Poem Analysis - I Have Longed To Move Away

A Desire for Escape Tainted by Fear

Dylan Thomas's "I Have Longed To Move Away" is a poem steeped in longing and unease. The speaker expresses a fervent desire to escape a world saturated with falsehood and terror, yet this yearning is counterbalanced by a profound fear of what might emerge from the very decay he wishes to leave behind. The poem's tone is initially one of weary resignation, punctuated by moments of intense dread, before shifting to a more defiant, yet still apprehensive, stance. The overall mood is one of claustrophobia, both physical and emotional.

Echoes of a World Scarred by Deception

While specifics are not overtly stated, the poem resonates with the post-war atmosphere of disillusionment prevalent in the mid-20th century. Thomas, writing after the devastation of World War II, likely felt the weight of broken promises and societal lies. The "spent lie" and "old terrors" may allude to the propaganda and anxieties of the war years, which continued to linger in the collective consciousness. The poem can thus be read as an exploration of the individual's struggle to find truth and meaning in a world saturated with deception and haunted by the past. He wanted to escape the repetition, as well as the memories, which were the ghosts and echoes in his life.

Escaping the Lie, Embracing the Unknown?

One of the central themes of the poem is **the conflict between the desire for escape and the fear of the unknown**. The speaker repeatedly states his longing "to move away," suggesting a deep dissatisfaction with his current circumstances. However, this desire is tempered by the fear that "some life, yet unspent, might explode / Out of the old lie burning on the ground." This suggests that the speaker is aware that the very things he wishes to escape might still have the power to harm him. It is the fear of change, and what the act of escaping would bring about.

The Corrosive Power of Falsehood

The image of the "spent lie" is a powerful one, suggesting that the lie has been used up, exhausted, yet still retains a destructive force. The lie isn't just a simple untruth; it's something that has been used and exploited, leaving behind a residue of fear and anxiety. The image of this lie "burning on the ground" evokes a sense of decay and destruction, highlighting the corrosive power of falsehood. Similarly, the "ghosts in the air" and "ghostly echoes on paper" symbolize the lingering presence of the past, suggesting that the speaker is haunted by memories and past experiences. The "thunder of calls and notes" may signify the relentless barrage of demands and expectations that the speaker wishes to escape. These all are images of oppression, things that weight down the speaker.

Defiance Amidst Apprehension

The final stanza reveals a complex mixture of defiance and apprehension. The speaker declares that he would "not care to die" by "night's ancient fear" or "Half convention and half lie." This suggests a rejection of both traditional fears and societal norms. However, the very act of stating this implies that these fears and conventions still hold a certain power. Does the speaker genuinely believe he can escape the clutches of the past, or is he merely trying to convince himself that he is not afraid? The ambiguity of this ending leaves the reader pondering the speaker's ultimate fate.

Lingering Questions of Personal Freedom

In conclusion, "I Have Longed To Move Away" is a powerful exploration of the human desire for freedom and the anxieties that accompany it. The poem's imagery and tone effectively convey the speaker's sense of unease and longing, while the recurring symbols of lies, ghosts, and echoes underscore the pervasive influence of the past. Ultimately, the poem leaves us with a question: can true freedom ever be achieved in a world haunted by its own history, or are we forever bound to the very things we seek to escape?