Poem Analysis - Mithridates

Initial Impression and Tone

Ralph Waldo Emerson's "Mithridates" is a poem that exudes a sense of unrestrained desire and a thirst for experience. The tone is bold and defiant, with a speaker who demands to engage with the world in all its variety and intensity. The poem shifts from a sense of confinement and deprivation to a wild, almost reckless, embrace of life's extremes. The speaker's language is vivid and sensuous, reflecting a deep longing to be fully immersed in the world's diverse offerings.

Themes of Desire and Excess

The poem explores the theme of desire and excess. The speaker's insatiable appetite for everything from "water or wine" to "poppy or rose" suggests a craving for experience that knows no bounds. This desire is not just about physical pleasures but about a comprehensive engagement with life. The speaker wants to "use the world, and sift it, / To a thousand humors shift it," indicating a willingness to experience life in all its complexity and variety. The use of extreme and often dangerous substances like "canntharids" and "prussic juice" underscores the speaker's reckless pursuit of experience.

Themes of Confinement and Liberation

The theme of confinement and liberation is also prominent. The speaker feels "Too long shut in strait and few," suggesting a sense of being confined and deprived. This confinement is contrasted with a desire for liberation, expressed in the speaker's wish to "use the world" and experience its full range of sensations. The imagery of being "sun me in the Capitol" rather than being an "owl" further emphasizes the speaker's desire to be fully alive and engaged with the world, rather than being confined and passive.

Themes of Mortality and Risk

The theme of mortality and risk is evident in the speaker's willingness to embrace dangerous and potentially lethal experiences. The mention of "hemlock" and "prussic juice" are clear references to poisons that can cause death. The speaker's invitation to "fill me, / Vein and artery, though ye kill me" suggests a willingness to risk everything for the sake of experience. This theme is tied to the idea of living life to the fullest, even if it means facing the ultimate risk.

Recurring Symbols and Imagery

The poem is rich with vivid imagery and recurring symbols. The use of natural elements like "agates," "dogwood," and "upas boughs" suggests a connection to the earth and its raw, untamed power. The mention of "vampire-fanned" and "prussic juice" adds a dark, almost gothic, element to the poem, emphasizing the speaker's willingness to engage with the darker aspects of life. The "Capitol" and the "owl" can be seen as symbols of public life and passive observation, respectively, contrasting with the speaker's desire for active engagement. The speaker's use of the word "kin" to describe all things that "work or grow" suggests a sense of kinship with the natural world, reinforcing the theme of comprehensive engagement with life.

Conclusion

"Mithridates" is a poem that celebrates the desire for intense, unfiltered experience. Through vivid imagery and a defiant tone, Emerson's speaker expresses a longing to break free from confinement and embrace the full range of life's offerings, even if it means risking danger and death. The poem's themes of desire, liberation, and mortality are intertwined, creating a powerful exploration of what it means to live life to the fullest. The speaker's bold declaration to "use the world, and sift it" encapsulates the poem's central message: a call to engage with life in all its complexity and intensity.