashmir’s identity, history, and resilience. The Chinar tree, deeply rooted in Kashmiri culture, represents endurance and continuity amid political violence and social unrest. Its strong trunk and wide branches contrast sharply with the fragile human world around it. As seasons change, the tree silently witnesses bloodshed, suffering, and loss. Thus, the Chinar becomes a mute witness to human cruelty and a symbol of nature’s indifference as well as its permanence. Through the tree, Daruwalla highlights the tragic conflict between enduring nature and transient human violence.
(d) Protest in “The Caves”
In Christopher Okigbo’s poem “The Caves,” protest is expressed against colonial domination, cultural loss, and spiritual alienation. The poem draws on African myths, ancestral symbols, and ritual imagery to reclaim indigenous identity. The caves symbolize sacred spaces of tradition that have been violated by colonial influence. Okigbo’s protest is not loud or direct but symbolic and ritualistic, emphasizing cultural resistance rather than political slogans. By invoking ancestral spirits and native landscapes, the poet asserts the need to reconnect with African roots. The poem thus becomes a form of cultural protest, asserting selfhood and spiritual independence.
Context and Explanation of Selected Verses
1. “Then we began to ride. My soul smoothed itself out, a long-cramped scroll, Freshening and fluttering in the wind.”
Context & Explanation:
These lines are from Walt Whitman’s “Song of the Open Road.” The speaker has left behind restrictions, routines, and social constraints and has set out on a physical and spiritual journey.
The metaphor of the “long-cramped scroll” suggests that the soul had been tightly rolled up—restricted and confined by conventions. As the journey begins, the soul “smooths itself out”, symbolizing freedom, self-realization, and emotional release. The image of fluttering in the wind conveys joy, openness, and harmony with nature. Whitman celebrates travel as a means of discovering one’s true self and embracing democracy and equality.
2. “I’ve known rivers: Ancient, dusky rivers. My soul has grown deep like rivers.”
Context & Explanation:
These lines are from Langston Hughes’ poem “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.” The speaker speaks not as an individual but as the collective voice of Black history.
The rivers—ancient and dusky—symbolize the long, rich, and often painful history of African civilization and the African-American experience. By saying his soul has grown deep like rivers, the poet suggests that this history has given depth, wisdom, endurance, and dignity to the Black identity. The lines affirm racial pride and continuity, linking the present with an ancient, resilient past.
3. “Sometimes a rain comes Slowly across the sky, that turns Upon its grey cloud, breaking away into light Before it reaches its objective.”
Context & Explanation:
These lines are from a modern Indian English poem (often read symbolically). The rain here functions as a metaphor for human hope, intention, or effort.
The rain cloud appears to move with purpose—towards an “objective”—but breaks away into light before reaching it. This suggests unfulfilled expectations, emotional hesitation, or the failure of intentions before they materialize. The imagery reflects the uncertainty of life, where plans often dissolve or transform unexpectedly. The contrast between grey cloud and light also implies that disappointment may carry a subtle beauty or revelation.
4. “Kashmir shrinks into my mailbox, my home a neat four by six inches.”
Context & Explanation:
These lines are from Agha Shahid Ali’s poem “Postcard from Kashmir.” The poet writes from exile, remembering his homeland from afar.
The postcard (four by six inches) symbolizes how distance reduces a vast, living homeland into a flat, lifeless image. Kashmir, once emotionally and culturally immense, now exists only as a fragile memory. The word “shrinks” conveys loss, nostalgia, and pain. The lines highlight the emotional cost of exile and the impossibility of truly capturing one’s homeland through photographs or memories.