Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Age Of A Dream; To Christopher Whall" by Lionel Pigot Johnson is a poignant poem that reminisces about a past filled with beauty, grace, and virtues. Addressing Christopher Whall, the poem conveys a sense of longing for an age that has been lost, filled with imagery of a bygone era characterized by chivalry, spirituality, and romance. Christopher Whall (1849 - 1924) was a British stained-glass artist.

Theme Analysis:

Nostalgia and Loss: The poem exudes a sense of longing for an idealized past, an age filled with virtues, beauty, and grace, which seems to have been lost in the present.

Chivalry and Romance: Themes of chivalry, love, and spirituality are strongly woven into the fabric of the poem, representing an age of nobility, faith, and romantic ideals..

Context:

The poem may refer to the transition from the medieval age of chivalry and spirituality to a more modern, perhaps more cynical time, where such virtues seem to have waned. The mention of Christopher Whall adds another layer of artistic and historical context to the poem.

Content:

The poem paints an image of a bygone era filled with chivalric virtues, religious devotion, and romantic love. It laments the loss of these ideals, as the symbols of that age - golden shrines, organs, frankincense - have vanished or been ruined. The broken tower's bell tolls for the "death of beauty and the death of grace."

Relevant Poetic Devices:

Imagery: The poem abounds in rich imagery, depicting black armor, falling lace, altar lights, and the detailed sensory picture of a spiritual and romantic age.

Metaphor: The elements like the golden shrine, cavern work, glorious organs represent virtues and ideals that are now lost. The "death of beauty and the death of grace" symbolizes the lost virtues.

Rhyme Scheme: The consistent rhyme scheme (ABBAABBA CDCDCD) provides a melancholic rhythm to the poem, reinforcing the lamentation.

Allusion: The mention of Plato's page adds a philosophical dimension, connecting the ideals in the poem to the classical virtues upheld by ancient philosophers.

Conclusion:

"Age Of A Dream; To Christopher Whall" by Lionel Pigot Johnson is a poetic lamentation for an age that once upheld the virtues of chivalry, beauty, love, and spirituality. It captures the ache of a generation that feels the loss of these virtues, mourning the death of grace and beauty. Through vivid imagery, metaphor, and a thoughtful rhyme scheme, the poem conveys a universal longing for purity, nobility, and depth that transcends time and resonates with the human soul. The poem serves as both a tribute to an idealized past and a gentle reprimand to a present that seems to have forgotten those essential qualities that make life rich and meaningful.

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