Self Pity

To begin my analysis, when I take the scansion of it under consideration, I find a few instances that are interesting. In combination, concerning Lawrence's use of enjambment; the opening line finishes with 'wild thing', but completes the sentence on the next line. I believe this was done for a few reasons: (1) The last words are 'wild thing' before the reader must pause momentarily to scan to the next line in the poem. I believe Lawrence intended this pause to allow for the manifestation of an image to come to the fore in the mind of the reader, whatever 'wild thing' their imagination would entertain in that moment. As a poet, he could have used any words to describe his idea, but the connotation of the words 'wild thing', (using the adjective: "wild", and the ambiguous object: "thing"), in all probability manifest an image that is fear-inspiring, or in other words has a tendency toward being a frightful creature of the unknown. However, even if this "frightful" image does not come to the mind of a first-time reader, I am quite sure the 'wild-thing' coming to mind still is a serious creature that contrasts the sentiment of the following line. (2) The next line could be read as entirely spondaic, and helps to emphasize the meaning of the poem. The words’ syllables do not have to be read as spondees – I personally believe that the line, in context with reading the rest of the poem, should be read as: SOR-RY / FOR it / SELF. But for the most part, they are ictus. As I mentioned above, the setup of the image of the "wild-thing" in the audience's mind is reduced somewhat after imagining it feeling sorry for itself. I personally picture a great, frightful bear moping around feeling sorry for itself, and it is an absolutely ridiculous image. This mental comparison aids greatly to emphasize D.H. Lawrence's theme of the poem – to ridicule the human state of self-pity, by depicting self-pity in such a way so that the reader realizes, or gets an impression of, its futility.