Author: Matthew Arnold

---

    Affections, Instincts, Principles, and Powers,
    Impulse and Reason, Freedom and Control
    So men, unravelling Gods harmonious whole.
    Rend in a thousand shreds this life of ours.
    Vain labour! Deep and broad, where none may see,
    Spring the foundations of the shadowy throne
    Where mans one Nature, queen-like, sits alone,
    Centred in a majestic unity;
    And rays her powers, like sister islands, seen
    Linking their coral arms under the sea:
    Or clusterd peaks, with plunging gulfs between
    Spannd by arial arches, all of gold;
    Whereoer the chariot wheels of Life are rolld
    In cloudy circles, to eternity

---

Type of Poem: Sonnet

Date Written:

Date Published:

Language: English

Keywords: Public Domain

Source: Public Domain Collection

Publisher:

Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Comments/Notes: This poem grapples with profound themes such as human nature, the struggle between reason and impulse, and the unity and division within the human experience. The tone is reflective and somewhat somber, as the speaker critically observes the fragmentation of life due to mankind's attempts to dissect divine harmony. The poem seems to lament the loss of a coherent, unified understanding of life, viewing this as a futile endeavor.

The structure of the poem reflects the dichotomy of its themes. The initial lines present a fractured view of human nature, while the later part of the poem offers a vision of unity and harmony. This shift mirrors the speaker's desire for a return to a more holistic view of humanity.

In terms of literary devices, the use of metaphor is particularly striking. The human soul is compared to a queen seated on a shadowy throne, a metaphor that suggests something innately powerful and regal yet shrouded in mystery. Additionally, the imagery of "sister islands," "clustered peaks," and "arial arches" all convey a sense of connection and unity amidst apparent separation, further emphasizing the poem's central theme. The concluding image of the "chariot wheels of Life" rolling "in cloudy circles, to eternity" impresses upon the reader the enduring, cyclical nature of life and time, a fitting closure to a poem fraught with tension between division and unity.