I need help with the following poem analysis, I do not know what it is saying!
FOGHORN
Surely that moan is not the thing
That men thought they were making, when they
Put it there, for their own necessities
That throat does not call to anything human
But to something men had forgotten, That stirs under the fog. Who wounded that beast
Incurably, or from whose pasture
Was it lost, full grown, and time close round it
With no way back? Who tethered its tongue
So that its voice could never come
To speak out in the light of clear day,
But only when the shifting blindness
Descends and is acknowledged among us,
As though from under a floor it is heard,
Or as though from behind a wall, always
Nearer than we had remembered it? If it
Was we who gave tongue to this cry
What does it bespeak in us, repeating
And repeating, insisting on something
That we never meant? We only put it there
To give warning of something we dare not
Ignore, lest we should come upon it
Too suddenly, recognize it too late,
As our cries were swallowed up and all hands lost.
W. S. Merwin, 1958
ANY HELP IS APPRECIATED!!
This poem is about a foghorn, the poem's title.
Read the poem slowly, visualizing and hearing the foghorn.
There is a deeper meaning to the poem and I am supposed to analyze the poem using Jung's theory of the psyche !
Is the foghorn an archetype?
That is the idea that was proposed...I just don't understand the poem and its context in order to apply Jung's theory.
This may help.
http://www.thesap.org.uk/jung-s-model-of-the-psyche
Is the foghorn an archetype then ? I'm just really lost in this whole poem. Because archetypes are suppressed in the unconscious, so they talk about something they never intended is that what is meant ?
Sure! I would be happy to help you with the analysis of this poem.
To begin, it's important to note that analyzing poetry involves interpreting the words, phrases, and imagery used by the poet to understand their intended meaning and message. Poetry often employs figurative language, symbolism, and ambiguity, so there can be multiple interpretations.
In "Foghorn," the poet W. S. Merwin evokes the image and sound of a foghorn, and uses it as a metaphor for something deeper. The poem explores the disconnect between human intentions and the unintended consequences of our actions.
The opening lines suggest that the moan of the foghorn is not what people originally intended when they put it there for their practical needs. The foghorn's sound is described as not calling to anything human, but rather to something forgotten, something stirring under the fog. This implies that the foghorn's true purpose or meaning goes beyond its surface function.
The poet questions who or what caused this beastly sound to become wounded or lost, unable to return to its original perceived purpose. It raises the idea of some hidden or suppressed element that only emerges in certain circumstances, such as when the shifting blindness of the fog descends. The fog acts as a metaphor for confusion or obscured truth.
The poem further delves into the question of responsibility, asking whether it was humans who caused this cry, and if so, what does it reveal about us? The repetition of the foghorn's cry suggests an insistence on something that wasn't originally intended. It implies that there may be something lurking beneath the surface of our actions, a consequence or danger we are trying to avoid.
In the final lines, the speaker warns that we must not ignore this warning, as coming upon the realization too suddenly or too late could lead to a disastrous outcome. The mention of "all hands lost" could imply that there are serious consequences for ignoring the underlying truths in our actions.
To fully understand and appreciate this poem, it's essential to pay attention to the imagery, metaphors, and questions raised. Reflecting on the themes of unintended consequences, suppressed truths, and the discrepancy between intention and outcome will help you gain a deeper understanding of "Foghorn."