The Red Wheelbarrow
a red wheel
barrowglazed with rain
waterbeside the white
chickens
Summary of The Red Wheelbarrow
- Popularity of “The Red Wheelbarrow”: Written by William Carlos Williams, an American modernist icon as well as physician, the poem “The Red Wheelbarrow” first appeared in 1923. It got published with the title of “XXII” in his collection, Spring and All. The poem, as well as the collection, demonstrate clinical precision in the language of William Carlos Williams. He is considered the best imagist writing in free verse poetry. The poem shows how he infuses various thematic strands in just six verses. The popularity of the poem lies in its direct image style.
- “The Red Wheelbarrow” As a Representative of Marxism: Although the poet is not a Marxist, nor could he have written such poems had he not been an imagist. However, almost both images show that this philosophical idea lies in the background. The color red, as well as the wheelbarrow, are both symbols of the labor class. That is why the poem has a Marxist theme in it. The poet shows that a red wheelbarrow glazes in the rainy season. White chickens are standing beside it. It shows how a person uses the wheelbarrow, what happens when it rains and what the chicken symbolizes. This depth of meaning demonstrates that it could have a Marxian idea behind it.
- Major Themes in “The Red Wheelbarrow”: The greatness of labor, the intervention of nature, and Marxism are three major thematic ideas of the poem “The Red Wheelbarrow.” The poem demonstrates the idea of Marxism in the very first verse through the use of the color red. The wheelbarrow added to this color intensifies this realization that it must have a Marxian idea behind it. However, this also shows that the poet wants greatness to be showered on labor. The intervention of nature comes in the shape of rain that glazes the wheelbarrow. The chicken symbolizes the fruit of that labor. It could also present a story that the person not referred to is taking rest and enjoying the weather with good fruit of his labor standing by the tool of labor. The mention of both tools, as well as the reward, shows that the Marxian touch is very much there.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in The Red Wheelbarrow
William Carlos Williams uses various literary devices to enhance the intended impact of his poem. Some of the major literary devices used by William Carlos Williams are as follows.
- Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /a/ in “glazed with rain” and the sound of /i/ in “beside the white.”
- Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line, such as the sound of /t/ in “beside the white.”
- Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. William Carlos Williams used imagery in this poem, such as “a red wheel / barrow”, “glazed with rain” and “beside the white /chicken.”
- Symbolism: Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings that are different from the literal meanings. The poem shows symbols, such as red and white colors symbolize labor, peace, and the fruit of labor.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in The Red Wheelbarrow
Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is an analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem.
- Diction: It means the type of language. The poem shows very good use of clinical and precise diction.
- Free Verse: It means to write verses without any use of metrical pattern and rhyme scheme. The poem shows the use of free verse.
- Stanza: A stanza is a poetic form of some lines. There are three stanzas, with each having two verses.
- Syllables: It means to use meters with a different syllable pattern, such as a stressed and an unstressed syllable. The poem shows syllable usage through a single-word verse such as “barrow” or “water” or “Chicken.”
- Tone: It means the voice of the text. The poem shows an indifferent and neutral tone.
Quotes to be Used
The entire poem is suitable to quote when discussing the fruit of labor and hard work.
a red wheel
barrow
glazed with rain
waterbeside the white
chickens
