preview

Miniver Cheevy Essay

Decent Essays

In Edwin Arlington Robinson’s poem “Miniver Cheevy,” the author projects his self-reflect on life through the character of the poem. In the title the word miniver means “a white fur used for lining or trimming clothes, yet self-sorrow plagues the writer’s intent in his writing. In grammatical and art terms, white stands for purity; however irony from the title is placed throughout the whole poem. The theme of “Miniver Cheevy” could be depression led by self-regret. Miniver feels as if he has lived a life without meaning. Robinson portrays this through drunkenness and greed. In the very first line of the first stanza, Robinson writes “Miniver Cheevy, child of scorn” (1). This statement automatically denounces the presence of purity in Cheevy, for if one is pure then he should not commit …show more content…

Robinson explains in lines 17, 19, and 20 that “Miniver loved the Medici, . . . He would have sinned incessantly/ Could he have been one” (17, 19-20). The Medici is a powerful family of bankers and merchants that ruled over Florence, Italy, throughout the fifteenth century; they were also grand dukes over Tuscany, Italy, starting in 1569. Miniver’s own lust over money and riches begins to drive his thoughts towards insanity, because he knows it is immoral. The poem tells that Miniver “loved the days of old/ When swords were bright and steeds were prancing” and later states he “mourned the ripe renown/ That made so many a name so fragrant.” Miniver enjoyed the simple times of life, for he is disgusted with people who only want to flaunt their wealth. Hence, Miniver further reveals his disdain with society when the poem says “Miniver cursed the commonplace/ And eyed a khaki suit with loathing. “ The word loathing means “feel intense dislike or disgust for”; Miniver’s place of hatred for money comes from a place of jealousy in which he feels if he cannot be wealthy, then no one should be

Get Access