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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained
I THINK CONSTANTLY OF THOSE WHO WERE TRULY GREAT, by MICHAEL BLUMENTHAL Poet Analysis Poet's Biography | |||
"I Think Constantly of Those Who Were Truly Great" by Michael Blumenthal is a poignant and introspective poem that juxtaposes the grandeur of historical and mythical greatness with the perceived ordinariness of the modern individual's life. Through a blend of humor, self-reflection, and a touch of melancholy, Blumenthal explores the complexities of self-worth and the human tendency to compare oneself unfavorably to the paragons of virtue, valor, and achievement from the past. The poem opens with the speaker's candid admission of feeling "bummed out" by the constant consideration of those who were truly great. The enumeration of various types of greatness, ranging from "libidinal heroes" to "great Irish pig farmers and Armenian raisin growers," illustrates the vast spectrum of human achievement and the myriad ways in which greatness has been manifested throughout history. This list not only highlights the diversity of excellence but also serves to underscore the speaker's sense of inadequacy when measuring themselves against such illustrious figures. The speaker's reliance on modern pharmaceuticals—Valium, Viagra, Prozac—as means to navigate the challenges of daily life further emphasizes the contrast between the heroic deeds of yore and the contemporary individual's struggle with existential and mundane concerns. This juxtaposition paints a vivid picture of the modern condition, where the battles fought are often internal, and the quests for meaning are mediated by medical intervention. Blumenthal's use of classical references, such as Perseus, and literary figures like Sancho Panza, enriches the poem's exploration of greatness and ordinariness. By casting themselves as a "Perseus with neither a war nor a best friend," the speaker invokes the archetype of the heroic journey, only to reveal a lack of epic purpose in their own life. The comparison to Sancho Panza, the faithful squire to Don Quixote, further illustrates the speaker's resignation to a role of support and observance, rather than one of leading heroic charges. Despite the speaker's lamentation of their own "mundanity," the poem itself performs a subtle yet powerful act of defiance against the notion that greatness is solely the domain of those who achieve mythic status. Through the act of writing, the speaker carves out a space for the contemplation of greatness and the acknowledgment of the ordinary as a site of potential depth and value. The desire for "a loftier, more humble poem" or an "übermenschlische gesture" reveals a yearning for transcendence, even as the speaker recognizes their place among "the earth's mere Sancho Panzas." "I Think Constantly of Those Who Were Truly Great" is a reflective meditation on the human condition, weaving together themes of greatness, ordinariness, and the quest for meaning. Blumenthal's poem invites readers to reconsider their own measures of worth and to find dignity in the everyday, recognizing that the pursuit of greatness is as much about the small deeds and quiet moments of introspection as it is about the grand gestures and epic narratives that history remembers.
| Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...TWO HORSES AND A DOG by JAMES GALVIN THE HERETIC: 4. HUMILITY by LOUIS UNTERMEYER THE CLOD AND THE PEBBLE, FR. SONGS OF EXPERIENCE by WILLIAM BLAKE THE SHEPHERD BOY'S SONG, FR. THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS by JOHN BUNYAN THE HAPPIEST HEART by JOHN VANCE CHENEY THE RESOLVE by MARY LEE CHUDLEIGH CHARITAS NIMIA; OR THE DEAR BARGAIN by RICHARD CRASHAW |
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