Poem Analysis - Manners

Overall Impression and Tone

Ralph Waldo Emerson's poem Manners presents a contemplative and somewhat melancholic exploration of the speaker's interactions with graceful and beautiful individuals. The tone shifts from admiration and enchantment to a sense of helplessness and resignation. The poem's language is rich and evocative, using vivid imagery to convey the speaker's internal struggle and the power of beauty over him. The speaker's initial awe and fascination gradually give way to a sense of defeat and entrapment, creating a poignant narrative of unrequited admiration.

Themes of Love, Power, and Helplessness

The poem delves into the themes of love, power, and helplessness. The speaker's admiration for graceful women and chosen men is evident from the start, with phrases like "Dazzle every mortal" and "His enchanted food" highlighting the allure and enchantment these individuals hold over him. This admiration, however, is tinged with a sense of powerlessness, as the speaker feels unable to engage with them directly. The imagery of the green grass as a looking-glass, where he finds their traits, underscores his indirect and passive observation, reinforcing his sense of helplessness. The final lines, where the speaker is described as "Too weak to win, too fond to shun," encapsulate this theme, showing his inability to either gain their affection or escape their influence.

Symbolism of the Golden Portal and the Tomb

The golden portal and the tomb are significant symbols in the poem. The golden portal, built by Grace, Beauty, and Caprice, represents the idealized world of the graceful and beautiful individuals. It is a place of enchantment and allure, but also of exclusion, as the speaker is left outside, admiring from a distance. The tomb, on the other hand, symbolizes the speaker's resignation and defeat. By slipping behind a tomb, the speaker is choosing a form of self-imposed exile, a retreat from the world of beauty and grace that he finds both captivating and overwhelming. This symbolism underscores the speaker's internal conflict and his ultimate surrender to his feelings of helplessness.

The Green Grass as a Looking-Glass

The green grass, described as a looking-glass, is a vivid image that contributes to the poem's overall message. It represents the speaker's indirect and passive observation of the beautiful individuals. Instead of looking directly at them, he finds their traits reflected in the green grass, emphasizing his distance and detachment. This image also highlights the speaker's introspective nature, as he is more focused on his internal reflections than on direct interaction. The green grass, therefore, serves as a metaphor for the speaker's internal world, where he finds both his admiration and his sense of helplessness.

Conclusion

Emerson's Manners is a poignant exploration of the power of beauty and the helplessness it can evoke. Through vivid imagery and rich symbolism, the poem delves into the speaker's internal struggle, highlighting his admiration, his sense of powerlessness, and his ultimate resignation. The golden portal and the tomb, along with the green grass as a looking-glass, serve as powerful symbols that underscore the poem's themes. The poem's significance lies in its universal exploration of the human condition, where admiration and helplessness often go hand in hand, shaping our interactions and our internal worlds.