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An American writer Denise Levertov wrote the poem “What Were They Like” for her collection “The Sorrow Dance,” released in 1967. This work is a symbol of protest against the Vietnam War, in which the American army took part. The poet portrays the immediate future of the Vietnamese people, destroyed and hopeless, as she sees it after the war. The work takes the form of a dialog in which the call for peace and the horror of war are contrasted. The main theme of “What Were They Like” emphasizes the inhumanity of wars and the losses that the culture of any nation undergoes.
The title implies a certain atmosphere of curiosity and a sincere desire of the lyrical hero to understand what the Vietnamese people were like before the war. The poem has a unique structure of two opposite stanzas demonstrating two speakers. The first person asks questions about the loss of Vietnamese people in the war. The second one answers them with bitterness and compassion, as if he was a participant and witness of the actions. The person asking holds naive views and the questions are all about the culture and customs of Vietnam, such as ceremonies to reverence the opening of the buds (Kumar). However, when the volta of the poem changes, the second speaker focuses on the severity and intolerance of war for people, culture, and country. Levertov demonstrates her firm position on the inadmissibility of military actions and the terrifying influence of aggression, which the victim side had to face by contrasting the two sides.
In the first verses, the main topic of conversation is the customs and traditions of the Vietnamese. During the dialog, they are presented as a people whose principles are based on diligence and respect for nature (Kumar). Being peaceful and benevolent, none of them aspired to war. Levertov, who actively opposes the death of innocent people, fills her work with a sarcastic tone (PMT Education 3). This tone is necessary to strengthen the effect of condemnation for committing atrocities. The hidden neglect is directed at people who do not fully realize human life’s value (Kumar). Levertov asks if “the people of Vietnam use lanterns of stone,” showing that the Vietnamese lived a very simple life (Levertov 1). The mundane things give the reader a full understanding of how much they have in common with the Vietnamese.
In the second stanza, along with the speaker’s transition, the volta of the narrative changes significantly. The responder is immersed in memories of the times when “peaceful clouds reflected in the paddies” and “buffaloes stepped surely along terraces” (Levertov 22). The questions definitely affected him to the depths of his soul since the answers are emotionally colored and detailed. The work moves back to the present in the last three verses, and the image of a peaceful life is drawn. The final stanzas remind us that this work is not just about war and aggression but the suffering and torment of civilians.
The author perfectly conveys the horror and clearly expresses her position in the poem. War is unacceptable; killing culture and civilians is pure barbarism. Taking the form of a simple dialogue, the work succinctly and uniquely demonstrates the basic idea of the tragedy of war. Its consequences are catastrophic for everyone, especially ordinary people who seek peace and security for themselves and their families. Unfortunately, the Vietnamese desire for simple life was trampled by the arrival of the American army.
Works Cited
Kumar, Dharmender. “What Were They Like? By Denise Levertov”. Poem Analysis.
Levertov, Denise. What Were They Like. New Directions, 1967.
“Poetry: Conflict Collection. What Were They Like? Denise Levertov.” PMT Education, 2021. Web.
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