THE EMPEROR OF ICE-CREAM

WALLACE STEVENS

Stevens poems revolves on

meditative and philosophical

ideas

Explains the true essence of

life using imagery

His literary writing studies

were based on Modernism

Stevens was born in 1879 in Reading, Pennslyvania

He died in 1955, in Hartford, Connecticut

He became interested in verse-writing at Harvard, submitting materialto the Harvard Advocate, but he was 36 before his first work was publishedin 1915

“The Emperor of Ice-Cream” was published in 1923

He wrote his original poem “Harmonium” which is about a father and a son who have a bad relationship, and the poem links the harmonium tothe father’s coffin

His style of writing poetry was an amalgamation of imagism, abstractions, and striking vocabulary

Definitions Embroidered: decorate (cloth) by sewing pattern on it with a thread. Wench: a young female prostitute Dawdle: waste time; be slow Concupiscent: filled with sexual desire; lustful Curds: a soft white substance formed when milk sours used as the bases of cheese Horny: resemblence of a horn; feeling sexual excitement Protrude: extend beyond or above a surface Affix: stick, attach or fasten to something else Beam: a ray or shaft of light Deal: inexpensive wood

InterpretationCall the roller of big cigarsThe muscular one,

“big cigars” here, rolled up in their papers, are meant to suggest the imageof shrouded corpses (wrap of dress or body)

and bid him whipIn kitchen cups concupiscent curds.Let the wenches dawdle in such dress

The image of a muscular cigar roller whipping concupiscent curds is highly The sense is that ice cream is sinfully indulgent, orgasmically delicious, etc.suggestive of masturbation, the word “wenches” meant “whores” in Shakespeare’s day

As they are used to wear, and let the boysBring flowers in last month’s newspaper.

This is not a grand event, just an ordinary funeral The boys are dressed casual and bringing flowers to

the woman’s funeral to show a sign of respect

Let be be finale of seem The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream.

Whatever potential there was for the woman, or the funeral, might “seem” to be is gone

Refrence from “Hamlet” to enjoy the sweet and bitter things in life for they do not last forever

Interpretation

Interpretation

Take from the dresser of deal,Lacking the thress glass knobs,

This poem features two rooms, one lustful and full of motion and of life, the other cold, place of stillness and of death. This pine dresser is reminiscent of a poor person’s coffin. The missing knobs represent a general state of poverty and disrepair in the house.

that sheetOn which she embroidered fantails once,And spread it so as to cover her face

Cover her dead body with a sheet she embroidered while she was alive. The fact that the woman did her own embroidery indicates her low economicstatus; people of any means at all did not do their own needlework

InterpretationIf her horny feet protrude, The old woman’s feet were being exposed so it was described as disgusting feet

they comeTo show how cold she is, and dumb. Lets the audience know people arrive at the scene of the woman’s dead body because he identifies it to be “cold”

Let the lamp affix its beam.The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream. Means its lighting a blub on our heads like warning us that everything hasan end to it and nothing lasts forever, such as orgasms dissapear, beauty fades,and the young turn old and everything all dies.

Analysis Elegy: a peom of larnet, meditating on the death of an

individual End Rhyme: rhyme occuring at the ends of verse linesEx)Let be be finale of seem The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream.

Let the lamp affix its beam The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream.

Trochaic tetremeter: a trochee is a long syllable, or stressed syllable,

followed by a short, or unstressed, one.Ex)Call the roller of big cigars

Tone: the author’s attitude toward his/her audience and subject

- Modernism of life and death

Diction: the choice and use of words and phrasesEx) concupiscent curds, meaning masturbation and the after math of it all or the feeling of joy, relief, and happiness

Theme: the author’s major idea or meaning- Enjoy the sweet things while it lasts because life is to short to live on

Imagery: the use of words to represent things, actions, or ideas by sensorydescriptionEx)Lacking the three glass knobs, that sheet-missing furniture or represents the three Persons of the Trinity (Father, Son,and Holy Spirit) Let the lamp affix its beam.-possible addressing to let god take this poor old woman to heaven

Alliteration: the repetiton of two or more vowel sounds within a lineEx)In kitchen cups concupiscent curds. her horny feet dresser of deal

Enjambement: a run-on, continuing into the next without a grammaticalbreakEx) Take from the dresser of deal, Lacking the three glass knobs, that sheet On which she embroiderd fantails once And spread it so as to cover her face.

Symbolism: the use of one object to suggest another, hidden object or idea-Ice-cream is the sensual feeling of pleasure that pervades life. “Ice” is reflected as death and “Cream” is reflected as life.