Analysis of The Answer

Robinson Jeffers 1887 (Allegheny) – 1962 (Carmel-by-the-Sea)



Then what is the answer?- Not to be deluded by dreams.
To know that great civilizations have broken down into violence,
      and their tyrants come, many times before.
When open violence appears, to avoid it with honor or choose
      the least ugly faction; these evils are essential.
To keep one's own integrity, be merciful and uncorrupted
      and not wish for evil; and not be duped
By dreams of universal justice or happiness. These dreams will
      not be fulfilled.
To know this, and know that however ugly the parts appear
      the whole remains beautiful. A severed hand
Is an ugly thing and man dissevered from the earth and stars
      and his history... for contemplation or in fact...
Often appears atrociously ugly. Integrity is wholeness,
      the greatest beauty is
Organic wholeness, the wholeness of life and things, the divine beauty
      of the universe. Love that, not man
Apart from that, or else you will share man's pitiful confusions,
      or drown in despair when his days darken.


Scheme ABCDEFFGFHFIFJKFLMN
Poetic Form
Metre 11101011101011 11110010110101100 0110110101 11010001101111011 0110101101010 11110100110001 0111100111 111010101100111 1101 11101110100101 01011000101 1110101110101 011001010101 10011100100110 010101 01010010110100110 10101111 0111111111100010 1100111110
Closest metre Iambic heptameter
Characters 1,022
Words 167
Sentences 13
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 19
Lines Amount 19
Letters per line (avg) 40
Words per line (avg) 9
Letters per stanza (avg) 765
Words per stanza (avg) 164
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 25, 2023

50 sec read
389

Robinson Jeffers

John Robinson Jeffers was an American poet, known for his work about the central California coast. more…

All Robinson Jeffers poems | Robinson Jeffers Books

2 fans

Discuss this Robinson Jeffers poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "The Answer" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 6 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/32860/the-answer>.

    Become a member!

    Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

    June 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    24
    days
    1
    hour
    2
    minutes

    Special Program

    Earn Rewards!

    Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

    Browse Poetry.com

    Quiz

    Are you a poetry master?

    »
    A group of lines that form a division of a poem is a _________.
    A couplet
    B stanza
    C line
    D paragraph