Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Ballad of the Goodly Fere," Ezra Pound offers a poignant and powerful portrayal of Jesus Christ through the eyes of Simon Zelotes (Simon the Zealot), one of the twelve apostles. The poem emphasizes Jesus not as a divine, otherworldly figure but as a "Goodly Fere," a companion or mate, who loved "brawny men, / O' ships and the open sea." The poem departs from conventional Christian narratives and interpretations of Jesus, focusing instead on his human qualities, his courage, and his extraordinary influence over people and nature.

The poem is laced with the apostle's lamentation for the loss of a man who defied the priests and who wasn't constrained by social or religious dogmas. "No capon priest was the Goodly Fere / But a man o' men was he," underscores the idea that Jesus was a man of action, a courageous leader, and not a meek preacher. Even when taken captive, he negotiates the freedom of his followers: "'First let these go!' quo' our Goodly Fere, / 'Or I'll see ye damned,' says he." His charisma and leadership make him as formidable as he is beloved, "I ha' seen him drive a hundred men / Wi' a bundle o' cords swung free."

There's a vivid contrast between the institutional perception of Jesus and the man Simon Zelotes knew. "They'll no' get him a' in a book I think / Though they write it cunningly," suggests that the essence of Jesus can't be captured by scriptures or dogmas; he's far too complex and human for that. His love for the "open sea" symbolizes his love for freedom and his opposition to the rigidity of established religious norms.

Jesus' courage and calm in the face of death make him a "master of men" and "a mate of the wind and sea," a figure not defeated but made even more enduring through his crucifixion. He confronts death without fear, saying, "'Tis how a brave man dies on the tree." The poem's narration reaches its emotional climax as Simon recounts Jesus' last moments. He "cried no cry when they drave the nails / And the blood gushed hot and free," reinforcing the courage and calm that define him as a "Goodly Fere."

Pound's poem captures the tension between the human and the divine, between the institution and the individual, in a way that elevates the human qualities of Jesus. It forces the reader to reconsider commonly held beliefs about a figure often enveloped in religious mystique. Jesus emerges not just as a savior but as an extraordinary man, a courageous leader, a beloved companion-a perception that makes his sacrifice even more poignant.

Finally, the poem explores the transcendental aspects of Jesus without robbing him of his humanity. He may have been a "son of God," but for Simon Zelotes, he was also a "mate of the wind and sea," and it is this dichotomy that forms the crux of the poem. Even after his crucifixion, Simon believes Jesus endures: "If they think they ha' slain our Goodly Fere / They are fools eternally." The Goodly Fere's impact is not just in his miracles but in the lives he touched, in the freedom he personified, and in the courage he instilled. "Ballad of the Goodly Fere" thus stands as a nuanced, compelling testament to a figure who is both divine and deeply human.

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