Poem Analysis - Sea Sunset

Introduction: A Fleeting Vision of Paradise

Lucy Maud Montgomery's "Sea Sunset" is a wistful and evocative poem that captures the transient beauty of a sunset over the ocean. The poem paints a vivid picture of a fantastical city appearing in the sky, a vision of idyllic beauty and unattainable dreams. The overall tone is one of longing and wonder, tinged with a gentle melancholy as the speaker acknowledges the ephemeral nature of this breathtaking spectacle. There is a slight shift from awe and possibility in the middle stanzas to a resigned acceptance of the vision's disappearance in the final stanza.

Unattainable Beauty: The Central Theme

One of the main themes of the poem is the idea of unattainable beauty. The city in the sky, described as being in the "Land of Lost Delight," represents a perfect, idealized world. The speaker's desire for this world is evident in the lines, "We might embark and reach that shining portal / Beyond which linger dreams and joys immortal." However, the poem emphasizes that this beauty is fleeting and ultimately unreachable: "But we may only gaze with longing eyes." The poem uses vivid imagery and descriptive language to portray the beauty of the city. This enhances the audience's sense of longing, as they visualize the city and realize it is only a temporary sight.

The Allure of the Ideal World: A Dream of Perfection

The poem explores the theme of the allure of the ideal world, a common element in Romantic poetry. The imagined city, adorned with "opal towers and shrines elysian," is depicted as a paradise. This ideal world promises "dreams and joys immortal," a stark contrast to the speaker's present reality. The yearning for this idealized place suggests a dissatisfaction with the speaker's current existence, a desire to escape into a realm of pure beauty and happiness. It also showcases the longing that the speaker feels towards an unknown world that they can only see in their dreams.

Impermanence and Loss: A Reminder of Mortality

The theme of impermanence and loss is strongly present throughout the poem. The beautiful city, so vibrant and real, is destined to vanish into "mist moon-white" and be lost to the darkness of the night. This fleeting nature of the vision is a powerful reminder of mortality and the ephemeral quality of all things beautiful. The final stanza reinforces this theme as the speaker can only gaze "with longing eyes" as the "winds of night come shoreward roaming, / And the dim west has only gray and gloaming."

Symbolism of the Sunset: A Metaphor for Fleeting Moments

The sunset itself serves as a powerful symbol. The "gallant city" built in the sky is a metaphorical representation of the sunset's vibrant colors and spectacular formations. The sunset symbolizes fleeting moments of beauty, experiences that are precious because they are transient. The "waters darkling" and the "gray and gloaming" represent the fading of this beauty into the darkness of night, a symbol of the inevitable end and the transition to a less vibrant state. The city is only there for a small amount of time, just like the sunset, reminding the speaker and the reader to enjoy the beauty while they can.

Conclusion: A Poignant Meditation on Beauty and Longing

"Sea Sunset" is a poignant meditation on the nature of beauty, the allure of the ideal, and the inevitability of loss. Montgomery masterfully uses vivid imagery and evocative language to create a scene that is both breathtaking and heartbreaking. The poem's significance lies in its ability to capture the universal human experience of longing for something beyond reach, a desire for a perfect world that exists only in our imaginations and in the fleeting moments of natural beauty. The reader is left with a sense of wistful appreciation for the beauty around them, and an awareness of its temporary presence.