Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Triumph of Love: 70," Geoffrey Hill contemplates the concept of "active virtue" and its place within the public sphere and the realm of language. Hill's meditation on virtue, language, and their intersection with civic life is both an homage to the literary tradition and a critique of contemporary disengagement.

Hill begins by defining "active virtue" as a force that "shall contain / its own passion in the public weal." This notion suggests that true virtue is not passive or isolated but engaged with and beneficial to the public good. Hill challenges the reader to understand or at least grasp the essence of this idea, emphasizing its complexity and importance.

The poet then turns to the "struggle / for a noble vernacular," a quest that did not conclude with Petrarch, one of the early architects of the Italian vernacular in literature. By invoking Petrarch, Hill places himself within a long tradition of poets who have sought to elevate the language of the common people. He questions where this struggle has led, hinting at a sense of disillusionment with its current state. The mention of Dryden and Milton’s political sonnets serves to anchor this struggle in the English literary tradition, suggesting that the pursuit of a noble vernacular was vibrant in their time but has since waned.

Hill laments that the "cherished stock" of this tradition has been "hacked into ransom and ruin," with the once-distinct voices of literary giants now fading into indistinctness. This loss, he implies, is not just cultural but also civic, as language and literature are seen as integral to public life and virtue.

Despite this, Hill remains "convinced that shaping, / voicing, are types of civic action." This belief aligns with Wordsworth's assertion in his Prefaces and his tract on the Convention of Cintra, which argued for the moral and civic responsibilities of poets and the intrinsic value of their work. Wordsworth's writings are presented as "witnessing / to the praesidium in the sacred name / of things betrayed," suggesting that poetry can serve as a bulwark against moral and civic decay.

Hill, however, expresses uncertainty about the "intrinsic value" of poetry and virtue, acknowledging that while they seem connected to active virtue, the precise nature of this relationship is elusive. He posits that intrinsic value must involve both "fact and recognition," making it both an agent of change and a subject of contemplation.

The passage concludes with the notion that these imponderables—concepts difficult to measure or define—are nevertheless brought into the tangible world, where they can be contemplated and perhaps understood. Hill's meditation, rich with literary and philosophical allusions, invites readers to reflect on the enduring struggle for a language that can embody and enact virtue, even as the specific connections between virtue, language, and civic action remain elusive.

"Triumph of Love: 70" is a profound reflection on the role of poetry and virtue in public life. Hill situates himself within a historical struggle to find a noble vernacular, expressing both reverence for past achievements and skepticism about their present state. His contemplation of intrinsic value and active virtue highlights the enduring importance of literature as a force for civic good, even as it grapples with the complexities and uncertainties of its impact.

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