Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"To Sarah Bernhardt" by Edmond Rostand elegantly immortalizes the famed actress, bestowing upon her an ethereal quality that elevates her above the mundane world. The poem opens with the assertion that in a "scarred age," Sarah Bernhardt's beauty serves as a sanctuary, her physicality embodying the apex of romance and grace. She becomes an emblem of high culture, a muse who can evoke "flowers from dust."

The poem is rife with dichotomies that Sarah seamlessly reconciles: the sword and the lily, symbols of war and peace; the stair and the band, symbols of descent and constraint. These dichotomies underscore her versatility as an actress and a woman, reflecting her capability to bring depth and complexity to diverse roles. When she speaks, muses awaken; when she portrays despair, it lingers in the air long after her performance has ended. Her Phaedra is so potent it "wakes our lust," affirming that her art has the power to awaken the primal, often suppressed, human desires.

Like the previous poem "To Sarah," the admiration is tinged with an element of shared suffering. "All fain to suffer, every heart adheres / To thy sad heart," writes Rostand. Her art, her suffering, and her tears are not hers alone but belong to the collective human experience. Her sadness, when displayed, captures the essence of universal sorrows, amplifying her connection with the audience and affording her performances an emotionally resonant depth.

The closing lines resonate powerfully, tying Sarah's artistry to the eternal legacy of Shakespeare. The "lips of Shakespeare on thy fingers press," suggests that when she acts, she channels the genius of the ages, connecting her to a lineage of art and brilliance that transcends time. It's a beautiful metaphor that captures the symbiosis between the artist and the art, and how, in her embodiment of roles, she becomes a conduit for the immortal words of playwrights like Shakespeare.

In sum, Rostand's poem "To Sarah Bernhardt" isn't just an ode to a beautiful woman but a celebration of the arts and the profound impact an artist can have on an audience. Sarah Bernhardt is portrayed as both muse and artist, a complex figure whose multi-dimensional talents and emotional range not only entertain but elevate, enlighten, and eternally impact those who are privileged to witness her performances.

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