Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"The Sphinx" by Oscar Wilde is a lengthy narrative poem filled with vivid imagery and allusions to classical and biblical mythology. Wilde published it in 1894 during the Decadent Movement of the late 19th century, which emphasized aestheticism and rejected Victorian moral restrictions.

The poem is addressed to a sphinx, a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of a human, often a woman, that was common in ancient Egyptian and Greek mythology. The speaker appears to be in a love-hate relationship with the sphinx. He is both attracted and repulsed by it, awed by its ancient wisdom and memories but also repelled by its grotesque animal form.

The speaker starts by describing the sphinx as a constant presence in his room, unmoving and unchanging, unaffected by the passage of time. He goes on to beseech the sphinx to share its age-old memories, which include encounters with numerous mythical creatures and deities, and significant events in ancient history.

Wilde uses this to reference various historical, mythological, and biblical figures and events, such as the Egyptian gods Isis and Osiris, Roman general Antony, Greek god Adonis, and the Hebrews. The speaker wonders whether the sphinx has witnessed all these historical events and interacted with these figures.

Throughout the poem, the speaker struggles with his simultaneous attraction and repulsion towards the sphinx. He commands it to leave multiple times, yet can't resist asking it to stay and share more of its memories. The references to biblical and mythological figures also symbolize the speaker's struggle with moral and spiritual issues.

The poem ends with the speaker declaring his torment and asking the sphinx to leave him alone with his crucifix. He says he weeps for every soul that dies in vain. The sphinx's presence has led him to question his faith, leaving him feeling spiritually drained and lost.

Overall, "The Sphinx" is a richly symbolic and complex poem that explores themes of time, history, mythology, sexuality, morality, and spirituality. Wilde's masterful use of language and his decadent aesthetic make it a quintessential work of the Decadent Movement.

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