Poetry Analysis

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Sea Grapes

Original Poetry

Translation

That sail which leans on light, tired of islands,

The sail that leans on the light, weary of islands,

a schooner beating up the Caribbean

a ship navigating the Caribbean

for home, could be Odysseus, home-bound on the Aegean; that father and husband's

heading home, could be like Odysseus, returning to the Aegean; that father's and husband's

longing, under gnarled sour grapes, is like the adulterer hearing Nausicaa's name in every gull's outcry.

longing, under twisted sour grapes, is like the unfaithful man hearing Nausicaa's name in every seagull's cry.

This brings nobody peace. The ancient war between obsession and responsibility will never finish and has been the same

This brings no one peace. The old conflict between obsession and duty will never end and has been the same

for the sea-wanderer or the one on shore now wriggling on his sandals to walk home, since Troy sighed its last flame,

for the sea traveler or the one on land now slipping on his sandals to walk home, since Troy breathed its last flame,

and the blind giant's boulder heaved the trough from whose groundswell the great hexameters come to the conclusions of exhausted surf.

and the blind giant's rock moved the wave from whose swell the great poems come to the end of tired waves.

The classics can console. But not enough.

The classics can comfort. But not enough.

Explanation

Derek Walcott's poem 'Sea Grapes' draws parallels between the ancient Greek hero Odysseus and modern-day struggles with desire and responsibility. The poem opens with a metaphor of a sail leaning on the light, representing a ship's journey home, akin to Odysseus's return to the Aegean. This journey symbolizes the universal and timeless conflict between personal longing and the duties of a father and husband. The reference to Nausicaa, a character from 'The Odyssey', highlights the temptations and distractions that challenge one's responsibilities. The poem suggests that these struggles are eternal, as old as the fall of Troy, and are reflected in the enduring power of classical literature. However, Walcott concludes that while the classics offer some solace, they are insufficient to resolve the deep-seated conflicts within the human soul.

Word Dictionary8

Word	In English	Plain (English)	Pron.
schooner	a type of sailing ship	a type of ship with sails	skoo-ner
Odysseus	Greek hero from 'The Odyssey'	a hero from Greek mythology	oh-DIS-ee-uhs
Aegean	a sea near Greece	a sea near Greece and Turkey	ee-JEE-uhn
Nausicaa	a character in 'The Odyssey'	a princess who helps Odysseus	naw-SIK-ee-uh
gnarled	twisted	bumpy and twisted	nahrld
groundswell	a large wave	a large wave or movement	ground-swel
hexameters	a type of poetic meter	a poetic line with six parts	hek-SAM-i-terz
console	comfort	to make someone feel better	kuhn-SOHL

Poet & Context

PoetDerek Walcott

Era20th Century

Sir Derek Alton Walcott was a Saint Lucian poet and playwright who received the 1992 Nobel Prize in Literature. His works include the epic poem Omeros, and he is known for his exploration of Caribbean culture and history.

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WhenPublished in 1976

WhyThe poem reflects Walcott's frequent theme of connecting ancient stories with contemporary emotional struggles. It uses the character of Odysseus from 'The Odyssey' to explore themes of inner conflict, desire, and responsibility.

FormFree verse

Themes & More

Themes

Conflict between desire and dutyTimelessness of human strugglesInfluence of classical literature

Literary devices

Metaphor: The sail leaning on light represents the journey and struggles.Allusion: References to Odysseus and Nausicaa from 'The Odyssey'.Imagery: Vivid descriptions of the sea and journey.Symbolism: The sea represents life's journey and challenges.