Complete Poems of Marianne Moore Quotes

Quotes

"Where there is personal liking we go.(…)

Where the ground is sour; (…)

love won't grow.’’

The narrator, ‘’The Hero’’

The poem entitled "The Hero’’ starts with the quote from above. The narrator presents a universal truth about us as humans: we seek the things we think will bring us pleasure while also avoiding the elements we perceive as being dangerous. This is one of the characteristics of humans and of the society in general and this means that those who react in such a way are "normal people’’. The rest, those who behave in another way, those who do various things even though they do not like them or go in places where they know they are putting their lives in danger are considered as being extraordinary people. They are the ‘’heroes’’, those who are not afraid to be uncomfortable.

"The King is dead’’

The narrator, ‘’No Swan so Fine’’

The poem "No Swan so Fine’’ ends with the quote from above, the quote being used almost like a conclusion to the poem. The narrator described in the poem a beautiful swan he saw in the gardens of Versailles but he had to note sadly that the swan and the other creatures in the garden were all sculptures, not living creatures. The state of the sculptures is important because they also represent the state of the King, that is to say inexistent and dead. The closing line highlights this idea but transmitting the idea that the King and the type of government he represented were no longer alive and that the ancient ruling class was gone.

"What

Is powerful and what is not? My soul shall never

Be cut into’’

The narrator, ‘’Black Earth’’

In the poem "Black Earth’’ the narrator describes herself as being a powerful woman, someone who can’t be injured and hurt so easily. The narrator describes her soul as being powerful and immune to the weapons one might use to hurt it or subdue it. The soul is the only part the ‘’enemy’’ can’t touch and thus the narrator takes pride in the fact that her soul is powerful and unmoving. This quote also proves that while a person may be weak from a physical point of view, their souls may be strong and stand up against everything that may attack it.

Update this section!

You can help us out by revising, improving and updating this section.

Update this section

After you claim a section you’ll have 24 hours to send in a draft. An editor will review the submission and either publish your submission or provide feedback.

Cite this page