Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Randall Jarrell's poem "The Märchen (Grimm's Tales)" is a richly atmospheric and evocative piece that delves into the primordial forest and the dark, mythic world of Grimm's fairy tales. The poem is suffused with a sense of ancient mystery, the eerie silence of nature, and the interplay of light and darkness, blending historical human endeavors with the timeless, haunting essence of folklore.

The poem opens with the repetitive and evocative phrase "Listening, listening; it is never still," setting a tone of continuous, attentive observation. This immediately immerses the reader into the still yet ever-moving world of the forest, a place teeming with unseen life and subtle movements. Jarrell juxtaposes the timelessness of nature with human history, recalling how "long ago the lives / Edged armed into its tides" with primitive tools: "the axes were its stone / Lashed with the skins of dwellers to its boughs." This imagery suggests an ancient struggle to carve out a place within the formidable and mystical environment of the forest.

The poem then reflects on the transformative power of human action and belief: "We felled our islands there, at last, with iron. / The sunlight fell to them, according to our wish, / And we believed, till nightfall, in that wish; / And we believed, till nightfall, in our lives." This passage captures the fleeting triumph of human endeavor against nature's overwhelming presence, a temporary victory that fades with the coming of night.

Jarrell's description of the forest is haunting and vivid. The bird's "cold breast stirs / Raggedly," and its long death is marked by "fluff its long death strewed / In the crumpled fern." This suggests a natural world where life and death are closely intertwined, and even in death, there is movement and presence. The sense of foreboding is heightened by the distant sound of something falling, emphasizing the ever-present potential for danger and change.

The poem meditates on the cyclical nature of life and death within the forest: "If the firs forget their breath, if the leaf that perishes / Holds, a bud, to spring; sleeps, fallen, under snow— / It is never still." This line underscores the continuous cycle of renewal and decay, a perpetual motion that defies stillness.

In the forest's darkness, the hunter's eyes "glow / Green as their forest," blending human and nature in a predatory harmony. The "shudder of the coals / In their short Hell" and the "vined skeleton / Of the charcoal-burner dozing in the snow" add to the grim, almost infernal imagery that permeates the poem.

Jarrell invokes the tale of Hänsel from Grimm's fairy tales, using it as a central motif: "Hänsel, to map the hard way, cast his bones / Up clouds to Paradise." This refers to Hänsel’s attempt to navigate his way home, only to find himself ensnared in a world of danger and darkness. His sparrows, traditionally helpers in fairy tales, become harbingers of his descent as they "ate / And he plunged home, past peat and measures, to his kin / Furred in the sooty darkness of the cave / Where the old gods nodded." This vivid imagery evokes a primitive and perilous world, where ancient deities and primal fears coexist.

The closing lines, "How the devil's beard / Coiled round the dreaming Hänsel," capture the sinister, enveloping nature of this world, where even dreams are fraught with danger and the devil himself lurks in the subconscious.

"The Märchen (Grimm's Tales)" is a masterful blend of evocative imagery and mythic narrative. Jarrell creates a hauntingly beautiful and foreboding world, rich with the themes of ancient human struggle, the cyclical nature of life, and the enduring power of myth and folklore. Through his vivid descriptions and contemplative tone, Jarrell invites readers to explore the depths of the forest and the timeless tales that have shaped human consciousness.

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