Pablo Neruda is a Chilean poet, politician, and diplomat, and the author was born in 1904. As the recipient of several literary prizes, Neruda’s contribution to literature has been significant. Pablo Neruda is the creative pseudonym of the author, which has changed several times. Financial difficulties were the main problem that hindered the development of the author in the creative aspect, thus, the emphasis was also placed on politics. In the works, the author speaks and sings of certain objects, decorating poetry with masterfully chosen epithets and metaphors. In the Ode with a Lament, Pablo Neruda addresses the young girl, praising the youth and the beauty, and each line of the poem opens a certain sense for the reader.
A popular direction in the work of Pablo Neruda was odes, thus, laudatory songs are dedicated to certain objects, phenomena, or persons. Initially, the ode genre was born as a laudatory song in ancient Greece, which was often ordered by rich people. It was reminiscent of a modern advertisement for some object, for example, a chariot that won at the Olympic Games. Thus, a rich person who sponsored the winning chariot could order an ode to praise its honor. It is similar to modern ads for athletes and teams that win competitions, and their advertisements can be seen in different media aspects.
However, later, the ode began to take on a deeper meaning, praising majestic objects or phenomena such as love, youth, beauty, and other philosophical factors. Certainly, Pablo Neruda did not write commissioned odes in honor of athletes or chariots, but in some works, the author praised ordinary things. In the selected poem, the author addressed a beautiful young girl, praising a woman’s beauty and discussing how it affects the world around the heroine. The author conveys to the reader the incredible glory of the girl and the emotional experiences that are unique to any person.
In the first part, the performance begins as an ode, the author describes the beauty of the heroine and praises it. The feelings of the reader intensify as the author’s feelings about the fabulous loveliness of the girl grow. Further, the tone changes to lanet, the author regrets that one cannot give the girl something special and that the woman deserved. Pablo Neruda deplores that the girl is so young and that the quean’s life has just begun, however, the character’s dreams are already covered with dust. Further, the author represents that one can love her only in the fantasies. The hero understands that the girl is distant and tries to fight the character’s own mortality.
Some lines make it possible to find out the key experiences of the author. For example, one of the lines: «The water are loosed on my head while my forelock grows longer – water like time breaking free of itself,» represents the problem of time and age (Neruda, 81). Thus, the author worries about the passage of time and about the fact that it is irrevocable. Moreover, one may notice the aging problem, namely that the character’s hair is getting longer. One might assume that the author’s experiences are based on the fact that one is too old for a girl. In addition, the writer conveys a hint of concern about the inevitable passage of time and the fact that one cannot influence this.
Further, the author used an example of communication of the character with oneself from the past in order not only to represent feelings about time but also how it affects a person. For example, the following line: «I endlessly study my image in mirror and window glass and hear the pursuers still sobbing and calling my name in a woebegone voice fouled with time» (Neruda, 81). One may notice that the character hears the voice of himself from the past and also sees the reflection in the mirror, which symbolizes the character from the past. Pablo Neruda not only represents the feeling of passing time but also depicts how it affects a person. Assumingly, the voice that the hero hears is sad because the character regrets how one has transformed due to aging.
Next, the tone returns to the ode, and the author praises and describes the beauty of the girl and the power the woman has. In addition, the author once again mentions that love is possible only in the fantasies of the character. In the hero’s mind, the girl likes the character’s touch and reacts to them. In addition, Pablo Neruda compares the girl with the blade of the sword, describing her beauty. It shows how the author conveys the power of beauty, which can sometimes become a weapon.
The final part characterizes the death of the character and unfulfilled dreams. Thus, by the tone of the final part, one may notice that Pablo Neruda conveys the experience of the fact that the time has come. The author does not directly indicate the character’s death, however, one may draw a conclusion from the tone of the story. Moreover, one may notice how the author represented the strong experiences of the character about the dreams of love with the girl.
The author masterfully conveyed the experiences of the character with the help of the tone and syllables of the poem. It is formulated by the number of various epithets and metaphors that have been used to describe certain objects and situations. Moreover, the author masterfully used stylistic techniques to convey to the reader the power of beauty. Pablo Neruda was able to plunge the viewer into the atmosphere of psychologism and fantasies of the character, mixed with experiences on certain occasions. One of the most prominent themes is worries about the irretrievable passage of time and the impact of time on people and on the character. Also, one may notice that the author conveyed feelings about the aging of the individual, which is characterized by the beauty and youth of the girl. It is also formulated by the fact that the character hears the voice from the past and sees reflections in the mirror.
To conclude, in the poem “Ode with a Lanet,” Pablo Neruda was able to convey several aspects masterfully. Firstly, the author drew the viewer’s attention to the problem of beauty and love. Thus, as already indicated, the writer used a comparison of a girl and a sword blade. It characterizes the power of beauty, which in some cases can be as dangerous as a weapon. In addition, one may notice psychologism in terms of age and love fantasies. Thereby, the character understood that one was too old for a girl, and therefore their relationship is possible only in fantasies. With the help of suitable epithets and metaphors, the author was able to convey to the reader how affected the character was by the beauty of the girl.
Work Cited
Neruda, Pablo. The Ode with a Lament. Grove Press, 1961.