“Life”

Charlotte Bronte’s poem promotes hope in times of sadness

One of my favorite books is Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte; but on top of being a talented novelist, Bronte was also quite a skilled poet. My selection for this week is her poem “Life,” which conveys the beautiful message that people can go on despite having experienced grief:

LIFE, believe, is not a dream
So dark as sages say;
Oft a little morning rain
Foretells a pleasant day.
Sometimes there are clouds of gloom,
But these are transient all;
If the shower will make the roses bloom,
O why lament its fall ?

Rapidly, merrily,
Life’s sunny hours flit by,
Gratefully, cheerily,
Enjoy them as they fly !

What though Death at times steps in
And calls our Best away ?
What though sorrow seems to win,
O’er hope, a heavy sway ?
Yet hope again elastic springs,
Unconquered, though she fell;
Still buoyant are her golden wings,
Still strong to bear us well.
Manfully, fearlessly,
The day of trial bear,
For gloriously, victoriously,
Can courage quell despair !

Charlotte Bronte is refreshingly optimistic throughout. She says that life is not as sad, or “dark,” (2) as most people believe it to be. Although “sometimes there are clouds of gloom,” (5), these are merely “transient” (6); they’re never permanent. Even when we are struck with sorrow, we must remember that this too, shall pass. And even if there is sadness, it does not mean that things can’t get better: “If the shower will make the roses bloom,/O why lament its fall?” (7-8). Good things are often borne out of bad things, so we mustn’t take the negatives so seriously.

The second stanza also reminds us to cherish the time we have on this earth, rather than focusing on the gloomy aspects of life. She states that we must “enjoy” (12) the happy, or “sunny” (10) times, and be “grateful[]” (11) for them, because they don’t last forever; sadness often interrupts unexpectedly.

Bronte also makes a point of showing that death is not nearly as significant as people think it is: “What though Death at times steps in/And calls our Best away?” (13-14). Death may take our loved ones from us, but it does not do so in malice. The difficult times are the ones that make us appreciate the good times, and so these kinds of losses are necessary to life. And in any case, no matter how deeply we have been hurt, hope will always return: “Yet hope again elastic springs,/Unconquered, though she fell” (17-18). Hope may temporarily go away, but it returns triumphantly, no matter what. Hope is “still strong to bear us well” (20). It will always lift us up out of our sadness, no matter how despondent we may be.

The final four lines instruct readers to be strong in the face of their struggles, because courage will perpetually be able to defeat despair, “gloriously, victoriously” (23). So even if you are dealing with the loss of a loved one, remember that things will look up. Hope and courage cannot be extinguished, and they can, and will, save you from your darkest hour.

May We Suggest:

“Song of Myself”

Walt Whitman sees the good fortune in dying

“1” by Gabriello Chiabrera

William Wordsworth’s beautiful translation conveys a bold message

“After a Death”

Tomas Transtromer manages to convey all-consuming emotions in a concise poem