Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

The poem "Sigh" by Stephane Mallarme provides a lyrical meditation on the theme of melancholy through the imagery of autumn and the figure of a "calm sister." The emotional nuance of the piece unfolds as an exploration of yearning, both toward the person described and toward a state of being-perhaps a kind of elevated emotional or spiritual plane.

The poem begins with the directional preposition "Towards," suggesting movement or a journey. The destination, however, is not a physical location, but rather an emotional or spiritual state. The "brow" and "angelic eye" of the calm sister serve as both the starting point and the ultimate goal of this introspective voyage. They are compared to an autumn sky- "freckled with russet scatterings"-which acts as a metaphor for a mind filled with melancholic thoughts. The autumnal imagery conjures a sense of fading beauty and the onset of decay, familiar themes in poetic explorations of melancholy.

The "calm sister" can be read as a muse or a loved one whose mere presence inspires deep emotional and contemplative states. Just as the speaker's soul "ascends" toward her, a fountain in a "melancholy garden" sighs "towards the Blue"-a poetic image that encapsulates the idea of yearning for something higher, something unattainable. The capitalization of "Blue" suggests it's not just a color, but an ideal or a concept, a kind of existential hope or desire. The fountain's sighing is emblematic of this eternal human desire for something beyond what is immediately present, yet its fixed position in the garden also symbolizes the limitations of such aspirations.

The poem concludes with a return to the autumnal landscape, depicted now as reflective pools of water. The "softened Blue" of October is "pure and pale," mirroring the "endless lassitude" felt by the speaker. This mirror-like quality extends to the "dead water" that holds the "tawny anguish" of leaves-perhaps another metaphor for the speaker's emotional state. The "yellow sun" crawling across the water in "one long lingering ray" can be seen as a symbol of fleeting time, emphasizing the transient nature of existence and deepening the poem's melancholy tone.

"Sigh" captures the complex emotional layers of longing, contemplation, and the awareness of temporal limitations. Like much of Mallarmé's work, it operates on multiple levels, making the reader privy to an intimate emotional journey while also raising existential questions about desire, beauty, and the melancholic nuances of the human condition.

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