Welcome, esteemed readers, to a profound exploration of Algernon Charles Swinburne’s evocative poem, “A Leave-Taking.” This piece stands as a testament to the enduring power of verse to capture the most poignant human emotions, particularly the sorrow of unrequited love and the quiet dignity of withdrawal. Prepare to delve into its intricate layers, uncover its masterful use of language, and appreciate the artistry that makes it a timeless work.
Before we embark on our journey of analysis, let us first immerse ourselves in the poem itself. Reading it aloud can often reveal its inherent musicality and emotional depth.
Let us go hence, my songs; she will not hear.
Let us go hence together without fear;
Keep silence now, for singing‑time is over,
And over all old things, and all things dear.
She loves not you nor me as all we love her.
Yea, though we sang as angels in her ear,
She would not hear.Let us rise up and part; she will not know.
Let us go seaward as the great winds go,
Full of blown sand and foam; what help is here?
There is no help, for all these things are so,
And all the world is bitter as a tear.
And how these things are, though ye strove to show,
She would not know.Let us go home and hence; she will not weep.
We gave love many dreams and days to keep,
Flowers without scent, and fruits that would not grow,
Saying ‘If thou wilt, thrust in thy sickle and reap.’
All is reaped now; no grass is left to mow;
And we that sowed, though all we fell on sleep,
She would not weep.Let us go hence and rest; she will not love.
She shall not hear us if we sing hereof,
Nor see love’s ways, how sore they are and steep.
Come hence, let be, lie still; it is enough.
Love is a barren sea, bitter and deep;
And though she saw all heaven in flower above,
She would not love.Let us give up, go down; she will not care.
Though all the stars made gold of all the air,
And the sea moving saw before it move
One moon‑flower making all the foam‑flowers fair;
Though all those waves went over us, and drove
Deep down the stifling lips and drowning hair,
She would not care.Let us go hence, go hence; she will not see.
Sing all once more together; surely she,
She too, remembering days and words that were,
Will turn a little toward us, sighing; but we,
We are hence, we are gone, as though we had not been there.
Nay, and though all men seeing had pity on me,
She would not see.
A Leave-Taking Summary and Central Idea
“A Leave-Taking” is a deeply moving poem by Algernon Charles Swinburne, first published in his influential 1866 collection, Poems and Ballads. This work is a poignant exploration of unrequited love, capturing the speaker’s decision to withdraw from a beloved who remains utterly indifferent to their affections. The poem’s central idea revolves around the painful acceptance of futility in love and the quiet, dignified act of resignation.
The speaker addresses their “songs” as companions, urging them to cease their lamentations and depart, for the object of their devotion will neither hear, know, weep, love, care, nor see their suffering. This repeated declaration of the beloved’s unresponsiveness forms the emotional core of the poem. It is not a plea for attention, but rather a sorrowful acknowledgment that all efforts have been in vain. The journey described is one of internal emotional withdrawal, a graceful, albeit heartbreaking, acceptance that persistence in such a love only prolongs the pain.
A noteworthy aspect of “A Leave-Taking” is its profound sense of resignation, devoid of bitterness or anger. Instead, there is a melancholic beauty in the speaker’s decision to embrace silence and departure. The poem resonates with anyone who has experienced the sting of unreturned affection, offering a powerful portrayal of moving on when love’s wellspring runs dry.
In-Depth A Leave-Taking Analysis: Literary Devices
Swinburne masterfully employs a rich tapestry of literary devices to convey the profound sorrow and resignation at the heart of “A Leave-Taking.” Each device contributes to the poem’s emotional depth and musicality, creating an unforgettable reading experience.
Anaphora
Anaphora, the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses, is a cornerstone of the poem’s structure and emotional impact. The recurring phrase “Let us go hence” establishes a powerful rhythm of departure and acceptance, emphasizing the speaker’s unwavering decision to withdraw.
Let us go hence, my songs; she will not hear.
Let us go hence together without fear;
This repetition creates a sense of relentless movement away from the source of pain, reinforcing the theme of resignation.
Repetition and Refrain
Beyond anaphora, the poem utilizes broader repetition, most notably the powerful refrain that concludes each stanza. The variations of “She would not hear,” “She would not know,” “She would not weep,” “She would not love,” “She would not care,” and “She would not see” underscore the beloved’s absolute indifference. This cumulative effect highlights the futility of the speaker’s love and the finality of the separation.
She loves not you nor me as all we love her.
Yea, though we sang as angels in her ear,
She would not hear.
This refrain acts as a hammer blow, driving home the central message of unrequited love and the beloved’s impenetrable nature.
Personification
The speaker personifies their “songs” as sentient companions, giving them agency and a shared experience of sorrow. This unique dimension allows the speaker to externalize their grief and engage in a dialogue with their own creative output, suggesting that even their art is affected by the beloved’s indifference.
Let us go hence, my songs; she will not hear.
This personification adds a layer of intimacy and pathos, as the speaker finds solace in the shared journey with their artistic expressions.
Metaphor
Metaphor is used to vividly portray the nature of love and the speaker’s emotional state. Love is depicted as a desolate and unforgiving landscape, emphasizing its barrenness and the pain it has caused.
Love is a barren sea, bitter and deep;
This powerful metaphor in the fourth stanza encapsulates the central theme of unfulfilled desire and the profound suffering caused by indifference, transforming an abstract emotion into a tangible, hostile environment.
Simile
Simile, a direct comparison using “like” or “as,” effectively conveys the depth of the speaker’s sorrow through tangible, painful sensations.
