Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Hamlet at the Boston" is a poem written by Julia Ward Howe in honor of actor Edwin Booth's performance of Shakespeare's play Hamlet in Boston in 1864. The poem is an ode to Booth's skill as an actor and the power of Shakespeare's language to move and inspire audiences.

Context:

In 1864, during the height of the Civil War, Edwin Booth, one of the most famous actors of his time, performed the role of Hamlet in Boston. The performance was a sensation and drew large crowds, with many critics hailing Booth's interpretation of the role as one of the finest they had ever seen. Julia Ward Howe, a well-known poet and abolitionist, attended one of the performances and was moved to write "Hamlet at the Boston" in honor of Booth's performance.

Content:

The poem is a celebration of Booth's portrayal of Hamlet, with Howe praising his skill as an actor and the power of Shakespeare's words to move and inspire audiences. She begins by describing the atmosphere in the theater, with the audience hushed and rapt in attention, waiting for the play to begin. She then turns to the character of Hamlet, describing his introspection and torment, and how Booth's portrayal of the character captures this perfectly.

Howe goes on to praise Booth's skill as an actor, describing how he brings the character of Hamlet to life with every gesture and intonation. She writes, "O wondrous art, that can thus change / The heart of man with every change / Of voice and gesture, look and start!"

Form:

The poem is written in free verse, with irregular line lengths and no discernible rhyme scheme. This reflects the fluidity and unpredictability of Booth's performance and the way that Shakespeare's words and characters can be interpreted and reinterpreted in endless ways.

Poetic Elements:

One of the key poetic elements of the poem is its use of vivid and sensory language to describe the atmosphere of the theater and the emotions of the audience. Howe uses imagery of darkness and light to convey the mood of the play, with phrases like "the lights are dim, the crowd is still" and "the darkened stage, the ghostly form."

Another important poetic element is the way Howe uses repetition and variation to emphasize the power of Booth's performance and Shakespeare's language. She repeats the phrase "O wondrous art" several times throughout the poem, each time adding a new variation or twist to the phrase to highlight the different ways in which Booth's performance moves and inspires the audience.

Summary:

"Hamlet at the Boston" is a powerful and evocative poem that captures the essence of Edwin Booth's performance of Hamlet and the enduring power of Shakespeare's words. Howe's use of vivid and sensory language, as well as her skillful repetition and variation, convey the intense emotions and atmosphere of the play and pay tribute to Booth's skill as an actor. Overall, the poem is a masterful work of poetry that celebrates the beauty and power of the dramatic arts.

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