Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"When Do We Inherit Them?" by William Meredith explores the process of inheriting the intellectual and moral legacies of historical figures such as Oliver Cromwell, Abraham Lincoln, and Matthew Arnold. The poem reflects on how these legacies are claimed and internalized, challenging the notion of a straightforward transmission of values and ideas from one generation to the next. Instead, Meredith suggests that we engage with these figures not as passive recipients but as active participants, encountering them in ways that are immediate and often competitive.

The poem opens with a direct question: "When do we inherit them, / Cromwell, Lincoln, Matthew Arnold?" This line sets the stage for a reflection on the nature of intellectual and moral inheritance. The use of "them" to refer to these figures implies that inheriting their legacies involves more than just remembering their historical significance; it involves grappling with their ideas and integrating them into contemporary contexts.

Meredith then describes a series of actions that symbolize this engagement: "When the unengaged mind claims and climbs, / Preens old robes, and tries strange titles on." This imagery suggests an initial phase of exploration and experimentation, where individuals engage with the legacies of these figures by adopting their symbols and titles. However, the poem implies that merely wearing "old robes" or "trying strange titles" is not enough to truly inherit their legacies. There is a superficiality to these actions, indicated by the word "preens," which connotes vanity or self-admiration.

The poem continues with the line "Before and after something common given, / Or reads incongruously of the projectile places?" Here, Meredith touches on the notion of shared human experiences ("something common given") and the discordant experience of reading about historical events ("projectile places") that feel distant or unrelated to the present. The word "incongruously" suggests a disconnect between the past and the present, highlighting the challenge of finding relevance in historical legacies.

The poem shifts in tone with the assertion: "No, but in objection shouting what they meant / Or in exertion sweating with their sweat." This line emphasizes a more active and visceral engagement with these historical figures. Rather than passively adopting their symbols or titles, individuals inherit their legacies by challenging their ideas ("objection shouting") and empathizing with their struggles ("sweating with their sweat"). This process involves not just intellectual understanding but also emotional and physical identification.

Meredith further develops this idea by rejecting the notion of direct inheritance: "No noticed intonation or gesture / Derivative perhaps, but in modern dress." This line suggests that while there may be recognizable influences or echoes from these historical figures in contemporary actions and expressions, these influences are not direct imitations. Instead, they are adapted to fit the "modern dress," or contemporary context, reflecting the unique challenges and perspectives of the present.

The poem concludes with a reflection on the nature of this inheritance: "And even then, no real descent, no chrysalis, / But sudden brothers rather, and competitors." Meredith rejects the idea of a gradual, evolutionary process ("no chrysalis") or a clear lineage ("no real descent") of intellectual and moral inheritance. Instead, he presents these historical figures as "sudden brothers" and "competitors," indicating a more immediate and dynamic relationship. This framing suggests that inheriting their legacies involves standing alongside them, contending with their ideas and actions as equals rather than as passive heirs.

"When Do We Inherit Them?" challenges the conventional notion of inheritance as a linear, straightforward process. Meredith emphasizes the active and often contentious nature of engaging with the legacies of historical figures. Rather than simply adopting their ideas, we encounter them as contemporaries, challenging and reshaping their contributions in the context of our own experiences and struggles. The poem ultimately suggests that true inheritance is not about continuity or descent but about the dynamic and ongoing engagement with the past in the present.

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