Poem Analysis - Little Ladies

An Elegy for Lost Innocence: Introduction

E.E. Cummings's "Little Ladies" is a fragmented, haunting meditation on the lives and deaths, both literal and figurative, of Parisian prostitutes during and after World War I. The poem blends French and English, juxtaposing images of beauty and decay, innocence and experience. The overall tone is melancholic and elegiac, tinged with cynicism and a sense of loss. It evokes a world where beauty is commodified and youth is tragically fleeting.

Echoes of War and Lost Youth

While the poem doesn't explicitly detail historical context, the phrase "dance where danced la guerre" strongly suggests the backdrop of World War I and its aftermath. This devastating conflict profoundly impacted society, leading to widespread disillusionment and social upheaval. The poem subtly echoes this context by portraying the "little ladies" as casualties of a war that extends beyond the battlefield, claiming not only lives but also innocence and hope. The poem also suggests a social commentary of the American's abroad and the use of their money. The phrase "les anglais sont gentils et les américains aussi, ils payent bien les américains dance" highlight the power dynamic between the sex workers and their clientele.

Love, Mortality, and Commodification of Beauty

One central theme is the commodification of love and beauty. The poem presents these women as objects of desire, their bodies and affections for sale. Phrases like "voulez vous coucher avec moi?" repeated throughout the poem, starkly illustrate this transaction. Another is mortality. The recurring description of the ladies as "dead exactly," "skilfully dead," and "carefully dead," is ambiguous. It could refer to their literal deaths (perhaps from disease or violence) but more likely symbolizes the death of their innocence, their dreams, and their spirits. Their lives are brief and full of hardship, and are therefore close to death. The poem also implicitly suggests the fragility of human existence, especially that of these young women, further underlining the themes of mortality and loss.

Recurring Imagery: The Dance of Death

The recurring image of the "little ladies" dancing is particularly potent. This dance is not celebratory; it's a dance of death, a perpetual performance for the pleasure of others. The repetition of "dance" alongside the qualifier "dead exactly" creates a jarring contrast, highlighting the artificiality and desperation of their existence. The image of "long lips of Lucienne which dangle the old men and hot men" is also significant, depicting a seductive but ultimately hollow interaction, suggesting that these women are seen as objects to be consumed.

A Mysterious Paris: Conclusion

"Little Ladies" is a complex and evocative poem that offers a glimpse into a specific time and place, but also explores universal themes of loss, exploitation, and the fleeting nature of beauty. The ambiguity surrounding the women's "death" encourages readers to consider the many ways in which life can be diminished or destroyed. Ultimately, the poem serves as a poignant elegy for these lost souls, capturing their fleeting existence in a world that both fetishizes and disregards them, leaving the reader to ponder the significance of their ghostly dance within the context of Parisian history and human experience.