Omeros by Derek Walcott
"Omeros" is an epic poem by Derek Walcott that weaves together the lives of various characters on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia. Central to the narrative is Hector, a former fisherman turned taxicab driver, who juggles his reckless driving with romantic pursuits, particularly involving a woman named Helen. This arrangement leads to tension with Achille, another fisherman who embodies a more traditional lifestyle and seeks to win Helen's affection. The poem explores themes of fate, identity, and the complexities of post-colonial Caribbean life, as evidenced by Achille's journey that takes him back to ancestral roots in Africa, where he confronts historical traumas.
Other characters, like Philoctete, endure personal struggles tied to injury and abandonment, while the Plunkett couple introduces a perspective of British expatriates navigating life in St. Lucia. "Omeros" intricately blends myth, history, and personal narratives, illustrating the interconnectedness of individual lives against the backdrop of cultural heritage and the legacies of colonialism. Through vivid imagery and rich symbolism, Walcott's work invites readers to contemplate the profound connections between personal experience and broader historical narratives in the Caribbean context.
On this Page
Omeros by Derek Walcott
First published: 1990
Type of work: Poetry
Type of plot: Epic
Time of plot: Seventeenth century and late twentieth century
Locale: St. Lucia, West Indies; Africa
Principal characters
Omeros , the Homeric narrator of the poemAchille , a poor fishermanHector , a taxicab driver and former fisherman, rival of Achille for Helen’s affectionsHelen , a beautiful island womanPhiloctete , a fisherman disabled by a festering leg woundDennis Plunkett , a retired major in the British army turned St. Lucia émigré pig farmerMaud Plunkett , his Irish-born wife, who cultivates orchids commerciallyMa Kilman , a local bar owner and a healer
The Poem:
Hector has resigned his traditional fisherman’s life to become a taxicab driver. This allows him to afford the small gifts he gives to Helen, the most beautiful woman on St. Lucia. Helen, in turn, reciprocates with sexual favors. This arrangement exacerbates the jealousy of Achille, a fisherman who also seeks Helen’s attentions. Hector’s cab races at breakneck speed through the quiet streets of the island. He specializes in driving wealthy tourists to and from the local airport, but his reckless driving will ultimately bring about his death. He risks life and limb, his own as well as those of his passengers and of anyone who happens to be in the way of his racing cab.
The life of Achille, by contrast, seems more tranquil. It is certainly more traditional, but his occupation of fisherman is in its way no less dangerous than that of Hector. Undertows, current shifts, and unexpected tides can easily carry Achille in unexpected directions, figuratively and literally. He sets off on a journey, following the tides with no known destination, after he loses Helen. From this point on, he places his faith in his cacique, his hollowed-out boat. He paints “In God We Troust” on its side. When he learns of his spelling error, Achille declares that it is not an error but rather God’s way of spelling “trust.” Achille departs with perfect faith in God, in fate, and in the way things have eventuated. He follows the sea-swift, or hirondelle, a swallow-like bird that flies straight into a storm. As a result, Achille heads to Africa.
Meanwhile, another fisherman, Philoctete, receives a thigh wound from a rusty anchor. The wound festers, refuses to heal, and renders him unable to practice his trade effectively. Philoctete is abandoned by his fellow fishermen and awaits a cure, which is ultimately provided by Ma Kilman. Until he is healed, he poses for pictures with tourists, accepting the coins they give him with a broad smile while always suffering from his wound.
Achille reaches Africa. He meets Afolabe, whom Achille instinctively recognizes as his ancestral father. Achille seems to have regressed in time and is present when enemy warriors stage a surprise raid and capture villagers to be transported as slaves to America. His past and present have merged.
The Plunketts, a British couple, have lived in St. Lucia since economic hardship after World War II forced them to emigrate from England. Maud, a commercial orchid grower, recalls the Ireland of her childhood wistfully, knowing it is unlikely that she will ever return. Dennis, a major in the British army during the war, has adopted St. Lucia for its benign climate and inexpensive way of life. He has become a pig farmer, and his relations with the native St. Lucians are generally civil and courteous but always restrained.
Bibliography
Bloom, Harold, ed. Derek Walcott. New York: Chelsea House, 2003. Examines Walcott’s major works through full-length critical essays by various critics. Includes a short biography of Walcott, a chronology of his life, and an introduction by Bloom.
Hamner, Robert D., ed. Critical Perspectives on Derek Walcott. Washington, D.C.: Three Continents Press, 1997. Collection of essays by noted critics. Chronology, essays, and selected bibliography.
Ismond, Patricia. Abandoning Dead Metaphors: The Caribbean Phase of Derek Walcott’s Poetry. Kingston, Jamaica: University of West Indies Press, 2002. Closely examines Walcott’s Caribbean poetry, particularly his use of metaphor and his relationship to the Western tradition of literature. Considers Walcott’s engagement with the landscape, culture, and society of the Caribbean region.
King, Bruce. Derek Walcott: A Caribbean Life. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. The first authorized literary biography of Walcott; analyzes his life through his works.
Thieme, John. Derek Walcott. New York: Manchester University Press, 1999. A comprehensive study of Walcott’s works from their beginnings in the 1940’s through the 1990’s.
Walcott, Derek. Conversations with Derek Walcott. Edited by William Baer. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1996. In these collected interviews, Walcott discusses the art of poetry, the status of contemporary poetry and drama, his founding of the Trinidad Theatre Workshop, and his perspectives on several writers.