The Carrier of Ladders by W. S. Merwin
"The Carrier of Ladders" by W. S. Merwin is a collection of poems that explores themes of human aspiration, self-destruction, and the complex relationship between humanity and the natural world. The title metaphorically suggests that, like ladders, humans carry the potential for progression and enlightenment, yet often face uncertainty about what lies ahead. The opening poem, "Teachers," reflects on the duality of pain and solace found in dreams and memories, emphasizing the value of lessons learned despite their ambiguous outcomes. Merwin’s interpretation of the ancient Greek myth in "The Judgment of Paris" highlights the inherent flaws within human nature, suggesting that our choices often lead to suffering, yet this suffering can also foster empathy and unity.
A significant portion of the collection addresses the westward expansion in American history, presenting a critical perspective on this theme. Merwin contrasts the romanticized notion of conquest with the destruction it wrought upon the land and its people. Poems such as "Other Travellers to this River" and "Western Country" advocate for reverence towards nature rather than domination, reflecting a more somber acceptance of loss and the human condition. This collection invites readers to contemplate the complexities of existence, urging a reflection on both the beauty and the tragedies of human endeavor.
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The Carrier of Ladders by W. S. Merwin
Excerpted from an article in Magill’s Survey of American Literature, Revised Edition
First published: 1970
Type of work: Poetry
The Work
The metaphor implicit in the title of The Carrier of Ladders signals a change, however slight, in Merwin’s orientation and attitudes: Only humans carry ladders, and their object in so doing is to rise, to climb to a new level, even if they do not know exactly what they will find there. The poems in the volume mostly build on this premise. The opening poem, “Teachers,” sets the pattern. The speaker is not clear about much. His surroundings witness mostly pain, but he finds some solace in sleep, and sleep brings dreams in which he remembers learning from books of voyages, the “sure tellings” that taught him. Where they led or may lead is dark, but the speaker values these teachers.
“The Judgment of Paris” re-creates the ancient Greek myth in which three goddesses compete for mastery before Paris; the decision Paris makes leads to the Trojan War. Merwin suggests that the contest was rigged: Any decision Paris would have made would have led to destruction. Human beings, Merwin suggests, are naturally defective and they cannot avoid self-destructive behavior. Ultimately, this is what makes humans interesting. This idea is appropriate to its subject. One of Homer’s themes, picked up by the Greek dramatists afterward, is that humans bring suffering down on themselves but that this suffering engenders compassion, which promotes unity. Merwin ends the poem with an image of Helen picking a flower with roots that allay pain, concluding that it is also human to relieve suffering.
One section of this volume consists of poems dealing with the westward movement in American history. Merwin certainly does not see this as a glorious episode in the United States’ history. While admitting the intoxication of the quest, the poet is fully aware of how much past and present destruction was implicit in it. In “Other Travellers to this River,” he conjures up the early travel writer William Bartram—who popularized the notion of “conquering” the new land—to draw the contrast between the intensity of his vision and the damage done to the land. “Western Country” carries this further by suggesting that the conquest itself is illusory as well as wrongheaded: The land is not to be conquered but revered. In attempting to conquer, humans are also discrediting and damaging themselves. Still, Merwin’s voice here is less strident than saddened, as if he has learned to accept the necessity of loss and the human experience.
Bibliography
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Byers, Thomas G. What I Cannot Say: Self, Word, and World in Whitman, Stevens, and Merwin. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1989.
Christhilf, Mark. W. S. Merwin, the Mythmaker. Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 1986.
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Hix, H. L. Understanding W. S. Merwin. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, 1997.
Hoeppner, Edward Haworth. Echoes and Moving Fields: Structure and Subjectivity in the Poetry of W. S. Merwin and John Ashbery. Lewisburg, Pa.: Bucknell University Press, 1994.
Mark, Irwin, ed. Many Mountains Moving: A Tribute to W. S. Merwin. Boulder, Colo.: Many Mountains Moving, 2002.
Merwin, W. S. Unframed Originals. New York: Atheneum, 1982.
Nelson, Cary, and Ed Folsom, eds. W. S. Merwin: Essays on the Poetry. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1987.
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Shaw, Robert B., ed. American Poetry Since 1960: Some Critical Perspectives. Chester Springs, Pa.: Dufour, 1974.