Quarantine
By Eavan Boland
In the worst hour of the worst season
of the worst year of a whole people
a man set out from the workhouse with his wife.
He was walking—they were both walking—north.She was sick with famine fever and could not keep up.
He lifted her and put her on his back.
He walked like that west and west and north.
Until at nightfall under freezing stars they arrived.In the morning they were both found dead.
Of cold. Of hunger. Of the toxins of a whole history.
But her feet were held against his breastbone.
The last heat of his flesh was his last gift to her.Let no love poem ever come to this threshold.
There is no place here for the inexact
praise of the easy graces and sensuality of the body.
There is only time for this merciless inventory:Their death together in the winter of 1847.
Also what they suffered. How they lived.
And what there is between a man and woman.
And in which darkness it can best be proved.
Understanding “Quarantine”: A Profound Look at Love and History
Eavan Boland’s powerful poem, “Quarantine,” offers a stark yet deeply moving exploration of love, suffering, and the enduring weight of history. This piece is not merely a narrative; it is a profound meditation on the nature of human connection when stripped bare by extreme adversity. Inspired by a true account from the devastating Great Irish Famine of 1847, the poem centers on a man’s ultimate act of devotion as he carries his fever-stricken wife through a harsh winter landscape, both ultimately succumbing to the elements. “Quarantine” challenges conventional notions of romantic love, presenting instead a raw, unflinching portrayal of commitment forged in the crucible of despair. It is a poem that resonates with anyone seeking to understand the depths of human resilience and the historical forces that shape individual lives.
The Central Idea: Love Proved in Darkness
The core message of “Quarantine” is that true love is not found in idealized beauty or fleeting passion, but in unwavering endurance through unimaginable hardship. Boland deliberately rejects the “easy graces and sensuality of the body” often celebrated in traditional love poetry. Instead, she argues that the most authentic and powerful expressions of love emerge in moments of profound suffering and sacrifice. The poem’s final lines emphatically declare that love is “best proved” in the face of darkness, suggesting that adversity reveals the true strength and depth of human bonds.
The Weight of History and Collective Memory
Beyond the personal tragedy of the couple, “Quarantine” is deeply interwoven with the historical trauma of the Great Irish Famine. Boland frames the couple’s fate as representative of a larger, collective suffering, emphasizing the devastating impact of this period on an entire nation. The phrase “the toxins of a whole history” suggests that their demise is not just due to immediate physical deprivation, but also the cumulative burden of past injustices and systemic failures. This poem serves as a poignant reminder of historical events and their lasting echoes in human experience.
An In-Depth Analysis of “Quarantine”
Setting the Scene: The Onset of Despair
The poem opens with an immediate plunge into overwhelming despair, using a striking accumulation of intensifiers:
In the worst hour of the worst season
of the worst year of a whole people
a man set out from the workhouse with his wife.
He was walking—they were both walking—north.
This powerful opening employs **anaphora** with the repeated “worst,” creating a relentless, suffocating atmosphere. It is not merely a bad time, but the absolute nadir, emphasizing the immense scale of suffering endured by the Irish population during the famine. This immediate establishment of historical weight and profound loss sets a somber tone, preparing the reader for the tragedy that unfolds. The simple, direct language, characteristic of **free verse**, contributes to the poem’s raw authenticity, avoiding any artificiality that might detract from the gravity of the subject.
The Arduous Journey: A Testament to Devotion
The image of the man and his wife walking northward is central to the poem’s narrative and symbolism. Their movement, however arduous, represents a desperate, perhaps futile, attempt to escape the devastation surrounding them. The poem states:
She was sick with famine fever and could not keep up.
He lifted her and put her on his back.
He walked like that west and west and north.
Until at nightfall under freezing stars they arrived.
The repetition of direction, “west and west and north,” underscores the relentless nature of their journey and their desperate search for respite. This insistent movement, despite the wife’s illness, highlights the man’s unwavering devotion. His act of carrying her on his back is a powerful **visual metaphor** for his sacrifice and the physical and emotional weight of his burden. The **imagery** of “freezing stars” emphasizes the harshness of the environment and their vulnerability, painting a vivid picture of their struggle against overwhelming odds.
The Final Embrace: Love Beyond Life
The discovery of their bodies is presented with stark simplicity, devoid of melodrama, yet profoundly moving:
In the morning they were both found dead.
Of cold. Of hunger. Of the toxins of a whole history.
But her feet were held against his breastbone.
The last heat of his flesh was his last gift to her.
The concise listing of causes of death, “Of cold. Of hunger. Of the toxins of a whole history,” uses **asyndeton** to create a sense of blunt, inescapable reality, emphasizing the multiple layers of their demise, from immediate physical causes to the systemic failures of history. The poem then shifts focus to a single, poignant detail: “But her feet were held against his breastbone.” This powerful **imagery** encapsulates the entirety of their love story. Even in death, the man continues to provide warmth and comfort to his wife. The “last heat of his flesh” is not merely a physiological detail; it is a profound **symbol** of his enduring love and ultimate sacrifice, a final act of tenderness that transcends the boundary of life itself.
Rejecting Conventional Love Poetry: A New Threshold
The fourth stanza marks a pivotal turn, as Boland explicitly rejects traditional love poetry and its often superficial portrayals of romance:
Let no love poem ever come to this threshold.
There is no place here for the inexact
praise of the easy graces and sensuality of the body.
This powerful **apostrophe**, addressing love poetry itself, serves as a direct challenge. Boland argues that conventional love poems, with their “inexact praise” of “easy graces and sensuality,” are inadequate and dishonest in the face of true hardship and suffering. Her **diction**, using words like “inexact” and “merciless,” highlights her demand for a more truthful and rigorous examination of love. She is not dismissing love, but rather advocating for a deeper, more honest representation that acknowledges life’s harsh realities.
The “Merciless Inventory”: Proving Love’s True Nature
The final stanza outlines Boland’s vision for a more authentic and meaningful love poetry, one that undertakes a “merciless inventory” of human experience:
There is only time for this merciless inventory:
Their death together in the winter of 1847.
Also what they suffered. How they lived.
And what there is between a man and woman.
And in which darkness it can best be proved.
This “merciless inventory” is not a cold recounting of facts, but a deep exploration of the complexities of human existence. It encompasses their historical context, their suffering, their lives, and the profound bond between them. The poem concludes with a powerful assertion that love is a force best “proved” not in moments of joy and ease, but in the crucible of adversity and suffering. This final thought reinforces the central theme, suggesting that the deepest truths about love are revealed when all else is stripped away, leaving only the essential connection between two people.
The Enduring Legacy of “Quarantine”
“Quarantine” stands as a haunting and deeply moving poem that challenges readers to reconsider their understanding of love, suffering, and historical truth. Through its stark imagery, poignant narrative, and powerful rejection of superficiality, Eavan Boland crafts a timeless testament to the enduring power of the human spirit. The poem’s masterful use of literary devices, from anaphora and asyndeton to vivid imagery and symbolism, ensures its message resonates deeply. It is a profound reminder that even in the darkest of times, love can not only endure but can also reveal its most authentic and powerful form, leaving an indelible mark on our collective memory.