Sunday, July 10, 2016

What is the purpose of the poem "The Convergence of the Twain"?

The "convergence" (colliding) of the "twain" (two) describes the collision between the Titanic and the iceberg that sank it. The purpose of the poem is to criticize human vanity and pride. Hardy (or the speaker of the poem) suggests that the audacious ship symbolizes human vanity. Although nature (in this case, the iceberg) might be indifferent to all human affairs, the poem also suggests that some force (God, nature, or the universe) has decided to demonstrate that this vanity is dangerous and that humans should give nature as much respect as they give themselves. 


In the opening stanza, the speaker describes the sunken ship. Note the remark about vanity: 



In a solitude of the sea 


            Deep from human vanity, 


And the Pride of Life that planned her, stilly couches she. 



The ship sits on the sea floor, far from "human vanity, / And the Pride" that went into constructing the ship. In the third stanza, the speaker notes the mirrors that "glass" (reflect) the "opulent" (rich people). Now, sunken, a sea worm crawls through the wreckage. In the fifth stanza, the fish must wonder why such "vaingloriousness" (riches and luxurious things) sits in the sea. Such pride and riches seem pointless in the grand scheme of things. Note that Hardy does not dwell on those who died in the tragedy. This is all a criticism of vanity. 



In addition to the criticism of human pride, the speaker suggests that this tragedy was intended by some "will." The speaker is ambiguous here. It could be God or nature itself as some kind of personified universal force: 





VI 


            Well: while was fashioning 


            This creature of cleaving wing, 


The Immanent Will that stirs and urges everything 




VII 


            Prepared a sinister mate 


            For her — so gaily great — 


A Shape of Ice, for the time far and dissociate. 




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