Searching for couples in the middle of the night next to a graveyard is not the usual night out for everybody. The verses 27onwards in the poem “Skunk Hour” by Robert Lowell, written in 1957, mark a change, a volta, from a colourful scheme to a dark tone. The poem has elements of setting up three specific people who are characterized through loneliness, isolation and showiness against skunks. The “hermit heiress”, “summer millionaire” and the “fairy decorator” are introduced in different stanzas. The speaker gives a short and unique glimpse into their life. This unusual comparison and dramatic change of events will be further analysed in this essay.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction and Biographical Context
2. Poem Summary and Structural Analysis
3. Character Analysis
3.1 The Hermit Heiress
3.2 The Summer Millionaire
3.3 The Fairy Decorator
4. The Volta and the Speaker's Internal Struggle
5. Nature vs. Humanity and Symbolic Interpretation
6. Conclusion
Objectives and Themes
This essay provides a comprehensive literary analysis of Robert Lowell’s 1957 poem "Skunk Hour," examining how the poet uses character development, shifts in tone, and stylistic devices to illustrate themes of loneliness, isolation, and social tension.
- Exploration of mental turmoil and personal alienation in the speaker.
- Analysis of the contrast between human artificiality and the raw nature of the skunks.
- Examination of the poem's structure, specifically the use of the volta and free verse.
- Investigation into the historical and biographical context of Robert Lowell’s life.
- Interpretation of recurring symbols such as the graveyard, the church, and the "love-cars."
Excerpt from the Book
The transition to the next stanza is marked by a volta provoking a dramatic change in the poem.
The reader moves from overall bright orange and red tones to a “dark night” (25). The next verse describes how the speaker who reveals himself personally to the reader, gets into his “Tudor Ford” (26) to drive up the “hill’s skull” (26). Describing the top of the hill as “skull” (31) indicates themes like faith and death in the poem. At this point, the car name sounds posh and historical. This connects to the old heiress who desires to go back to the Victorian era. The millionaire looks like he jumped right out of a catalogue, the reader gets a historical clash between the past and the present, a change in season. After driving up the hill, the speaker mentions how he “watched for love-cars” (27). He is disturbingly observing other people, having intimate moments in their cars. Given that the speaker is lonely like the rest of the characters, he is looking for love somewhere else. The speaker describes the cars as laying together “hull to hull” (28) which is unusual, considering that this description is rather strange used to describe ships. On another perspective one can say that this abnormal description refers to coffins laying “hull to hull” (28) that sort of fits the dramatic turn of the stanza and dark tone.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction and Biographical Context: This section introduces the poem and provides biographical background on Robert Lowell, touching upon his family history and personal life.
2. Poem Summary and Structural Analysis: This chapter outlines the poem's four-part structure and discusses its rhyme scheme, metrical patterns, and the significance of the title.
3. Character Analysis: The chapter focuses on the three specific inhabitants of Nautilus Island—the heiress, the millionaire, and the decorator—and their common trait of loneliness.
4. The Volta and the Speaker's Internal Struggle: This section analyzes the shift in the poem's tone and the speaker’s personal journey as he observes others and grapples with his mental state.
5. Nature vs. Humanity and Symbolic Interpretation: This chapter contrasts the artificial efforts of the human characters with the skunk family, exploring the themes of redemption and isolation.
6. Conclusion: The final section synthesizes the analysis, reiterating the poem's core message regarding the hidden struggles behind seemingly successful lives.
Keywords
Robert Lowell, Skunk Hour, loneliness, isolation, Nautilus Island, mental turmoil, free verse, volta, symbolism, social class, confession, alienation, nature, humanity, Victorian era.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this academic analysis?
The analysis focuses on interpreting Robert Lowell's poem "Skunk Hour," specifically exploring how the poet portrays loneliness and social isolation through character sketches and a dramatic shift in narrative tone.
What are the primary themes discussed in the paper?
Key themes include the tension between public and private life, the psychological state of the speaker, the critique of societal artificiality, and the contrast between human despair and the survival instinct found in nature.
What is the primary objective of the essay?
The objective is to deconstruct the poem's structure and imagery to demonstrate how Lowell uses specific literary devices to reflect his own mental struggles and the broader anxieties of his time.
Which scientific or literary methods are applied?
The author utilizes formalist literary analysis, examining rhyme schemes, meter, metaphors, and the use of the "volta" (the turn in the poem) to understand how these elements influence the reader's interpretation.
What content is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body systematically analyzes the inhabitants of Nautilus Island, the transition of the speaker from an objective observer to a personal participant, and the symbolic significance of the skunks at the poem's climax.
Which keywords best describe this research?
Essential keywords include Robert Lowell, Skunk Hour, isolation, confession, mental turmoil, Nautilus Island, symbolism, and the contrast between humanity and the natural world.
How does the author interpret the title "Skunk Hour"?
The author suggests that the title combines the negative, unpleasant association of a skunk with the noun "hour" to indicate a troublesome or dark phase of life that the speaker is experiencing.
What role does the "volta" play in the poem's development?
The volta marks a dramatic change in the poem, transitioning from bright, autumn-themed colors to a dark, nocturnal setting that signals the speaker's descent into a more personal and disturbed mental space.
- Quote paper
- Eda Kurtgöz (Author), 2020, An analysis of “Skunk Hour” by Robert Lowell, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1194035
