Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Falling Asleep Over The Aeneid" by Robert Lowell intricately blends personal memory with classical allusion, capturing the poet’s introspective journey through time and history. The poem's structure is composed of rhyming couplets, which lend a rhythmic and formal quality to its narrative, enhancing the dream-like exploration of the poet's reverie inspired by reading Vergil's Aeneid, specifically the episode involving the funeral of Pallas.

The poem begins with an old man in Concord, who forgets to attend morning service and instead falls asleep while reading. The "sun is blue and scarlet on my page" sets a vivid and surreal tone, indicating the merging of reality and dream. The repetitive "yuck-a, yuck-a" of the yellowhammers adds to the rhythmic and almost hypnotic atmosphere as the poet transitions into his dream state.

In the dream, the poet becomes Aeneas, witnessing the funeral rites for Pallas. The vivid imagery of "yellow fire / Blankets the captives dancing on their pyre" and "the scorched lictor screams and drops his rod" conveys the intensity and violence of the scene. The Trojans’ drunken reverence to Ares, the god of war, highlights the ritualistic and chaotic nature of their mourning.

As the dream progresses, the poet's narrative voice intertwines with Aeneas' perspective. The "scythe-wheeled chariot rolls / Before their lances long as vaulting poles" and the ceremonial procession of the "thousand men, / Who carry Pallas to the bird-priest" depict the grandeur and somberness of the funeral rites. The "bird-priest" and the prophetic birds introduce an element of mysticism, emphasizing the connection between human and divine realms.

The poet's interaction with the symbols of the past continues as he recalls the sword that Dido used, now personified as a bird with a "sworded breast" trying to speak. This surreal and haunting imagery reflects the poet's struggle to reconcile with the weight of history and personal memory. The reference to Dido and her tragic love story with Aeneas adds a layer of emotional depth and complexity to the dream.

The dream then shifts to a scene where the poet, as Aeneas, interacts with various elements of Pallas' funeral. The "broken-winded yelp / Of my Phoenician hounds" and the laying of Pallas' pall "Stiff with its gold and purple" highlight the ceremonial aspects of the ritual. The detailed description of Dido's golden threads, likened to a serpent coiled in cypress, reinforces the theme of intricate and inescapable connections between past and present.

The poem’s climax comes with the vision of Turnus and the contrasting fates of Aeneas and Pallas. The hero’s journey and the ultimate futility of war are underscored by the imagery of the elephants of Carthage and the Numidian horsemen. The final farewell to Pallas, "Brother, eternal health. Farewell / Forever," signifies a poignant acceptance of loss and the inexorable passage of time.

The poet wakes to the sound of the church bell, which frightens the yellowhammers and brings him back to reality. This abrupt transition from the dream world to the waking world underscores the temporal disjunctions experienced during the reverie. The mention of "Mother’s great-aunt, who died when I was eight" and other family members evokes a sense of continuity and the persistence of memory. The final image of the "bust / Of young Augustus" scowling into the poet's glasses reinforces the theme of historical legacy and personal reflection.

In "Falling Asleep Over The Aeneid," Robert Lowell masterfully intertwines personal and historical narratives, using vivid and surreal imagery to explore themes of memory, loss, and the inescapable influence of the past. The poem's structured couplets and rich allusions invite readers to reflect on the complex interplay between individual experience and the broader sweep of history.

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...