Comments on: SONG OF THE REDWOOD-TREE.

By: Jennica

Jennica — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:46:29 +0000

The overall form of the poem intrigues me. The form of the entire poem seems to reflect the second speaker’s feelings as well. The poem is chopped into three different stanzas. This contradicts how everything is paired into two: dryads and hamadryads, two speakers, the old and new California. The speaker also declares towards the end of the song how the new society is proportionate to nature; however, the form of this poem breaks this equilibrium. The poem is awkwardly divvied up into three randomly-lengthened stanzas with no particular rhyme scheme or meter.

By: Jennica

Jennica — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:43:41 +0000

From lines 120-22, the text shows how once again, Mother Nature’s tone is that of acceptance than vengeance or hatred towards the white settlers who are pushing the Native Americans out of their land. The speaker sees “the genius of the modern, child of the real and ideal, / [c]learing the ground for broad humanity,” which will ultimately “build a grander future,” the “true America.” While the second speaker or this mystical spiritual being uses diction that indicates sympathy towards the tree or the Native American chief, at the same time, she does not completely show hatred or negativity towards this new, overpowering race.

By: Jennica

Jennica — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:40:26 +0000

Again, the text emphasizes how there is a mix of emotions in Mother Nature. The “music of choppers’ axes” is seen to be “proportionate to Nature,” “more than [the chief’s] mountain peaks or stalwart trees imperial” and “more than all [the chief’s] gold or vines, or even vital air” (74, 99-101). The speaker cannot seem to make a clear distinction of her feelings towards the tree or the cutters.

By: Jennica

Jennica — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:38:58 +0000

Although it may have seemed like Mother Nature was taking full sides with the Native Americans, she does not completely reproach the invaders as well. Even while the speaker describes the death of the tree, the men’s chopping down of the woods is “sounding musically driven by / strong arms” (13).

By: Jennica

Jennica — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:36:32 +0000

After reading the poem, one may believe that Mother Nature feels pure sympathy towards the Native Americans. However, that is not the case. Though she does feel sympathy and love towards the chief, at the same time, she does not exactly feel hatred or vengeance towards the white settlers either. However, in this line, one can see how Mother Nature at first, appears to take the side of the Native Americans. Diction such “indirection” and “impalpable to breathe” have negative connotations.

By: Jennica

Jennica — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:31:05 +0000

Again, Mother Nature sees how the “genius of the modern, child of the read and ideal” will be “[c]learing the ground for broad humanity, the true America” (120-22).

By: Jennica

Jennica — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:29:42 +0000

From lines 105-9, the text reveals how not only does this second speaker have the power to see the situation of the Native Americans, but she also notes the actions of others or in other words, the white settlers.

By: Jennica

Jennica — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:27:38 +0000

Again, from lines 89-92, the text shows that the second speaker must then be some sort of spiritual or unnatural force such as Mother Nature. This being sees all. In that respect, only Mother Nature or some high spiritual figure could possibly have the ability to see all of these events occurring. The images this speaker sees is through a bird’s eye point of view.

By: Jennica

Jennica — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:25:12 +0000

this speaker can be thought to be the tree or Mother Nature. It is Mother Nature or the “womanhood divine, mistress and source of all, whence life and love and aught that comes from life and live” who has the ability to see everything that evolves around her (57). As noted before, she is the one who is able to see the tribe fall apart through the images of the departing Dyrads and Hamadryads as well as the “mighty dying tree” and “its death chant” (6, 18). With a power so great as to be able to witness all that is revolving around this speaker, the reader can assume that this narrator is no ordinary being.

By: Jennica

Jennica — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:23:14 +0000

Here is the mystery. There is not only one speaker, but two. Who then, is the “I” referring to?