Although both were written in Greece in the same century, Seferis’ poem “Denial” and Ritsos’ poem “Eyewitness Testimony” bear many differences. They vary in point of view, subject matter and style. However, there are some similarities. Both poets, for example, use imagery to enhance the themes of their poems. Furthermore, both rely on symbolism as a technical aid in portraying the desired meaning and tone of the poems to the reader.
Giorgos Seferis was the writing pseudonym of Geōrgios Seferiádēs. He was born in 1900 and died in 1971. He was a significant figure in Greek poetry throughout the twentieth century, and was also a Nobel Laureate (Giorgos Serferis). Yiannis Ritsos was born in 1909 and died in 1990. He was also a well-known Greek poet of the same century (Yiannis Ritsos).
Seferis’ “Denial” is an interesting poem. It explores what Seferis deemed the sorrow and longing of sensuality (REF). It is written from the viewpoint of the narrator. Although it is in first person narrative, the word ‘I’ is never used; instead is the repeated use of ‘we.’ The opening stanza immediately sets the tone of the piece:
“On the secret seashore
white like a pigeon
we thirsted at noon;
but the water was brackish” (Seferis).
The mention of the water being ‘brackish’ implies that the sexual experience was unpleasant or, at best, unsatisfying. The second stanza continues the narrative, describing how the couple carved the woman’s name into the sand but then the wind blew all traces of it away. This concept seems to be implying that the love shared between the two people was fleeting with little or no deep significance to the narrator.
The third and final stanza leaves the imagery and narrative elements of the first two stanzas. Instead, the narrator reflects on the feeling of the experience and of the situation:
“With what spirit, what heart,
what desire and passion
we lived our life: a mistake!
So we changed our life” (Seferis).
This section of the poem conveys that while the couple acknowledge that their love, and others like theirs, are transient, they still have the potential to breed obsession in the participants. Furthermore, the narrator is commenting on the dangerous nature of such passions.
“Denial” is partially narrative but and partially a lyric poem. The first two stanzas tell a story, and the concluding stanza reflects on the situation within a wider context. “Eyewitness Testimony” by Ritsos is, conversely, a purely narrative poem. Whereas “Denial” is written in first person narrative, “Eyewitness Testimony” is written in third person. On first glance it appears to be written in first person as it is a testimony, but the “he said” in the opening line is crucial in dispelling any false assumptions on behalf of the reader:
“I saw them — he said — the two burglars behind the grilles
forcing the door open opposite” (Ritsos).
The witness explains how he didn’t report the crime and nor did anyone else from the neighbourhood. The following day the burglars knocked on his door and gave him flowers to reward him for not telling anyone what he had seen the previous night.
While the poem tells a simple story about a man’s experience of watching a burglary, the tone of the piece is rather more pensive. After witnessing the event, the witness speaks of how in his sleep, he “caught a headache from the moon” (Ritsos). This seems to imply that the man was quietly consumed with the guilt of having not reported the crime. He also mentions, in the same description of sleep, that he was “the child who did not pass in school” (Ritsos). The witness is comparing his failure to speak out about the burglary to his academic failure in school as a child.
“Denial” consists of three stanzas of four lines each. The line lengths are consistent, averaging five or six syllables per line. It is possible that in its original Greek form, the poem may have been in metre and even containing a rhyming scheme such as the traditional ABAB format. The presence of a noticeable structure is wholly appropriate for the subject matter. Although the poem speaks of a specific erotic encounter, it really speaks of such encounters on a larger scale. Adhering to a recognised poetic structure echoes the implication that the lyric element of the poem can be applied to many situations, and acknowledges that many people experience such times in their lives.
“Eyewitness Testimony,” on the other hand, is in free verse format. Again, the fact that this poem has been translated from Greek into English must be taken into account. It is possible that, in Greek, the piece had a more rigid structure to it. However, the poem has translated very successfully. In its English form, free verse seems a perfect choice for a piece depicting an eyewitness account of a crime. It reads as a narrative as if the person was speaking. Furthermore, the poem concerns a specific event; it is one person’s individual story and the feelings depicted are wholly personal to the character who is telling the story of the burglary. Therefore, free verse is effective in setting the tone.
A similarity that both poems share is the important use of imagery by the poets. Both Seferis and Ritsos incorporate imagery within their narratives, both to reiterate what is being described and to convey extra levels of meaning to the reader.
The sand imagery in “Denial” is successful in setting the whole feeling of the piece. Sand is a symbol of infertility. The poem is about a fruitless and superficial love. It does not have the potential to turn into a fulfilling, life changing love, nor will it bare children. It is hedonistic and shallow and, in this respect, the sand imagery reflects the concept. Furthermore, sand, like the love being described, is fleeting. Carving a lover’s name into sand is a small romantic gesture but one that is easily undone and in no way permanent unlike, for example, carving a name into stone or into the trunk of a tree.
In the same way, “Eyewitness Testimony” relies on imagery related to the moon in order to convey and enhance both its tone and theme. Traditionally, the moon symbolises loneliness, and the use of it in this poem is no exception. In line three, the witness reports:
“there was a moon, and I could see their passkeys clearly,
even the plaster ornaments on the wall” (Ritsos).
The mention of the presence of the moon depicts loneliness within the character as well as giving the story a feeling of quiet. Additionally, the image of the moon in this case shows detachment in the witness. Interestingly, he never once mentions how he felt when he was watching the burglary, and this line about the moon supports the feeling of objectivity. Nearer the end of the poem, the witness says:
“… In my sleep
I caught a headache from the moon” (Ritsos).
This sentence implies that the man was troubled in his sleep as a result of his loneliness and detachment. His lack of confidence was most probably what prevented him from doing something in response to witnessing the crime and this is clearly a familiar feeling to him. As mentioned before, the man did not do well at school. The fact that he is so alone implies that he remained a bachelor and, therefore, it is possible that he considers himself a failure in all respects.
“Denial” and “Eyewitness Testimony” are both intriguing and accessible poems. They both contain relatively simple language and do not alienate their readers. Furthermore, they contain strong imagery and symbolism which works effectively, in both cases, in enhancing the subject matter of the works. On the other hand, stylistically, they are rather more different. The poets have made different choices in terms of structure and in distance between the narrator and the reader. However, both work effectively and are appropriate for their individual themes. Ritsos and Seferis were, and still are after their deaths, both highly acclaimed poets and, having studied these two examples of their work, it is easy to understand why their popularity is so great.
Works Cited
Capri-Karka. “Seferis’s Turning Point: A Textual Analysis.” Scribd. Web. 15 Jan 2012.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/50618684/Seferis-s-Turning-Point-A-Textual-Analysis
“Giorgos Seferis.” Wikipedia. Web. 15 Jan 2012.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giorgos_Seferis
“Yianis Ritsos.” Wikipedia. Web. 15 Jan 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yiannis_Ritsos
