Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Death the Copperplate Printer," Anthony Hecht vividly presents Death as an artist, specifically a copperplate printer, to illustrate the inexorable decline and inevitable demise that all humans face. The poem interweaves technical aspects of printing with metaphors of mortality, creating a striking and evocative depiction of death’s precision and artistry.

The opening lines, "I turn Christ's cross till it turns Catherine's wheel, / Ixion's wheel becoming Andrew's cross," immediately juxtapose various symbols of suffering and martyrdom, suggesting that Death manipulates these icons to press his message home. The reference to "windlass ways" indicates different mechanisms of torture and execution, emphasizing the physical and emotional torment associated with the brevity of life. The transition from one form of suffering to another underscores the universality and inevitability of death.

Hecht continues, "To press my truth full home, force you to feel / The brevity of your days, / Your strength's, health's, teeth's, desire's and memory's loss," highlighting the transient nature of human existence. The phrase "press my truth full home" cleverly ties into the metaphor of printing, suggesting that Death’s message is indelibly imprinted on the human experience. The enumeration of physical and mental losses as we age reinforces the theme of mortality and the relentless march of time.

The description of the printing process, "The bitten plate, removed from its Dutch Bath / Of mordants, has been set below a screw / That will enforce my will," serves as a powerful metaphor for the way death etches its mark on each individual. The "bitten plate" and "Dutch Bath" are technical terms in copperplate printing, where acid bites into the metal plate to create an image. This process mirrors how life’s experiences and sufferings are etched onto our bodies and souls. The "screw" that "enforces" Death's will symbolizes the inevitability and finality of death's grip.

Hecht's imagery becomes more visceral with "Slowly I crank my winch, and the bones crack, / The skull splits open and the ribs give way." This description of the printing press's operation parallels the physical disintegration of the human body, underscoring the brutal reality of death. The rhetorical question, "Who, then, thinks to endure?" challenges the reader to confront their own mortality and the futility of resisting the natural course of life and death.

The line, "Confess the artistry of my attack; / Admire the fine gravure, / The trenched darks, the cross-hatching, the pale gray," invites the reader to acknowledge the meticulous and undeniable skill with which Death operates. The technical terms from the art of engraving—"gravure," "trenched darks," "cross-hatching," and "pale gray"—underscore the precision and detail with which death imprints its mark on each person, akin to a master artist’s work.

Hecht’s final stanza, "This is no metaphor. Margaret Clitheroe, / A pious woman, even as she prayed / Was cheated of her breath / By a court verdict that some years ago / Ordered her pressed to death. / I'm always grateful for such human aid," grounds the poem in historical reality. The reference to Margaret Clitheroe, a Catholic martyr who was literally pressed to death, serves as a stark reminder of the physical reality of death’s brutality. By concluding with this historical example, Hecht underscores the intersection of human cruelty and death's artistry, highlighting how societal mechanisms often aid in delivering death’s final blow.

"Death the Copperplate Printer" masterfully intertwines the meticulous process of copperplate printing with the inescapable reality of human mortality. Through vivid imagery, historical allusion, and technical detail, Hecht creates a powerful meditation on the artistry and inevitability of death, compelling the reader to reflect on their own finite existence.

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