Student Iota
Mr. Wu
Eng A Literature
29th May 2015
Expressing hidden meanings behind words
Rainer Maria Rilke’s “The Panther” effectively portrays a life of a panther within a cage; which can also be contrasted to a malicious man’s life in prison. Although Rilke describes the panther as having subtle movements, she also mentions its detailed footsteps within this enclosed space – the urge to be set free.
“His sight from ever gazing through the bars has grown so blunt that it sees nothing more” (line 1). We can see that he has been “ever gazing”, which indicates that he has been situated here for a substantial amount of time. Thus, the no longer sharp vision has “grown blunt” and cannot see beyond the bars. If the panther was to be compared to a prisoner, then this prisoner would be as well, no longer having the vision to see beyond the prison. To the panther, the world behind the bars was a mere void.
Despite the fact that his vision is an obstacle towards breaking-free, from his “supple stride which turns about the way the very smallest circle” (line 5), it shows that his feet are eager to sprint again by warming up with limber movements. This action can be contrasted as a man crossing his arms and plotting how to escape while walking step-by-step in a prison. Although his will of breaking free is determined, Rilke shows a sign of weariness in the spirits of the panther by stating “a might will stand stupefied” (line 8). Oftentimes, people who are situated in a state of under privilege start to give in when they when they finally face their destined fate, which will be similar to people who are sentenced to lifelong imprisonment.
Throughout the poem, the panther’s whole life, or at least the majority of it, has been in its cage, as if a man in prison. Rilke shows the willingness of the panther to get out, but does not have the ability to fight for his right. After all, he is just an animal and, just like a prisoner, cannot alter the truth that his life is in other people’s hands.
N.B. This Student Worked on Option Two
Mr. Wu
Eng A Literature
29th May 2015
Expressing hidden meanings behind words
Rainer Maria Rilke’s “The Panther” effectively portrays a life of a panther within a cage; which can also be contrasted to a malicious man’s life in prison. Although Rilke describes the panther as having subtle movements, she also mentions its detailed footsteps within this enclosed space – the urge to be set free.
“His sight from ever gazing through the bars has grown so blunt that it sees nothing more” (line 1). We can see that he has been “ever gazing”, which indicates that he has been situated here for a substantial amount of time. Thus, the no longer sharp vision has “grown blunt” and cannot see beyond the bars. If the panther was to be compared to a prisoner, then this prisoner would be as well, no longer having the vision to see beyond the prison. To the panther, the world behind the bars was a mere void.
Despite the fact that his vision is an obstacle towards breaking-free, from his “supple stride which turns about the way the very smallest circle” (line 5), it shows that his feet are eager to sprint again by warming up with limber movements. This action can be contrasted as a man crossing his arms and plotting how to escape while walking step-by-step in a prison. Although his will of breaking free is determined, Rilke shows a sign of weariness in the spirits of the panther by stating “a might will stand stupefied” (line 8). Oftentimes, people who are situated in a state of under privilege start to give in when they when they finally face their destined fate, which will be similar to people who are sentenced to lifelong imprisonment.
Throughout the poem, the panther’s whole life, or at least the majority of it, has been in its cage, as if a man in prison. Rilke shows the willingness of the panther to get out, but does not have the ability to fight for his right. After all, he is just an animal and, just like a prisoner, cannot alter the truth that his life is in other people’s hands.
N.B. This Student Worked on Option Two
The Panther
Jardin Des Plantes, Paris
His sight from ever gazing through the bars
has grown so blunt that it sees nothing more.
It seems to him that thousands of bars are
before him, and behind them nothing merely.
The easy motion of his supple stride,
which turns about the very smallest circle,
is like a dance of strength about a center
in which a might will stands stupefied.
Only sometimes when the pupil’s film
soundlessly opens…then one image fills
and glides through the quiet tension of the limbs
into the heart and ceases and is still.
Rainer Maria Rilke, New Poems Tr. C.F. MacIntyre
Jardin Des Plantes, Paris
His sight from ever gazing through the bars
has grown so blunt that it sees nothing more.
It seems to him that thousands of bars are
before him, and behind them nothing merely.
The easy motion of his supple stride,
which turns about the very smallest circle,
is like a dance of strength about a center
in which a might will stands stupefied.
Only sometimes when the pupil’s film
soundlessly opens…then one image fills
and glides through the quiet tension of the limbs
into the heart and ceases and is still.
Rainer Maria Rilke, New Poems Tr. C.F. MacIntyre