The Butterfly
By Pavel Friedmann
The last, the very last,
So richly, brightly, dazzlingly yellow.
Perhaps if the sun’s tears would sing
against a white stone…
Such, such a yellow
Is carried lightly ‘way up high.
It went away, I’m sure, because it wished to
kiss the world goodbye.
For seven weeks I’ve lived in here,
Penned up inside this ghetto
But I have found my people here.
The dandelions call to me
And the white chestnut candles in the court.
Only I never saw another butterfly.
That butterfly was the last one.
Butterflies don’t live in here,
In the ghetto.
Summary of The Butterfly
- Popularity of “The Butterfly”: “The Butterfly” is a poignant poem penned by Pavel Friedmann, a Czech Jewish poet. It gained prominence as part of his collection I Never Saw Another Butterfly, published in 1959. Friedmann wrote this deeply moving piece while imprisoned in the Terezin Concentration Camp. The poem expresses a melancholic longing for the natural world, a world inaccessible to him within the confines of the ghetto. Its enduring appeal lies in its ability to articulate universal feelings of loss and hope through simple yet powerful imagery.
- “The Butterfly” As a Representative of Hopelessness: The poem poignantly captures a fragment of the immense suffering endured during the Holocaust. It begins with a vivid description of a butterfly, its vibrant yellow a stark contrast to the bleak surroundings. The butterfly’s flight embodies freedom, a freedom denied to the speaker. The seven weeks of confinement are emphasized, yet amid the hardship the speaker finds solace in community and the small beauties within the ghetto – dandelions and chestnut trees. However, the ultimate sadness lies in the finality of the butterfly’s departure and the realization that such beauty does not thrive within the ghetto’s walls. The butterfly, therefore, becomes a symbol of all that has been lost.
- Major Themes in “The Butterfly”: The central themes of the poem are freedom versus imprisonment, and the enduring power of hope amidst despair. The butterfly represents the unfettered freedom the speaker craves. It serves as a fleeting reminder of the world outside the ghetto. Despite the oppressive circumstances, the poem suggests an ability to find beauty and connection within the community, even as the final lines lament the absence of further hope symbolized by the lack of butterflies. This duality highlights the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable hardship.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in The Butterfly
Literary devices are the tools writers employ to enhance meaning, evoke emotion, and create a lasting impact on the reader. Examining these devices in “The Butterfly” deepens our understanding of the poem’s complexities.
- Assonance: Assonance, the repetition of vowel sounds, subtly enhances the musicality of the poem. For example, the repetition of the short ‘i’ sound in “It went away, I’m sure” creates a sense of wistful longing.
- Alliteration: Alliteration, the repetition of consonant sounds, draws attention to specific phrases. Consider “Such, such” – the repetition emphasizes the speaker’s contemplation of the butterfly’s color and the lingering impression it leaves.
- Allusion: While not a direct allusion to a specific work, the poem implicitly alludes to the historical context of the Holocaust and the suffering of those imprisoned in ghettos and concentration camps. The setting and the speaker’s situation provide a powerful, though unstated, reference to a tragic period in history.
- Consonance: Consonance, the repetition of consonant sounds within words, contributes to the poem’s texture. The repetition of the ‘l’ sound in “So richly, brightly, dazzlingly yellow” creates a flowing, lyrical quality.
- Enjambment: Enjambment, the continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line to the next, creates a sense of momentum and natural speech. For instance:
“Perhaps if the sun’s tears would sing
against a white stone…
Such, such a yellow
Is carried lightly ‘way up high.”This structure mimics the fluidity of thought and adds to the poem’s conversational tone.
- Imagery: Friedmann masterfully employs imagery to evoke vivid sensory experiences. “And the white chestnut candles in the court” creates a visual image of delicate beauty within the oppressive environment. “That butterfly was the last one” creates an image of finality and loss. These images engage the reader’s senses and deepen the emotional impact of the poem.
- Irony: A subtle situational irony exists in the poem. The butterfly, a symbol of freedom and joy, appears within a place devoid of both. Its very presence highlights the contrast between the natural world and the confined reality of the ghetto.
- Metaphor: The butterfly itself serves as an extended metaphor for hope, freedom, and the beauty of the natural world. Its flight represents a longing for escape, while its disappearance symbolizes the loss of hope.
- Personification: The poet personifies the sun by suggesting it can “sing” and “cry tears.”
“Perhaps if the sun’s tears would sing
against a white stone.”This attribution of human qualities to the sun enhances the poem’s emotional resonance and creates a sense of connection between the natural world and the speaker’s internal state.
- Symbolism: Throughout the poem, symbols carry significant weight. The butterfly, as discussed, symbolizes hope and freedom. The ghetto itself symbolizes oppression and confinement. Even the “white chestnut candles” can be interpreted as symbols of fragile beauty and fleeting moments of peace.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in The Butterfly
Poetic devices, closely related to literary devices, are techniques specifically employed in poetry to create rhythm, sound, and meaning. Let’s examine how these devices function in “The Butterfly.”
- Diction and Tone: The poem’s diction is relatively simple and direct, contributing to its accessibility and emotional impact. However, beneath the simplicity lies a tone of profound sadness and longing. The choice of words, like “penned up” and “last,” evokes a sense of confinement and loss.
- Free Verse: “The Butterfly” is written in free verse, meaning it does not adhere to a strict rhyme scheme or meter. This allows the poem to flow naturally, mirroring the speaker’s stream of consciousness and creating a conversational rhythm.
- Stanza: The poem consists of seventeen lines without the use of stanza breaks. This contributes to the free-flowing and continuous nature of the poem, mimicking a single thought or observation.
Quotes to be Used
These lines from “The Butterfly” are particularly powerful and often used when discussing the human condition and the longing for freedom.
“Only I never saw another butterfly.
That butterfly was the last one.
Butterflies don’t live in here,
In the ghetto.”
These lines encapsulate the poem’s central message: the loss of beauty, hope, and freedom within the confines of oppression.