River God

by Stevie Smith

The River God• Have you ever heard the expression ‘Still

waters run deep’?

• It’s sometimes used to describe someone who, like a river, has a calm appearance that hides deep and dangerous undercurrents. The River God in the poem seems to represent this idea – he is the dangerous spirit of the river that lies hidden beneath its surface.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEaF_dc505k

SUMMARY:

The poem is about a beautiful woman who drowns in the river. The river is presented as a weird old God who doesn’t understand life

and death.

I may be smelly and I may be old,Rough in my pebbles, reedy in my pools,But where my fish float by I bless their swimmingAnd I like the people to bathe in me, especially

women.But I can drown the foolsWho bathe too close to the weir, contrary to rules.

Four adjectives with unattractive connotations

Pun on the phrase ‘rough and ready’?

Is a giving God to the rest of the natural world

Tone changes here, river becomes dangerous– takes pleasure in the killing.

Tone changes here, river becomes dangerous– takes pleasure in the killing.

The river also has a sense of independence and certainty in its ability (and a preference for women!)to drown these women.

And they take a long time drowningAs I throw them up now and then in the

spirit of clowning.Hi yih, yippity-yap, merrily I flow,O I may be an old foul river but I have plenty

of go.

Eccentric and whimsical yet destructive, sadictic and spiteful

Rhyme links the words in a sinister contrast – the river takes pleasure in playing with its victims

Sounds proud of his power

Once there was a lady who was too boldShe bathed in me by the tall black cliff

where the water runs cold,So I brought her down hereTo be my beautiful dear.Allusion to hell (the underworld).

Sacrificial act to the God?Link to drowning.

Fairytale – like opening to a story / anecdote

Sinister environment – sets up what happens next

Sinister environment – sets up what happens next

Emphasises woman’s beauty in comparison to the dirty river.

Oh will she stay with me will she stayThis beautiful lady, or will she go

away?She lies in my beautiful deep river bed

with many a weedTo hold her, and many a waving

reed.Sinister pun on the word ‘bed’ – refers to the euphemisms we use to describe death as sleeping

Sinister pun on the word ‘bed’ – refers to the euphemisms we use to describe death as sleeping

Ambiguous- suggests gentle but also possessive.

Ambiguous- suggests gentle but also possessive.

The river also in the sense of time frequently symbolizes the impermanence of things.

Repetition of the word ‘beautiful’ might imply that the river has a simple world view or lower intelligence

Oh who would guess what a beautiful white face lies there

Waiting for me to smooth and wash away the fearShe looks at me with. Hi yih, do not let herGo. There is no one on earth who does not forget

herNow. They say I am a foolish old smelly riverBut they do not know of my wide original bedWhere the lady waits, with her golden sleepy

head.If she wishes to go I will not forgive her.

Shocking contrast between the woman’s frightened face and the loving river.

Connotes princesses from fairy tales – Sleeping Beauty? Talks as if she is alive, the river doesn’t see death as final.

The river god is unforgiving and has power over the women.

Structure – varied line lengths to reflect the varied flow of the river. Look at it sideways it looks like waves.

FORM: First person – like a dramatic monologue – personification of river. Rhyming couplets give the poem a songlike quality. The river is personified (made human) by being given a voice to speak to us.

CONTRAST: The poem uses contrasts of the smelly river with the beautiful woman. It also contrasts affectionate language with the shocking reality of the woman’s death- which other poem could this link to?

ATTITUDES AND FEELINGS:

Love- the river God desires women. He’s obsessed by the woman’s beauty.

Arrogance- He’s powerful but careless and treats the dying humans like toys. This suggests that he considers human life as quite insignificant.

Selfishness- He’s possessive over the woman and doesn’t want to share her.

Discussion…Below are four different interpretations of the poem. Which do you agree with most and why? Are there any comments that you disagree with? Why? Do you have your own interpretation of the poem which is different from any of the thoughts below?

1. The River God is telling humans that while we may think that he is just a smelly, old river he is actually a powerful force – watch out!

2. It’s clear that the River God is lonely and misunderstood. He is punishing the people who do not respect him and reminding us that while we may dismiss him as smelly and old he has many good qualities. Perhaps we should feel sorry for him.

3. This is a love poem; the River God has fallen in love with a human. The River God reminds us that while all of us have forgotten the beautiful lady (we’re only human and don’t last very long after all!), he will never forget her or forgive her if she leaves.

4. The poem is showing us how we take aspects of nature for granted when each part of it has its own inner life and secrets that we know nothing about.

How is the River God presented in this poem?

In pairs, choose four adjectives from the list below which you think best describe the speaker of

this poem. Are there any that you think don’t apply at all?

Playful Lonely FriendlyHumorous Sad Argumentative Dangerous

Apologetic BoastfulThreatening Cruel PowerfulSecretive Misunderstood

2. Choose a line or two from the poem which you feel best demonstrate these characteristics.