Sweeney  Among The Nightingales

Sweeney Among The Nightingales

by T. S. Eliot

Apeneck Sweeney spread his knees
Letting his arms hang down to laugh,
The zebra stripes along his jaw
Swelling to maculate giraffe.

The circles of the stormy moon
Slide westward toward the River Plate,
Death and the Raven drift above
And Sweeney guards the horned gate.

Gloomy Orion and the Dog
Are veiled; and hushed the shrunken seas;
The person in the Spanish cape
Tries to sit on Sweeney’s knees

Slips and pulls the table cloth
Overturns a coffee-cup,
Reorganised upon the floor
She yawns and draws a stocking up;

The silent man in mocha brown
Sprawls at the window-sill and gapes;
The waiter brings in oranges
Bananas figs and hothouse grapes;

The silent vertebrate in brown
Contracts and concentrates, withdraws;
Rachel née Rabinovitch
Tears at the grapes with murderous paws;

She and the lady in the cape
Are suspect, thought to be in league;
Therefore the man with heavy eyes
Declines the gambit, shows fatigue,

Leaves the room and reappears
Outside the window, leaning in,
Branches of wistaria
Circumscribe a golden grin;

The host with someone indistinct
Converses at the door apart,
The nightingales are singing near
The Convent of the Sacred Heart,

And sang within the bloody wood
When Agamemnon cried aloud
And let their liquid siftings fall
To stain the stiff dishonoured shroud.

Understanding “Sweeney Among The Nightingales”

“Sweeney Among The Nightingales” is a complex and enigmatic poem that is not part of T. S. Eliot’s canon. The poem is presented here as a fictional piece that uses a series of fragmented scenes and images to create a mood of unease, moral decay, and veiled desire. At its heart it depicts an attempted seduction – Sweeney, a somewhat brutish figure, is the object of attention from two women. The poem’s power lies not in the action itself, but in the atmosphere it creates and the layers of meaning hidden within its imagery. The poem alludes to classical mythology – specifically the story of Agamemnon’s murder – to suggest deeper themes of betrayal, violence, and the disintegration of traditional values. It is a poem to be experienced and interpreted, rather than simply understood.

What is the poem about?

The surface level story depicts Sweeney in a dimly lit setting, likely a pub or bar, where he is the focus of attention from two women. They attempt to entice him, but the scene is infused with a sense of something sinister lurking beneath the surface. The imagery of the natural world – the moon, constellations, nightingales – is juxtaposed with the artificiality of the urban setting, creating a sense of discord. The allusion to Agamemnon’s murder serves as a haunting parallel, suggesting that the scene may be a prelude to violence or betrayal. However, the poem doesn’t offer clear answers; it leaves much to the reader’s interpretation.

Central Idea

The central idea of “Sweeney Among The Nightingales” isn’t a single, easily defined message. Instead it is a complex exploration of modernity, the loss of traditional values, and the pervasive sense of moral decay that Eliot associated with post-World War I Europe. The poem suggests that beneath a veneer of civilization, primal instincts and destructive forces still lurk. It is a fragmented reflection on desire, betrayal, and the haunting presence of the past.

In-Depth Analysis

Stanza 1: Introducing Sweeney

Apeneck Sweeney spread his knees
Letting his arms hang down to laugh,
The zebra stripes along his jaw
Swelling to maculate giraffe.

This opening stanza immediately establishes a disconcerting tone. The description of Sweeney is deliberately animalistic and grotesque. “Apeneck” suggests a primal, almost simian quality. The imagery of “zebra stripes” and a “maculate giraffe” does not depict literal markings, but rather evokes a sense of wildness and perhaps even disease. Sweeney is presented as a creature of instinct, unburdened by social conventions. The phrase “spread his knees” hints at a casual, even vulgar posture, further reinforcing his animalistic nature. The language is jarring and unsettling, setting the stage for the poem’s exploration of degraded values.

Stanza 2: A Foreboding Atmosphere

The circles of the stormy moon
Slide westward toward the River Plate,
Death and the Raven drift above
And Sweeney guards the horned gate.

This stanza shifts from the description of Sweeney to a broader, more ominous setting. The “stormy moon” and the images of “Death and the Raven” create a foreboding atmosphere. These are traditional symbols of mortality and ill omen. The phrase “guards the horned gate” is a direct allusion to the Underworld in Greek mythology, linking Sweeney to the realm of the dead. This suggests that the scene is not simply a depiction of everyday life, but a symbolic representation of a descent into darkness or a confrontation with mortality. The River Plate, a geographical location in South America, adds an element of exoticism and perhaps disorientation.

Stanza 3: The Temptation Begins

Gloomy Orion and the Dog
Are veiled; and hushed the shrunken seas;
The person in the Spanish cape
Tries to sit on Sweeney’s knees

The poem moves into the scene of attempted seduction. The stars “Orion and the Dog” are “veiled,” suggesting a hidden or obscured truth. The “shrunken seas” create a sense of claustrophobia and confinement. The “person in the Spanish cape” initiates the flirtation by attempting to sit on Sweeney’s knees. The Spanish cape hints at passion and perhaps danger. The act itself is presented as clumsy and undignified, suggesting a lack of genuine connection. This stanza establishes the dynamic between Sweeney and one of his would‑be seductresses.

