David Slavitt's "Titanic" analysis
A Look into David R. Slavitt’s “Titanic”
The sinking of the Titanic was a tragedy that had an impact for the entire world. To this day, everyone is familiar with the event. It’s no wonder why mention of the ship would incite a certain dread in the hearts of those who lay their eyes on it. The title, “Titanic” (391), however, is a mere decoy. It’s a tool used to set up the ironic tone of the poem. This is made clear through the rather blunt first line, “Who does not love the Titanic?” The word “love” is a rather explicit word used to describe the world’s reaction toward the vessel for years to come. While the initial set up seems to be satirical, this isn’t the speaker’s true intention. The poem references something other than fear or loss; it describes everyone’s desire to be remembered. “Titanic” is written in blank verse and uses a more casual diction. This helps identify with more people in today’s society, to whom the speaker is trying to identify with. His ideals are brought into light with the second stanza which mentions the fact that not only is it the fate of everyone to die; many have to do it alone. The idea is frightening for anyone; however, the speaker seems to take comfort by imagining the atmosphere of the ship before its final moments. By mentioning the “crowds of people, friends, servants...” (5-6), the speaker drives in the point that being able to spend your last days on earth in such fanfare is something worth romanticizing for. The exclamatory “Ah!”(6), further brings the speaker’s desire to focus. The poem takes a more satirical tone with the third stanza, calling to attention the way the entire world viewed the tragic event that occurred that day. The line, “And the world, shocked, mourns, as it ought to do / and almost never does.” (7-8), can be related to the impact events such as the Titanic affect society. While the world grieves for the lives lost in major tragedies, the single, more personal, deaths go on unnoticed. The
The sinking of the Titanic was a tragedy that had an impact for the entire world. To this day, everyone is familiar with the event. It’s no wonder why mention of the ship would incite a certain dread in the hearts of those who lay their eyes on it. The title, “Titanic” (391), however, is a mere decoy. It’s a tool used to set up the ironic tone of the poem. This is made clear through the rather blunt first line, “Who does not love the Titanic?” The word “love” is a rather explicit word used to describe the world’s reaction toward the vessel for years to come. While the initial set up seems to be satirical, this isn’t the speaker’s true intention. The poem references something other than fear or loss; it describes everyone’s desire to be remembered. “Titanic” is written in blank verse and uses a more casual diction. This helps identify with more people in today’s society, to whom the speaker is trying to identify with. His ideals are brought into light with the second stanza which mentions the fact that not only is it the fate of everyone to die; many have to do it alone. The idea is frightening for anyone; however, the speaker seems to take comfort by imagining the atmosphere of the ship before its final moments. By mentioning the “crowds of people, friends, servants...” (5-6), the speaker drives in the point that being able to spend your last days on earth in such fanfare is something worth romanticizing for. The exclamatory “Ah!”(6), further brings the speaker’s desire to focus. The poem takes a more satirical tone with the third stanza, calling to attention the way the entire world viewed the tragic event that occurred that day. The line, “And the world, shocked, mourns, as it ought to do / and almost never does.” (7-8), can be related to the impact events such as the Titanic affect society. While the world grieves for the lives lost in major tragedies, the single, more personal, deaths go on unnoticed. The
Cited: Slavitt, David. “Titanic.” Literature to Go. Ed. Michael Meyer. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s. 2011. 391. Print