Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Rachel Hadas’s poem "Stress" delves into the physical and emotional afflictions that mirror those from classical and mythological texts, linking them to contemporary experiences of suffering and the societal impulse to diagnose and assign blame. Through this juxtaposition, Hadas explores how modern ailments are often reflections of deeper emotional turmoil and unresolved conflicts.

The poem opens with references to well-known mythological and biblical figures who suffer from inexplicable and incurable ailments: "Philoctetes' venom-sodden foot; / Job's boils no potsherd scraping can relieve; / Amfortas' wound, forever festering." These allusions set a tone of timeless, universal suffering, suggesting that the pain experienced by these figures is akin to modern forms of distress. The invocation of these mythological and biblical examples serves to elevate the personal affliction described in the poem, connecting it to a larger, more profound human experience.

Hadas introduces a contemporary sufferer, "stoic in the scarlet leotard of eczema," who joins the company of Philoctetes, Job, and Amfortas. This modern figure’s ailment—eczema—is vividly described as "venom-sodden" and "scarlet," linking it to the historical and mythological sufferings mentioned earlier. The color red, often associated with inflammation and irritation, emphasizes the visible, painful nature of the condition.

The poem then delves into society's reaction to such afflictions: "Like Philoctetes' shipmates, like the friends / taking Job to task for what foul crime, / confronted with affliction we think blame / and promptly diagnose it with a name." This reflects the human tendency to search for explanations and causes for suffering, often resulting in blame and oversimplified diagnoses. The sufferer's "angry eruptions, back and flanks" are immediately attributed to "love gone wrong, / turned inside out." This etiology highlights the poem's exploration of how emotional distress and interpersonal conflicts manifest physically.

Hadas suggests that the sufferer's condition is "desire's dynamic somehow gone amok / halfway between skeleton and skin." The physical symptoms are a manifestation of internal emotional turmoil—"Rage, frustration, disappointment, loss." This internal conflict is depicted as a persistent and pervasive germ, "which once it penetrates the outer layer / won't settle for oblivion again / but hovers hungry somewhere in the air."

The poem then shifts to a broader societal critique, using the mural in Butler Library as a metaphor: "In the Butler Library mural / Athena shines, wrapped in her 3-D aegis. / Bald green demons on each side of her / lower and clutch." These demons, initially interpreted as "Fear, / Ignorance, Prejudice," now symbolize the new disease of stress, reflecting modern society's obsession with identifying and diagnosing afflictions. The poem critiques the idealized notion of health as "celestial serenity, a cool and unmarked carapace," which contrasts starkly with the lived reality of emotional and physical suffering.

In conclusion, "Stress" by Rachel Hadas is a powerful meditation on the intersection of physical and emotional suffering, drawing on mythological and biblical references to highlight the timeless nature of human distress. The poem critiques the tendency to blame and oversimplify the causes of afflictions, emphasizing the complexity of emotional turmoil and its physical manifestations. Through vivid imagery and thoughtful reflection, Hadas invites readers to consider the deeper, often unseen, sources of stress and suffering in contemporary life.

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