Summary of the Poem:
The opening lines of this poem “On the Beach at Night” show that a little girl is standing on the beach holding the hand of her father. The sky is gradually getting overcast with the black clouds. They are swallowing all the shining stars except a ray of light visible in the east. In the east, the brightest star, Jupiter is rising into the sky – along with a group of seven stars, the Pleiades (Seven sisters). Seeing the dark clouds the little girl starts weeping when they cover all the shining stars. She cannot speak any words and continues to weep with heavy tears.
The father tries to comfort her by asking her not to weep by saying loving and affectionate words. He wipes off her tears and kisses her telling her that the dark clouds would not remain victorious for a long time. It is only their passing phase in the sky. They will not destroy the light of the stars for a long time. The next day, she will again see the stars with their golden, or silvery light.
In the closing lines of this poem, the poet gives a message of hope and courage to all the readers. He says that Death comes to all persons without distinction. All the stars, including Jupiter may die but soul is immortal.
Critical Analysis of the Poem:
Introduction:
As we study the poems and other compositions of the poet, Walt Whitman we find that through his poetry he has stressed the great significance of spiritual, or soul power which is the greatest, most important, brightest and immortal in this Universe.
The poet had composed two poems under the title “On the Beach at Night”. The first one was composed in 1856 under the title “On the Beach at Night Alone” and the second one was composed in 1871 under the present title “On the Beach at Night”.
Mysticism:
As we go through the present poem we find the poet as a great mystic who looks at the oneness between God and Man. He is also a visionary showing the deep mystery of human life. In this poem the poet has used a child and her father to convey and express the purpose of human life.
The little girl is the personification of simplicity and innocence and her father is the personification of wisdom and learning. Both of them are standing together at the Beach. They look at the sea and the open sky which is above their heads. The little girl watches the East which shows spiritualism. She also looks at the sky. The opening lines make it clearer:
“On the beach at night,
Stands a child with her father,
Watching the east, the autumn sky.”
As the little girl watches the thick, black and ravening clouds in the sky she is much surprised and frightened and starts weeping. Its reason is that ‘ the burial clouds ‘ spread in the sky with thick masses and they cover the lord – star, Jupiter and its group of the seven stars called the “Pleiades”.
Previously the bright stars were shining in the sky and they were spreading their light on all sides but the thick and black clouds have swallowed them up. The little and the innocent girl weeps very badly at their sad fate.
Then the wise father tries to comfort his little daughter asking her not to weep. He wipes her tears with a lot of love and affection. He tells her that such bad and black clouds cannot remain in the sky for a long time because their presence is only for a short time there. He further says that they cannot put an end to the stars and their light anymore.
He adds that Jupiter and the bright Pleiades shall come out of the clouds once again. She should be patient because they would reappear again the next night. The stars are immortal, so she will see them shining again with the same bright light. They are ever – lasting and they cannot be destroyed by the clouds. The bright light of the Sun, Moon and the Stars is immortal and it cannot be spoilt, or finished forever. Their light will reappear with the same brightness when the thick clouds move away. It is the law of Nature.
Poet’s Faith in Spirituality and Soul Power:
In the last and closing five lines of this poem the poet shows his faith with the element of optimism showing that spiritual and soul power is immortal and far more brighter than the total light of the Sun, Moon, Stars, Jupiter and its group of seven stars.
In this way the poet makes it clear that the cloud of Death cannot make dim the bright and immortal soul which rises up to the kingdom of God after a person’s death. In short, human body is mortal but soul is immortal. In this way, the image of God can be seen in different forms of Nature. The glory of God and His greatness are immortal.
The following concluding lines of this mystic and significant poem are quoted below to make the above discussion more clear and impressive to all the readers of this poem.
“Something there is more immortal even than the stars,
(Many the burials, many the days and nights, passing away)
Something that shall endure longer even than lustrous Jupiter,
Longer than sun or any revolving satellite,
Or the radiant sisters, the Pleiades.”
Message of the Poem:
In this way, the father’s message of love, hope and courage comforts his little child that she should not weep for the loss of the stars and their light. He reminds his child that death comes to all persons without any distinction. He further says that only soul is eternal, or immortal than the stars, etc. Indirectly, the poet gives a message of optimism and the immortal nature of soul.
In this poem “On the Beach at Night” the poet, Walt Whitman shows his faith in God as well as his element of optimism. He asserts that human soul is not only immortal but it is the brightest part of human body. Certainly it is brighter than the Sun, Moon, Jupiter and the seven – stars. He advises his readers that they should not care for Death, which may come to them like the black clouds.
The critics like John Bailey admire the closing lines of this poem calling them the best expression of the poet’s hearty feelings. The poet has expressed his ideas in simple language, poetic style with much effectiveness. It is the best piece of the poem showing the bright attitude of the poet out – and – out.
