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RHAPSODY ON IRISH THEMES, by             Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography

Randall Jarrell's "Rhapsody on Irish Themes" is a richly textured poem that weaves together elements of Irish folklore, personal history, and cultural commentary. Through vivid imagery and a mix of surreal and realistic elements, Jarrell explores the complexities of identity, heritage, and the lingering influence of the past.

The poem opens with an early morning vision of the speaker's great-grandmother, symbolizing a deep connection to ancestry and heritage. Her eyes, described "as the eyes / Of a potato," and the offering of "only a dollar" alongside a "handkerchief manufactured with their own hands / By the Little People," immediately plunge the reader into a world where the mundane and the magical coexist. This handkerchief, embroidered in green, a color synonymous with Ireland, is a "SOUVENIR OF OLD IRELAND," representing both a literal and metaphorical link to the speaker's roots.

The transformation of the great-grandmother into "the greatest of the gulls / That brood on the seesaw green / Swells of the nest of the harbor of Cóbh" adds a layer of mythic quality to the narrative. The imagery evokes the idea of a land where the sea and sky blend, and where transformations hint at deeper truths about identity and belonging.

Jarrell continues to explore Irish cultural symbols through contrasting images of nuns "sailing to Ireland" and those "sailing from Ireland," suggesting a perpetual motion and the steady, almost monotonous, state of spiritual and cultural exchange. The patch of red blood on the hillside, potentially a cardinal, and the image of a woman with Cromwell's sword highlight the violent history and enduring scars of colonialism and conflict.

The poem's tone shifts as it describes the "blue of the fat priest's brimmed beret" and the autonomous accordion playing "Mother Machree," a song filled with sentimental longing. This blend of reverence and irony captures the dual nature of Irish cultural expressions—both heartfelt and exaggerated.

The old woman, met in a dream, who "Skinned herself of her wrinkles, smiled like a goddess," and delivered the enigmatic message about reaching a land where "you meet no one who knows it," reinforces the theme of searching for identity and understanding in a land rich with history and myth. The speaker's internal struggle is evident as he grapples with the truth in the "soft shameless speech / That everything is a joke."

The poem concludes with a reflection on the inescapable pull of Irish identity: "Man is born to Ireland as the sparks fly upward." This line underscores a sense of fatalism and inevitability in the connection to one's heritage. The final image of a "sleepwalker fallen from the edge of Europe, / A goosegirl great among publicans and censors," captures the blend of innocence and resilience, the ordinary and the extraordinary, that characterizes the Irish experience.

"Rhapsody on Irish Themes" is a complex and layered poem that navigates the intersection of personal and cultural identity. Through its vivid imagery, historical references, and interplay between reality and myth, Jarrell creates a rich tapestry that reflects the multifaceted nature of Ireland and its enduring influence on those connected to it. The poem is both a tribute to and a critique of the cultural and historical forces that shape identity, highlighting the enduring power of heritage and memory.


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