Narrator, “To the Christian Reader”
In this poem, the narrator is unnamed individual who is reflecting upon some of his more foolish childish endeavors. Little is known about the narrator, except that he is a devout follower of God and that one of his foolish childhood endeavors lead to some sort of incident that has left the narrator with a great deal of grief. Through the poem, the narrator recounts his growing relationship with God and encourages his readers to seek out a relationship with God, as well.
God, “To the Christian Reader”
Though God does not explicitly interact with the narrator, His presence is still integral to this poem and the narrator. God has played a significant role in the narrator’s life—especially when the narrator was dealing with some unidentified trauma in his younger years. God is portrayed as a forgiving, loving, and all-powerful being. According to the narrator, God loves all sinners and always has a plan in mind—even for those who do not believe in or follow Him.
Narrator, “Vanity of Vanities”
The narrator of this poem can be considered a wise and astute individual—one who wishes to share the wealth of wisdom with the readers. The narrator believes that humankind has been, is, and always will be infallible. The narrator has come to realize that humans are inevitable materialistic beings; and that this materialistic nature will ultimately be our downfall. In short, this narrator is a wise individual who has discovered the dangers of a materialistic life and wishes to share these dangers with others.
Narrator, “Day of Doom”
Unlike some of Wigglesworth’s other poems, this narrator appears to be nothing more than a semi-omniscient being, telling a story as it unfolds. This narrator does not appear to offer any moralistic judgements or suggestions. Rather, he is merely a storyteller; his sole purpose is to share with the readers how the location in the poem descends into chaos. This narrator watches over the men that are described in the poem and then details their descent from peace into chaos.
The Men, “Day of Doom”
Little is known about these characters, who are simply referred to as “all Men.” Given the vagueness of these characters and the use of the collective “Men,” these characters are likely substitutions for very large groups of people. As the narrator says, these people live in relative peace. The peace lasts for so long that the Men think it will likely last forever. But, as the narrator suggests, war and chaos are inevitable. And the Men soon turn on each other. In this way, the Men are likely metaphors for humankind.
