Byron's Darkness
...dwelt within the eye/ Of the volcanoes” (16-17), “And they did live by watchfires” (10), and “Forests were set on fire” (19). These heat references use hot things such as fire or a volcano to represent a source of light. They also create the image of people congregating to these light sources emphasizing to the reader the true importance of light. This light source is symbolic of life just as Mithra and Apollo are associated with light and life. Animal imagery is also used: “The wild birds shriek’d/ And, terrified, did flutter on the ground/ And flap their useless wings” (32-34). Byron’s diction is used to create both sight and sound imagery. Through this imagery, Byron creates a picture not only of the bird’s struggle, but the struggle of mankind at this time. He continues: “And vipers crawl’d/ And tiwn’d themselves among the multitude” (35-36). This sight imagery is also intended to create a mental picture of the chaos taking place all over the planet. The poem comes to a climax in the seventh and eighth stanzas: ...they met beside The dying embers of an altar-place Where had been heap’d a mass of holy things For an unholy usage; they rak’d up, And shivering scrap’d with their cold skeleton hands The feeble ashes, and their feeble breath Blew for a little life, and made a flame Which was a mockery; then they lifted up Their eyes as it grew lighter, and beheld Each other’s aspects-saw, and shriek’d , and died- (57-66) It is very appropriate that the climax of the poem is also the point of the greatest imagery. So much sight and sound imagery are used in so few lines that it creates a perfectly vivid picture of exactly what is happening. Byron uses this heightened level of imagery to emphasize this part of the poem and to create a lasting image in the reader’s mind. Byron depicts the final misery and blackness by writing, “A lump of death-a chaos of hard clay/ The rivers, lakes and ocean all stood still/ And nothing stirr’d within their silent depths” (72-74). Through this intense sight imagery, Lord Byron vividly expresses to the reader exactly what he himself sees in the dream and leaves the reader with a final thought that summarizes the tone of the poem. Along with imagery, Byron uses personification/allusion in the poem. Byron personifies abstract elements of the world, similar to that of Greek or Roman mythological gods and goddesses. After allusion to Apollo through the light references, Byron speaks of War: And War, which for a moment was no more, Did glut himself again: a meal was bought With blood, and each sate sullenly apart Gorging himself in gloom (38-41) In this passage, Byron explains the abundance of war throughout the world. Next Byron writes of Famine: “Even of their mutual hideousness they died/ Unknowing who he was upon whose brow/ Famine had written Fiend” (67-69). These lines reference the horror and crime that have been brought to the world because of lack of food. Then the moon, “The moon, their mistress, had expir’d before/ The winds were wither’d in the stagnant air/ And the clouds perish’d” (79-81). This allusion to the moon’s formation in the myth of Mithra also personifies the moon as a mistress of the people. Finally, Byron personifies Darkness: “Darkness had no need/ Of aid from them-She was the Universe” (81-82). Here the title character of the poem is portrayed as an omnipotent woman who has endured and overpowered to become all of existance. Through these mythical personifications Byron creates the idea that these elements are interacting with the world and its doomed inhabitants. He portrays these entities similarly to those of ancient mythology in that are all around, taking advantage of this situation. They are the ones who bring the chaos to the world seemingly for their own enjoyment. This element adds a mystical, quasi-theological element to the poem, further heightening the depth and enjoyment of the piece. Symbolism is an element of the poem, which truly brings out the meaning of the work. Byron gives the reader an indication that symbolism does exist in the poem in saying, “I had a dream, which was not all a dream” (1). This statement implies that the poem is not completely fictitious and does have pertinence to life and the world. Byron begins with light and heat symbolizing life: “Happy were those who dwelt within the eye/ Of the volcanoes, and their mountain-torch/ A fearful hope was all the world contain’d”16-18). These light references symbolize life as Apollo symbolized light to the Greeks. Byron also uses animals as symbols: ...the wild birds shriek’d And, terrified...