Good Example Of Essay On The Bridge By Hart Crane

(Insert Author’s Note)
I am here to explain, respond and analyze the wonderful poem, “The Bridge”, by Hart Crane. This poem was first published in the early after the great depression, or 1930 to be more specific. It was first published by the Black Sun Press, and was also Cranes only attempt at writing long poetry. Cranes motivation for this piece came from the notorious Brooklyn Bridge. He was inspired to write the poem during his residence at 110 Columbia Heights in Brooklyn, New York, in which, had an extremely sensational view of the bridge. Sadly, by the time he had wrote the piece, he was suffering from severe alcoholism and extreme lack of self-discipline. However, that is not why I am writing this paper. For this piece, I will first and foremost, breakdown the poem into a language that everyone can understand, then follow up with my own response to the piece of writing. To begin with, the poem starts with a seagull that branches out its wing from a perch on the water. The seagull then proceeds to fly past the looming, dwelling shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge found in the state of New York. The seagull dashes past the bridge, and soon passes the Statue of Liberty. The bird vanishes like a thief in the night, or like a speed boat leaving its dock.
When you continue reading the poem, you can tell that the author very much admires the Brooklyn Bridge. The way the sun rays reflects off of it, the symbolism the bridge represents, and how the free falling monument inspires so much. Furthermore, an insane human being decides to go to the peak of the Brooklyn Bridge, he then hesitates for a few minutes, and then eventually dives off, resulting in a horrid suicide. Nobody knows who the person is exactly, and is only observed from a far distance.
The poem proceeds onto the famous Wall Street, the entire section of the city is emitted with lights that come from extremely high buildings, as the flow of light hits the streets that citizens walk. Clouds are also examined floating by high buildings called derricks, as chilling winds from the Atlantic Ocean pass through cables found on the Brooklyn Bridge. The symbolism of the bridge is seen as “a promise of reward” in scripture of Judaism. It encourages the anonymous feeling that such a large city can put onto peoples minds’. The bridge is like a powerful throne, government, or kingdom. The bridge falls somewhere between an almighty king, a refugee camp and religious symbols.
The evening eventually comes in the poem, and night fall arrives. The “speaker” has full vision of the city as he examines the street lights over the bridge. The lights spark memories inside of the man over watching the bridge, it reminds him something of steel beam upholding the heavens. The “speaker” also resides by the gloomy dock found in Manhattan. From there he can see the shadow that the bridge cast in reflection to the cities lights. At this point in the night all of the lights in the city are burning except for those in the office buildings and lofts. This is due to the fact that winter is here, and yet another three-hundred and sixty-five days have passed.
Unlike the city though, the Brooklyn Bridge never falls into a slumber. It acts as a symbol of pure hope and faith. It is always there to connect the city from one side of the river, into the next. It connects one group of people in the city, with a completely different group of people in the city. It connects the great citizens of the great country that is America. Lastly, and also found in the last two statements of the poem, is the “speaker” asking the Brooklyn Bridge, mentally, to lessen itself as a structure to help fill the space that God has left empty in the city.
All and all, this has to be one of greatest poems every written by Hart Crane, let alone the entire world of poets. Regardless of what critiques have said about this piece in recent times of the 19th and 20th century. This book-length poem definitely beats out any other piece of work that Hart had ever produced. Its captures my attention, and makes me feel as if I am the actually watcher overlooking New York City. In the larger scope of things Hart Crane is trying to expand on extreme, ancient symbolism in modern America. Hart Crane wants to demonstrate how these symbols, and myths can be found in the current consciousness and, further, how these myths are basically pointing towards the future of the United States, and how the future holds a world of ethnic harmony and of valuing artistic achievements. I am absolutely in love with this piece of work that Crane produced nearly an entire century again. I only hope that one day I can write like this, let alone create such a powerful piece of poetry.