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Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained
TWO PIECES AFTER SUETONIUS: 1. APOLOGY FOR DOMITIAN, by ROBERT PENN WARREN Poet Analysis Poet's Biography | |||
In "Apology for Domitian," Robert Penn Warren presents a complex portrayal of the Roman Emperor Domitian, using a tone that blends dark humor, empathy, and philosophical reflection. The poem delves into the nature of fate, the burden of power, and the human condition, as it juxtaposes the historical figure's life with the reader's own experiences and fears. Domitian, often remembered as a tyrant in Roman history, is depicted here with a degree of sympathy. The poem suggests that his actions were not wholly a result of his own cruelty or madness but rather influenced by the ominous predictions and omens that surrounded him. Warren opens by asserting that Domitian "was not bad, as emperors go," suggesting a relative perspective on his rule. Compared to emperors like Tiberius or Nero, known for their extremes of cruelty and debauchery, Domitian's flaws seem almost understandable, if not forgivable. The poem then explores the psychological impact of knowing one's fate. Domitian was said to have been obsessed with omens predicting his death, particularly the prophecy that he would die in the fifth hour of the day. This knowledge creates a sense of inevitable doom, pushing him to strike out in whatever ways he could, as a futile attempt to exert control over his fate. The lines, "So what could he, mortal, do? Not worse, however, than you might, or I," invite the reader to empathize with Domitian's plight. Faced with the knowledge of his impending death, Domitian's actions, however extreme, are presented as a possible human response to the inescapable nature of mortality. Warren continues to humanize Domitian by describing his vanity and physical decline. The emperor is depicted as someone proud of his appearance, troubled by baldness, and aware of his body's aging. This vulnerability is underscored in the imagery of "the classic bed-stunt," where Domitian attempts to assert his vitality and immortality through sexual prowess. These details offer a glimpse into Domitian's psyche, revealing a man struggling against the inevitable decay of time and the loss of personal power. The poem takes a darker turn as it recounts a series of omens and misfortunes that haunted Domitian, such as a dream where "a gold hump sprouted out of [his] back," lightning striking his bedroom, and a storm that yanks the nameplate off his statue, throwing it into a tomb. These events are symbolic of Domitian's loss of control and the encroaching presence of death. The image of him "pulling wings from flies" becomes a metaphor for his futile attempts to assert power over the smallest and most insignificant of creatures, a grim reflection of his own impotence in the face of fate. Warren's poem then shifts its focus from Domitian to a more universal theme, implicating the reader in the same existential struggle. The line "Let's stop horsing around—it's not Domitian, it's you" serves as a stark reminder that the fears and insecurities faced by Domitian are not unique to him; they are emblematic of the human condition. The "omens are bad" for everyone, and the relentless march of time makes it difficult to maintain virtue and composure. The music "heard from beyond the burdock" at sunset evokes a sense of the inevitable end that awaits us all, a melancholic reminder of mortality. Domitian's death is depicted in a brutal and undignified manner: "the first wound finds the groin, / And he claws like a cat, but the blade continues to go in." This violent end, and the lack of proper ritual in his burial, further emphasize the poem's meditation on the frailty of power and the universality of death. Despite his status as an emperor, Domitian meets a fate that is both ignoble and anonymous, tended to only by "his old nurse, a woman poor, nonpolitical." This closing image strips away the grandeur and power associated with his title, leaving only a stark reminder of human vulnerability. "Apology for Domitian" serves as both a historical reflection and a broader commentary on the nature of power, fate, and the human condition. Through the figure of Domitian, Warren explores the psychological and existential turmoil that arises from the knowledge of mortality, urging the reader to confront the ways in which we all grapple with the inevitable. The poem becomes a mirror, inviting us to see ourselves in Domitian's story, to recognize the shared anxieties and to question our own responses to the inexorable passage of time.
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