Poem Analysis - In The Harbour The City And The Sea

Initial Impression and Tone

In The Harbour: The City And The Sea by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow presents a dramatic dialogue between the city and the sea, capturing a moment of intense need and response. The poem's tone is initially urgent and desperate, reflecting the city's plea for relief from the heat. However, the sea's response introduces a shift in mood, adding an element of foreboding and ambiguity. The poem's form, a narrative dialogue, supports the tension and interplay between the two entities, highlighting the dual nature of the sea's breath.

Themes of Duality and Nature's Ambivalence

The poem explores the theme of duality, particularly the dual nature of the sea. The sea is portrayed as both a life-giver and a taker of life, reflecting the ambivalence of nature. This duality is evident in the lines I breathe but my breath to some will be life, to others death. The sea's breath, symbolizing nature's influence, can bring relief and life, but it can also bring destruction and death. This theme is further developed through the imagery of the east wind, which is described as both life-giving and death-giving, mirroring the sea's dual nature.

The City's Vulnerability and Nature's Indifference

Another prominent theme is the vulnerability of the city in the face of nature's indifference. The city is described as faint with heat, pleading for relief, while the sea responds with a matter-of-fact statement about its dual nature. This dynamic highlights the city's dependence on nature and its vulnerability to natural forces. The sea's indifference is emphasized in the lines Silent as dreams are, and sudden as sleep, suggesting that nature operates on its own terms, regardless of human needs or desires.

Symbolism of the Sea and the Wind

The sea and the wind are powerful symbols in the poem, representing the forces of nature. The sea is personified, speaking directly to the city and embodying the duality of nature's influence. The east wind, described as coming from the heaving breast of the deep, is a vivid image that emphasizes the wind's origin in the sea and its life-giving and death-giving potential. The wind's suddenness and silence also underscore nature's unpredictability and indifference. The sea's breath, a recurring image, symbolizes the pervasive and inevitable influence of nature on human life.

Conclusion: The Ambivalence of Nature

In The Harbour: The City And The Sea explores the complex and often ambivalent relationship between humans and nature. Through vivid imagery and powerful symbolism, Longfellow highlights the dual nature of the sea and the wind, emphasizing their life-giving and death-giving potential. The poem ultimately underscores the vulnerability of the city and the indifference of nature, inviting readers to reflect on the unpredictable and often unyielding forces that shape human life. The poem's final lines, O breath of the merciful, merciless Sea, encapsulate this ambivalence, leaving readers to ponder the dual nature of the forces that govern our world.