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An Analysis Of The Poem Of Nach Der Lese

Decent Essays

“Ja heil und dank dir die den segen brachte” is, like the previous poem, taken from Das Jahr der Seele. It is the third poem of the book’s first cycle, Nach der Lese (After the Harvest). According to Morwitz (1969), the word “Lese” denotes the gathering of leftover grains after the harvest, the season, which ancient cultures saw as the beginning of the new year. It does not refer to the grape harvest, which, in George’s home town, takes place first at the end of October. Figuratively, the cycle is a collection of remnants of experiences after Das Buch der hängenden Gärten. The poem praises the arrival of a companion who manages to alleviate the speaker’s painful longing for the beloved of his dreams. Like the poem Webern set as Op. 4 No. 2, …show more content…

In the first stanza, the speaker addresses and praises another person. The address “dir die” (you who [female]) in the first verse and the comparison to “der Einen Fernen” (the one far away [female]) in the seventh verse indicate that this person is a woman. The poem starts with an ecstatic exclamation of praise and gratitude, which is emphasised by the exclamation mark, the affirmation “Ja” (yes) and the alliteration “dank dir die den”. Given the poem’s setting in autumn, which is indicated by the cycle’s title, the speaker’s address of the other as “the one who brought blessing” evokes associations with a harvest prayer, which seems to elevate the addressee to the status of a …show more content…

At first glance, this strong heartbeat seems to convey his anxiousness about the oncoming winter or his longing for the addressee. He might be afraid of being lonely, but the anticipation of her arrival dampens his fear. The speaker’s relationship to the addressee is easy to misinterpret. A better understanding is only possible if one considers the cycle’s previous poem, “Ihr rufe junger jahre die befahlen”, in which the speaker looked for the beloved of his dreams but realised that he could not find her on earth. Now, it would suffice him, if another woman, who had previously shyly asked to be his companion, was once again drawn to him by the intensity of his longing. While he only felt a fleeting affection for her previously, he would now gladly accept her as his companion. The loud throb of the second verse, must, therefore, express a feeling of emptiness and constant longing for someone unreachable. It is only eased, not extinguished by the speaker’s new companion. According to Morwitz, the word “sachte” indicates her understanding silence. The speaker calls her “Teure”, an endearment that conveys his gratitude. The old-fashioned and slightly mannered phrasing “Mit der Erwartung deiner” makes it easy to misread the third verse as “with the anticipation of your

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