Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Free Will," Alice Meynell explores the concept of personal accountability and the value of owning one's mistakes and weaknesses. The poem opens with a reflection on the things we keep hidden within us, both positive and negative. Meynell suggests that even our most prized memories and desires can be obscured by our own silence. However, the poet notes that her "best treasures" are not those that society might value highly, but rather the "ignoble, undelightful, abject, cold" parts of herself that she has come to accept and embrace.

The poem takes a turn as Meynell declares her willingness to acknowledge her own faults and past mistakes. She refuses to blame determinism or external factors for her own shortcomings, instead owning up to her "proved iniquities." The poet suggests that in owning and accepting her own imperfections, she gains a deeper understanding of humility and humanity.

Meynell concludes the poem by posing several rhetorical questions about the nature of human emotion and action. She seems to suggest that only through accepting our own flaws and weaknesses can we truly experience the range of human feeling and action, from love and hope to hate and despair. In "Free Will," Meynell encourages her readers to take ownership of their lives and embrace the full range of human experience.

Overall, the theme of free will is prominent in Alice Meynell's "Free Will." The poem explores the idea that true freedom lies in acknowledging and taking responsibility for one's own choices, even the ones that society may consider "ignoble" or "iniquitous." Meynell suggests that it is only by embracing and owning our mistakes and flaws that we can truly understand ourselves and grow in humility. The poem also implies that the exercise of free will involves both the courage to take risks and the vulnerability to experience both joy and sorrow.

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