'Night Sweat' by Robert Lowell

Detailed analysis by Claire’s Notes of ‘Night Sweat’ by Robert Lowell
Cambridge iGCSE: Songs of Ourselves Volume 4

In Robert Lowell's poem "Night Sweat," the speaker contemplates his existence amidst the mundane setting of his work-table and scattered belongings. The poem delves into themes of mortality, existential angst, and the relentless pursuit of artistic expression. Lowell vividly describes the physical discomfort of night sweats as a metaphor for the inner turmoil and emotional intensity he experiences. He grapples with the weight of his vulnerability and fear and seeks solace in the presence of his wife, whose lightness and support offer moments of respite. Throughout, there's a poignant exploration of the fragility of life and the complexities of human emotions.

Night Sweat by Robert Lowell

Work-table, litter, books and standing lamp,
plain things, my stalled equipment, the old broom---
but I am living in a tidied room,
for ten nights now I've felt the creeping damp
float over my pajamas' wilted white . . .
Sweet salt embalms me and my head is wet,
everything streams and tells me this is right;
my life's fever is soaking in night sweat---
one life, one writing! But the downward glide
and bias of existing wrings us dry---
always inside me is the child who died,
always inside me is his will to die---
one universe, one body . . . in this urn
the animal night sweats of the spirit burn.
Behind me! You! Again I feel the light
lighten my leaded eyelids, while the gray
skulled horses whinny for the soot of night.
I dabble in the dapple of the day,
a heap of wet clothes, seamy, shivering,
I see my flesh and bedding washed with light,
my child exploding into dynamite,
my wife . . . your lightness alters everything,
and tears the black web from the spider's sack,
as your heart hops and flutters like a hare.
Poor turtle, tortoise, if I cannot clear
the surface of these troubled waters here,
absolve me, help me, Dear Heart, as you bear
this world's dead weight and cycle on your back.

My poetry videos all have the same structure: I start by putting the poem into its historical and biographical context where this enhances its understanding and give a short summary of the poem itself; I then look at the poem in its entirety, picking out structural features, such as metre (rhythm), any rhyming and patterns in language which the poet uses; I finish by going through the poem on a line-by-line basis, giving definitions of words and offering an interpretation of the poet’s words with justification. Most of the terminology I use (in green) is provided with a definition below, so even if you haven’t come across it before, you should still be able to understand the points I am making.

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Please note that any literature analysis is highly subjective and may disagree with analysis by another person. All interpretations are valid if they can be justified by reference to the text. This interpretation is my own: it is not exhaustive and there are alternatives!

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