Monody – A Poem Inspired by Hawthorne
One of Melville’s poems which stood out to me is titled “Monody” which is defined as a poem in which the speaker laments another’s death. Many scholars have claimed that “Monody” was inspired by Nathaniel Hawthorne’s death in 1864. Melville lived less than six miles away from Hawthorne and they shared a friendship spanned several years.The poem’s first two lines: “To have known him, to have loved him / After loneness long;” elicits a melancholy feeling as readers discern that the poet carries a heavy heart, in need of alleviation. Melville’s use of alliteration makes the poem a pleasure to read, and the poem is powerful because it resonates with anyone who has expereinced grief or loss. While the first part of the poem is autobiographical in nature, the second part is mostly descriptive. Melville writes, “By wintry hills his hermit-mound / The sheeted snow-drifts drape,” The grave of a man is presented as isolated, a “hermit-mound” that is “draped” – ornamented and covered by snow, as a coffin or a tomb might be draped with cloths at a funeral. This mixture of autobiography, nature, and funereal accouterments stresses a theme that reverberates through many of Melville’s poems, that is, the importance of embracing death and recognizing and appreciating beauty even if death is impending.