To answer an essay question on any poem, you must understand what it is about. This section includes:
- The poem in a nutshell
- A “translation” of the poem, section-by-section
- A commentary of each of these sections, outlining Smith’s intention and message
‘Away, Melancholy’ in a nutshell
‘Away, Melancholy’ is a poem by English poet Stevie Smith, first published in her 1957 collection Not Waving But Drowning. In the poem, the speaker is attempting to banish their melancholy by trying to remember the beauty of the world and its miracles. It is ultimately a hopeful poem about the powerful force of the human spirit.
‘Away, Melancholy’ breakdown
Lines 1–7
“Away, melancholy,
Away with it, let it go.
Are not the trees green,
The earth as green?
Does not the wind blow,
Fire leap and rivers flow?
Away, melancholy.”
Translation
- The speaker is trying to get rid of melancholy
Smith’s intention
- The poem begins with anaphora as the speaker is urging melancholy to go away
- The repetition of “away, melancholy” emphasises the speaker’s determination to rid themselves of sadness:
- The repetition also creates a rhythmic quality, reinforcing their insistence and resolve
- The imperative “Away with it, let it go” serves as a call to action, urging the reader to release their melancholy and embrace the beauty of life
- The questions that follow highlight the beauty of nature:
- The contrast between the vibrant imagery of nature and the presence of melancholy highlights the speaker’s desire to reject negative emotions
Lines 8–12
“The ant is busy
He carrieth his meat,
All things hurry
To be eaten or eat.
Away, melancholy.”
Translation
- The speaker focuses on the role of the ant in the natural world
Smith’s intention
- These lines evoke imagery from the natural world, specifically focusing on the activity of an ant:
- This imagery serves to emphasise the relentless and continuous cycle of life and survival
- The ant is often used as a symbol of industriousness and perseverance:
- By portraying the ant as busy and focused on its task of carrying food, the speaker highlights the importance of diligence and determination in overcoming challenges
- The phrase “To be eaten or eat” reflects a simple truth about the cycle of life and the struggle for survival:
- This line suggests that all living beings are driven by the instinct to sustain themselves
- Similar to the previous stanza, the imperative “Away, melancholy” at the end of these lines serves as a call to action
- This urges the reader to cast off feelings of melancholy and embrace life
Lines 13–17
“Man, too, hurries,
Eats, couples, buries,
He is an animal also
With a hey ho melancholy,
Away with it, let it go.”
Translation
- The speaker makes a link between humans and animals
Smith’s intention
- Stanza four draws parallels between human behaviour and the behaviour of animals, highlighting similarities in actions, such as eating, reproducing and eventually dying:
- The comparison suggests that human beings are not separate from the natural world but are instead important parts of it
- The exclamation “With a hey ho melancholy,” conveys a sense of resignation or acceptance of melancholy as a universal condition shared by both humans and animals
- The final line uses the imperative “Away with it, let it go”, which echoes the earlier calls to banish melancholy from the speaker’s thoughts
Lines 18–27
“Man of all creatures
Is superlative
(Away melancholy)
He of all creatures alone
Raiseth a stone
(Away melancholy)
Into the stone, the god
Pours what he knows of good
Calling, good, God.
Away melancholy, let it go.”
Translation
- The speaker looks closer at the unique attributes of human beings
Smith’s intention
- The claim that “Man of all creatures/is superlative” suggests that human beings possess qualities or abilities that set them apart from other creatures:
- This declaration of human superiority sets the stage for further exploration of what distinguishes humans from the rest of the natural world
- The line “He of all creatures alone/Raiseth a stone” highlights humanity’s capacity for creation and innovation:
- The act of raising a stone can symbolise the construction of monuments, buildings, or other forms of human-made structures
- The mention of “the god” pouring “what he knows of good” into the stone suggests the idea of a divine presence or essence infused within human creations:
- This makes humanity the superior “of all creatures”
- As in previous stanzas, the refrain “Away melancholy, let it go” serves as a recurring call to banish sadness from the human consciousness
Lines 28–36
“Speak not to me of tears,
Tyranny, pox, wars,
Saying, Can God
Stone of man’s thought, be good?
Say rather it is enough
That the stuffed
Stone of man’s good, growing,
By man’s called God
Away, melancholy, let it go.”
Translation
- The speaker expresses a lack of interest in the negative parts of life and existence
Smith’s intention
- The speaker begins by rejecting conversations or thoughts centred on “tears”, “tyranny”, disease and “wars”:
- These topics evoke suffering, oppression and conflict, which are often associated with melancholy or despair. By urging not to speak of these things, the speaker seeks to distance themselves from negativity and focus on more uplifting ideas
- The metaphor of God as the “Stone of man’s thought” suggests that human perceptions and beliefs shape their understanding of the divine
- The question of whether God can “be good” poses a philosophical question of God and goodness:
- The speaker is questioning whether God can truly be good if there is suffering in the world
- However, the speaker does not answer the question and instead, leaves the reader to reflect on it
- Again, as in previous stanzas, the poem concludes with the imperative “Away, melancholy, let it go”:
- This refrain serves as a recurring call to reject melancholy and embrace a more optimistic and hopeful view on life
Lines 37–48
“Man aspires
To good,
To love
Sighs;
Beaten, corrupted, dying
In his own blood lying
Yet heaves up an eye above
Cries, Love, love
It is his virtue needs explaining,
Not his failing.
Away, melancholy,
Away with it, let it go.”
Translation
- The speaker focuses on human beings striving for goodness and love despite their challenges
Smith’s intention
- The lines “Man aspires/to good/to love” highlight humanity’s desire for goodness and love:
- This aspiration reflects the fundamental human longing for meaning, connection and fulfilment
- The inclusion of “sighs” suggests a sense of resignation or weariness in the face of challenges:
- Despite the aspiration towards good and love, human existence is often marked by struggle, disappointment and sadness
- The image of a man “beaten, corrupted, dying/In his own blood lying” evokes a sense of despair and mortality:
- However, even in this bleak situation, the speaker portrays the man as raising “an eye above” and crying out for love:
- This image emphasises the spirit of humanity
- The speaker claims that a person’s “virtue needs explaining/Not his failing”:
- This challenges conventional perspectives that focus on human flaws
- Instead, the speaker suggests that the true essence of humanity lies in its capacity for resilience and love
- The poem then loops back to its original refrain, which is a message to banish “melancholy” and embrace a more positive outlook on life