Essay Questions

Why is the Bridge acclaimed as if it were a god?

Crane describes the bridge as if it was a god, capable of holding the entire world on its shoulders. The author uses terms generally used in poetry from the romantic period to describe the bridge and to make reference to it. This elevates the bridge to the status of a hero or deity and the reason behind this is that for many, the bridge was almost like a god, helping them survive. The Brooklyn Bridge was opened in 1883 and it was for a long time the longest suspended bridge. The bridge linked two parts of the city that were until then separated and by its construction, mankind was able to prove that they were more powerful than nature and that they did not had to let nature divide them. The bridge was seen as a wonder by many and because of this the poet talks about the bridge as if it were a god.

Why did the author compare the Bridge with Atlantis?

The term Atlantis refers to a presumed lost city. The city is described as being extremely advanced in comparison with other countries and civilizations. By comparing the Bridge with Atlantis, the poet wants to suggest that the Bridge is a wonder that must be remembered as a miracle by the others.

Why did the author compare the subway ride with the descent described by Dante in Inferno?

In Dante’s work, his main character traveled towards hell and had to deal with various challenges on the way. The reason why de description is similar is that the author wanted to transmit the idea that technology made us as a society drift further away from God and further away from our natural state. Technology, while it is beneficial, it also makes humanity be more self-sufficient and greedy and thus they have the tendency to believe that they can conquer anything on their own without needing help from a higher power.