Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Attila, Hitler" by Robert Lowell draws a parallel between two historical figures known for their ruthless conquests and the devastation they wrought: Attila the Hun and Adolf Hitler. The poem explores the characteristics and philosophies that defined their reigns, examining the nature of their power and the destructive legacy they left behind.

The poem opens with a reference to Hitler's "fingertips of apprehension," suggesting a sense of unease or paranoia. This line sets the tone for Hitler's impulsive and catastrophic decision-making: "Who knows how long I'll live? Let us have war." It conveys a sense of fatalism and urgency, as if he believed in the inevitability of his own demise and thus hastened to inflict his vision on the world. The phrase "We are the barbarians, the world is near the end" captures a nihilistic and destructive outlook, characterizing Hitler and his regime as a force of chaos and devastation.

Lowell then shifts to Attila the Hun, describing him as mounted on "raw meat and greens," a stark image that emphasizes his primal and brutal nature. The phrase "galloped to massacre in his single fieldmouse suit" combines the mundane with the horrific, suggesting a simplicity in Attila's appearance that belies his capacity for violence. His relentless campaign of destruction is captured in the line, "he never left a house that wasn't burning," portraying him as a figure of absolute ruin who could "only sleep on horseback," indicative of a nomadic existence driven by a constant state of war.

The poem then delves into a speculative reflection on whether Attila would have found a kindred spirit in Hitler, described as the "coarsest, cruelest, least magnanimous, most systematic, most philosophical." This juxtaposition of attributes highlights the extreme nature of Hitler's regime—its brutality, lack of compassion, and methodical execution of its atrocities. The description of Hitler as a "nomad stay-at-home" points to the contradiction of his expansive territorial ambitions and his deeply rooted xenophobic and isolationist ideologies.

Lowell continues by exploring the existential questions faced by such tyrants: "He who has, has; a barbarian wondering why the old world collapsed." This line suggests a reflection on the cyclical nature of history and the rise and fall of civilizations, as seen through the eyes of those who contribute to their collapse. The poem concludes with a grim inventory of the detritus left in the wake of their rule: "festering fume of refuse, old tins, dead vermin, ashes, eggshells, youth." This list evokes a sense of decay and desolation, symbolizing the physical and moral ruin that these figures left behind.

"Attila, Hitler" is a stark meditation on the nature of power and the destructive impulses of tyrants. By drawing parallels between Attila the Hun and Adolf Hitler, Robert Lowell emphasizes the universal themes of brutality, nihilism, and the legacy of destruction. The poem captures the tragic reality of historical cycles of violence and the enduring impact of those who, in their pursuit of power, leave behind only ruin and decay. Through its vivid imagery and reflective tone, the poem serves as a reminder of the dangers of unchecked ambition and the consequences of dehumanizing ideologies.

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