Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

William Matthews' poem "Manners" is a rich tapestry of historical reference, personal reflection, and social critique, seamlessly blending humor and gravity. Set against the backdrop of a social gathering involving key political figures from the Nixon era, Matthews uses this setting to explore themes of authenticity, social pretension, and the burden of historical consciousness.

The poem opens with an anecdote involving Martha Mitchell, wife of John Mitchell, who was Nixon's Attorney General. Her request for "a glass of bubbin" serves as an entry point into a world of political maneuvering and social hierarchies. Matthews describes Nixon's political resurgence with a sense of foreboding: "The scent of his enemies' blood rose hotly from the drinks that night." This imagery evokes a predatory atmosphere, foreshadowing the political battles that would define Nixon's return to power.

The speaker's presence at this gathering is framed by a sense of detachment and irony. Invited as a "starving scholar" by a college classmate's mother, the speaker navigates the social scene with a keen awareness of the absurdities around him. This self-awareness is highlighted by the line, "It's hard to do good and not advertise yourself, and not to need the needy even if they don't need you." The speaker reflects on the performative nature of generosity and the paradox of altruism, hinting at the superficiality of social niceties.

Matthews delves into the speaker's internal world, describing a habitual retreat into books and intellectual pursuits: "I plied my nose, that shrewd scout, into book after book at home." This introspection serves as a defense mechanism against the demands and expectations of others, encapsulated in the metaphor of the self as a "desert isle" and "Alcatraz from which none has escaped." The speaker embraces this isolation, finding solace in literature—a theme humorously underscored by the Groucho Marx quote, "Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend; inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."

As the poem progresses, the historical context becomes more pronounced. Matthews recounts Martha Mitchell's role in exposing her husband's corruption, a narrative that mirrors the broader collapse of Nixon's administration. The imagery of Nixon's departure—"it took Nixon all his gloomy charisma to load his riven heart onto a helicopter and yaw upward from the White House lawn"—captures the dramatic and tragic dimensions of his downfall. The imagined question Nixon might ask Pat—"Are we getting smaller yet?"—conveys a childlike vulnerability, contrasting sharply with his public persona.

The speaker's self-reflection deepens, revealing a dawning awareness of his complicity in the historical moment: "I was too young to know how much I was, simply by being born, a hostage to history." This realization underscores the inescapable influence of historical events on individual lives, highlighting the speaker's struggle to maintain authenticity in a world rife with pretense.

The poem concludes with a meditation on the nature of youth and grace. The speaker's compliance in fetching a drink for Martha Mitchell, despite recognizing the superficiality of the gesture, is tempered by a sardonic acceptance: "Yes, there's a cure for youth, but it's fatal. And a cure for grace: you say what you mean, but of course you have to know what that is." This final reflection emphasizes the difficulty of achieving genuine authenticity, acknowledging the complex interplay between social expectation and personal integrity.

"Manners" by William Matthews is a poignant and multifaceted exploration of social dynamics, historical awareness, and personal authenticity. Through his use of rich imagery, historical allusion, and introspective narrative, Matthews invites readers to reflect on the ways in which we navigate the demands of society and history, and the challenges of remaining true to oneself amidst these pressures. The poem's blend of humor and gravity, personal reflection and historical context, creates a compelling commentary on the human condition and the complexities of social interaction.

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