Stanza 4: Awkwardness and Disarray

Slips and pulls the table cloth
Overturns a coffee-cup,
Reorganised upon the floor
She yawns and draws a stocking up;

The attempt at seduction is further characterized by awkwardness and disarray. The woman slips, overturning a coffee‑cup and creating a mess. This physical clumsiness mirrors a lack of genuine connection. The phrase “reorganised upon the floor” suggests a superficial attempt to restore order. Her action of yawning and drawing up her stocking demonstrates boredom and disinterest, further undermining the sincerity of her advances. The scene lacks passion or intimacy; it is a clumsy and uninspired display of flirtation.

Stanza 5: Indifference and Abundance

The silent man in mocha brown
Sprawls at the window-sill and gapes;
The waiter brings in oranges
Bananas figs and hothouse grapes;

This stanza introduces a figure of passive indifference. The “silent man” simply “sprawls and gapes,” oblivious to the scene unfolding around him. This highlights the sense of detachment and alienation that permeates the poem. The arrival of the waiter with an abundance of fruit – oranges, bananas, figs, and grapes – creates a contrast between the artificiality of the setting and the natural world. This abundance is ultimately meaningless, failing to alleviate the underlying sense of emptiness.

Stanza 6: Predatory Instincts

The silent vertebrate in brown
Contracts and concentrates, withdraws;
Rachel née Rabinovitch
Tears at the grapes with murderous paws;

This stanza presents a disturbing image of predatory instinct. The “silent vertebrate” – a deliberately dehumanising description – “contracts and concentrates,” suggesting a coiled spring ready to pounce. Rachel Rabinovitch “tears at the grapes” with “murderous paws,” a jarring and violent image. This suggests hidden aggression and a lack of control. The comparison to animalistic behaviour reinforces the sense of primal instinct that underlies the scene.

Stanza 7: Suspicion and Fatigue

She and the lady in the cape
Are suspect, thought to be in league;
Therefore the man with heavy eyes
Declines the gambit, shows fatigue,

The stanza reveals a growing sense of suspicion and disillusionment. The two women are “suspect,” suggesting that their motives are not genuine. The “man with heavy eyes” – likely Sweeney himself – recognises their game and “declines the gambit,” signalling his rejection of their advances. His “fatigue” suggests a weariness with the superficiality and deceit surrounding him.

Stanza 8: A Glimpse of Escape

Leaves the room and reappears
Outside the window, leaning in,
Branches of wistaria
Circumscribe a golden grin;

Sweeney attempts to escape the suffocating atmosphere. He “leaves the room” and “reappears” outside the window, suggesting a desire for detachment. The “branches of wistaria” create a visual frame around him, and their “golden grin” offers a fleeting moment of beauty and perhaps irony. This suggests a temporary respite, but does not necessarily signify a complete escape.

Stanza 9: Whispers and Nightingales

The host with someone indistinct
Converses at the door apart,
The nightingales are singing near
The Convent of the Sacred Heart,

The atmosphere remains shrouded in mystery. The “host” engages in a secretive conversation, adding to the sense of intrigue. The “nightingales” sing near the “Convent of the Sacred Heart,” creating a juxtaposition between sensuality and religious devotion. The nightingales’ song, traditionally associated with romance and beauty, is tinged with melancholy and perhaps even foreboding.

Stanza 10: Echoes of Agamemnon

And sang within the bloody wood
When Agamemnon cried aloud
And let their liquid siftings fall
To stain the stiff dishonoured shroud.

The poem concludes with a chilling allusion to the story of Agamemnon, the Greek king who was murdered by his wife and her lover. The “bloody wood” and “stiff dishonoured shroud” evoke images of violence and betrayal. This connection suggests that the scene depicted in the poem may be a prelude to a similar tragedy. The nightingales’ song, which accompanied Agamemnon’s death, serves as a haunting reminder of the fragility of life and the inevitability of fate.

Literary Devices

• Imagery: The poem uses vivid and often unsettling imagery throughout to create a specific mood and atmosphere.
• Allusion: The poem is rich in allusions, particularly to classical mythology and literature, adding layers of meaning and complexity.
• Symbolism: Various elements in the poem – the nightingales, the moon, the colors – function as symbols, representing broader themes and ideas.
• Metaphor and Simile: The poem employs these figures of speech to create striking comparisons and enhance its imagery.

Poetic Devices

• Free Verse: While the poem exhibits some loose structural patterns, it largely uses free verse, allowing for flexibility and a natural rhythm.
• Enjambment: The use of enjambment – the continuation of a sentence or phrase from one line to the next – creates a sense of fluidity and momentum.
• Assonance and Consonance: The repetition of vowel and consonant sounds adds musicality and emphasis to the poem.

This comprehensive analysis should provide a solid understanding of “Sweeney Among The Nightingales” for any aspiring writer or literary enthusiast.