And all the world is bitter as a tear.
This comparison in the second stanza makes the abstract feeling of bitterness concrete, allowing readers to immediately grasp the intensity of the speaker’s grief.
Imagery
Swinburne employs rich and evocative imagery to create a melancholic yet beautiful setting that mirrors the speaker’s internal feelings. Descriptions of natural elements often carry symbolic weight.
Let us go seaward as the great winds go,
Full of blown sand and foam; what help is here?
The imagery of the sea, with its “blown sand and foam,” evokes a sense of vastness, desolation, and relentless movement, reflecting the speaker’s emotional turmoil and the overwhelming nature of their sorrow.
Flowers without scent, and fruits that would not grow,
This imagery powerfully conveys the futility of the speaker’s efforts in love, likening their offerings to beautiful but ultimately lifeless things.
Symbolism
Various elements within the poem carry symbolic meaning, deepening its thematic resonance.
- The Sea: The sea often symbolizes vastness, indifference, and the overwhelming forces of nature. Its boundless expanse reflects the beloved’s unreachable nature and the speaker’s profound sense of isolation.
- Moon-flower: In the fifth stanza, the “moon-flower” represents fleeting beauty and fragile hope, which, despite its loveliness, cannot sway the beloved’s indifference.
- Reaping: The act of reaping, particularly in the third stanza, symbolizes the futility of effort when nothing fruitful grows from love. “All is reaped now; no grass is left to mow” signifies the complete exhaustion of hope and effort.
Alliteration
Alliteration, the repetition of initial consonant sounds, adds texture and emphasis to the poem’s language, enhancing its musicality and drawing attention to key phrases.
full of blown sand and foam
The repetition of the ‘f’ sound creates a flowing, almost whispering effect, mirroring the movement of the wind and foam.
deep down the stifling lips and drowning hair,
The hard ‘d’ sound here emphasizes the harshness and finality of the imagined drowning, highlighting the beloved’s extreme indifference.
Assonance
Assonance, the repetition of vowel sounds within non-rhyming words, contributes to the poem’s melancholic and flowing tone, creating a sense of internal harmony and emotional resonance.
Keep silence now, for singing‑time is over,
The repeated ‘e’ and ‘i’ sounds create a soft, mournful musicality that underscores the quiet sorrow of the speaker’s departure.
Consonance
Consonance, the repetition of consonant sounds within words or at the end of words, further enriches the poem’s soundscape, reinforcing its themes of sorrow and quiet desperation.
She loves not you nor me as all we love her.
The repeated ‘s’ sound creates a hushed, almost sighing effect, mirroring the speaker’s quiet despair.
Enjambment
Enjambment, the continuation of a sentence or clause from one line of poetry to the next without a pause, creates a seamless flow that mirrors the speaker’s continuous emotional state and the relentless nature of their sorrow.
And the sea moving saw before it move
One moon‑flower making all the foam‑flowers fair;
This unbroken flow between lines reflects the continuous, overwhelming presence of the sea and the speaker’s unending grief.
In-Depth A Leave-Taking Analysis: Poetic Devices
Beyond individual literary flourishes, the overall structure, sound, and form of “A Leave-Taking” are carefully crafted poetic devices that amplify its themes and emotional impact.
Diction and Tone
Swinburne’s diction is characterized by its elegance, formality, and evocative power. Words like “hence,” “thou wilt,” and “hereof” lend a timeless, almost archaic quality, elevating the emotional register. The tone is consistently melancholic and resigned, yet imbued with a quiet dignity rather than self-pity or anger. There is a profound sense of sorrow, but also an acceptance of fate.
Let us go hence and rest; she will not love.
She shall not hear us if we sing hereof,
The choice of “hereof” instead of “about this” contributes to the poem’s formal and somewhat detached tone, emphasizing the speaker’s withdrawal.
Rhyme Scheme
Each stanza of “A Leave-Taking” follows a consistent and intricate rhyme scheme, typically AABACAA for the seven-line stanzas. For example, in the first stanza:
- hear (A)
- fear (A)
- over (B)
- dear (A)
- her (C)
- ear (A)
- hear (A)
This complex yet regular pattern creates a strong sense of musicality and internal coherence, enhancing the poem’s lyrical quality. The recurring ‘A’ rhymes, particularly those leading up to and including the final line, reinforce the sense of inevitability and the beloved’s unchanging nature.
Stanza Structure
The poem is composed of six stanzas, each consisting of seven lines (a septet). This consistent stanza structure provides a stable framework for the speaker’s emotional journey, creating a sense of measured progression through grief and acceptance. The regularity of the form contrasts with the tumultuous emotions expressed, suggesting a controlled, dignified response to heartbreak.
Meter
While not strictly uniform, the poem predominantly employs a form of iambic tetrameter or pentameter, contributing to its flowing, lyrical quality. The rhythm often feels natural and conversational, yet possesses a formal grace that suits the poem’s melancholic subject matter. This rhythmic consistency helps to carry the reader through the speaker’s sustained lament.
Conclusion
“A Leave-Taking” stands as a powerful and enduring testament to the complexities of the human heart. Through its masterful use of literary and poetic devices, Algernon Charles Swinburne crafts a poignant narrative of unrequited love, dignified resignation, and the quiet strength found in letting go. The poem’s musicality, evocative imagery, and profound emotional depth ensure its place as a classic exploration of sorrow and acceptance. By understanding its intricate layers, readers gain not only an appreciation for Swinburne’s artistry but also a deeper insight into the universal experience of love’s bittersweet farewell.