SEVENTH READING

Life by Charlotte Brontë

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 !

_____________________________________________________________

Nothing is achieved without sacrifice.

There is no triumph without sacrifice.

In order to rise we must first fall.

Live. Learn. Hope.

 

Above are some of my own personal adages, aphorisms I try to live by everyday. Is it possible to distill the meaning of life in what is (however much we kid our-self important selves) ultimately, utterly limited scope of the written word? I don't think we have, or ever really will, can discover a universal, singular, end all be all "meaning of life" anyhow, in the first place. Yet, after repeated readings of Charlotte Bronte's poem "Life", I cant help but feel we've already realized this "meaning", if not known it all along. But enough with my preachings, I'll try not to be a "sage". First off, from a completely (lifeless) analytical perspective, my seven readings of Bronte's work assisted me in the thorough digestion of the poems various structural components. I was instantly able to identify the rhyming scheme (consecutive rhyming of last word with following odd line (rhyming couplets proceeding after first line.) 

 EX.

 So dark as sages say;
Oft a little morning rain
Foretells a pleasant day.

/;

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

The rhyming couplets coupled with relatively simpler diction however betrays the connotative depth of Bronte's work. In the first line above, for example,  the word "Sages" can be inferred as a reference to those who often philosophize on the nature of life, the role of humanity, human condition ecetera and so forth philosophers, wise men ad infinitum, nauseum.  In fact the beginning stanza conveys the ultimate, overarching theme of Bronte's entire composition. I'll give my two cents from the top.

  

LIFE, believe, is not a dream  

• (allusion to folk song, yes. connotes life as not a fluffy, perpetually bright and sunny dream.)

So dark as sages say;  

• (sages can be inferred as philosophers and the likewise commentators of life's "dark" adversities etc.)

Oft a little morning rain  

Foretells a pleasant day.   

Sometimes there are clouds of gloom,

• (My interpretation: "the rain clouds will eventually go away, the rain will stop for the sun to have it's  rightful stay" ; Translation: storm is an allegory for life. even if life is bad right now, like rain, the bad  will fade, wash away eventually (with hope, positive perspicacity-but I'm getting ahead of myself :)

But these are transient all; 

• (transient directly equates to temporary thus, again, these bad things that occur throughout life are all temporary, passing things that may be severe now, but will, eventually, "wash away")

If the shower will make the roses bloom,

•  (deliberates on perspicacity, respective perspectives, positive or negative. Argues a little rain, cloudy gloom is-)
  

O why lament its fall ? 

• (-a sacrifice, hardships necessary for success/any and all achievements in life, for life in general to go on. To live, something is always sacrificed, good or bad)
  

Indeed from this first stanza, as well as repeated readings of the poem in its entirety, we can endeavor to describe Bronte's intended primary theme, purpose: Life is hard, Life can be seemingly fated against you, Life will have many hardships, Life is, undeniably ugly. Yet so to can life be beautiful, a beautiful paradox, life will never stop being hard, but life can, always has the capacity to get better,  with a little positivity, effort, hope, we can get thru the bad times, wade thru the gloomy storms, for even in the worst of times... 

The rain clouds will go away, 

The sun still have it's day.

For even when we cannot cope,

We must always, hope.