William Meredith wrote several works that were notable not just for their competence but also for the uniqueness of his tone. Meredith’s poetry has gravity and depth that arouses interest in its study and exploration. Meredith’s poem “Dreams of Suicide” blends three poems into one on the topic, which deals with circumstances surrounding notable writers’ suicides. Meredith brings attention to three writers’ suicides by commemorating and honoring them individually. The author employs allusion extensively to refer to the writers and their causes of death without actually identifying them. As a result, the author improves his poetry by including associations from a setting that a certain group of readers is familiar with.
The analysis of the poem can be pursued from different angles and approaches. However, due to the extensive use of literary elements, such as allusions and metaphors, discussion of the poem’s use of imagery and symbolism can serve as a solid basis. This poem became an eternal symbol of suicides committed by three authors of a unique talent, namely Ernest Hemingway, Sylvia Plath, and John Berryman. It was directly dedicated to them and used allusions and metaphors to express their talent in the world of literature and poetry. The speaker fantasizes about Ernest Hemmingway, who committed suicide with a shotgun in a particular chapter (Meredith, 1997). “You are a mythological beast more faithful than a unicorn,” the speaker says, grabbing the shotgun’s “metal horn” and transforming into a once-dead beast, reflecting Hemmingway’s special talent (Meredith, 1997). Meredith’s beliefs of many excellent authors meeting a terrible end are strongly embodied in this line. Thus, “Dreams of Suicide” became a unique eulogy to the talents of several writers, beautifully wrapped in Meredith’s unique style.
References
Meredith, W. (1997). Effort at Speech: New and Selected Poems. Northwestern University Press.