On December 13 2010 01:20 Simplistik wrote:Show nested quote +On December 12 2010 02:29 Reason wrote:The seven modern sins were interesting but I don't understand the Epitaph
Here's my interpretation, but I warn you that it's fairly long. In my opinion the key to understanding poetry is to "translate" every line, phrase and word into "common language". Of course there is normally quite a lot of subjectivity involved.
Epitaph: "an inscription on a tombstone or monument in memory of the person buried there"
The title points out that "Reason" has died. The point of view seems to be neutral and undetermined.
The "Lords of logic" are the followers of "Reason" (perhaps philosophers, thinkers, scientists). The narrator compels them to fight ("Rise up!")
against the followers of "Unreason": "unwitting multitude" (the uneducated masses), "Pathetic cowerer" (people who don't think?) and "Dogmatic knower" (people who assert unproved and unprovable principles).
The narrator also tells the followers of "Reason" to punish themselves ("scourge yourself dark heart"). The "dark heart" appears to be what drives the followers of "Reason" to 'seek answers' (attempting to understand and explain everything (world, human, universe, etc.), looking for reasons). That 'seeking' is slow because there is no certainty ("shambling feet shackled by uncertainty").
The narrator views mankind as hopeless ("bleak humanity"). But the followers of "Reason" obscure the hopelessness under a thin layer of "Reason" ("veneer mask of rationality").
After "Moment." the focus changes to the past because "Reason" is alive. (Unless of course it got ressurected in some way, but there is no reference to that.)
"Reason" and its opposite ("polarised") "Unreason" are described as large monsters standing up on their hindlegs (like a rearing horse perhaps). "Heaving" paints a picture of several different meanings blended into one: getting up, vomiting, breathing heavily. Although they are both already full of blood ("engorged") they want more ("yet ravenous"). They have large ("cavernous") mouths covered in blood ("wet red"). "ancients" are people from the classical antiquity, ancient Greece or Rome usually. So "Reason" and "Unreason" were alive during the time of the "ancients". Maybe this passage describes the birth of "Reason" and "Unreason". However, nobody knows who or what they are, not "even themselves". The use of "grotesque" links up with 'cavernous mouths' here. Its original meaning (adjective to grotto) refers to a large open underground space like a cave or cavern.
The narrator tells the reader to "Look. Look!" at "Reason" und "Unreason". I guess we can only see them because they were pointed out to us. We can see that "Reason" and "Unreason" are unlucky, perhaps doomed, ("hapless"). Although they are "separate" entities, they are connected by mankind's weakness ("linked by human frailty"). That probably means that humans are not strong enough to truly separate and distinguish between "Reason" and "Unreason". (And how can they if they can't even recognise them?)
"Pause. What then?" What happened after the birth of "Reason" und "Unreason"?
Philosophy was created. It serves as a "bridge" to connect the two, so that humans can cross back and forth between them. The connection however is fragile und insubstantial ("ethereal"). The passage also points out that "Reason" und "Unreason" were fighting (and maybe still are at that time), but that they are tired ("battle-weary combatants").
Apparently it is "Not too late.", but for what? To stop the fighting?
But before we know it "Reason" appears to lose the fight and that probably leads to its death. ("Too late for reason.")
"hemlock" is a poisonous drug. (Socractes used it to kill himself.) Stoicism is an ancient Greek school of philosophy founded by Zeno ("a Stoic achieves happiness by submission to destiny").
The narrator tells the followers of "Reason" ("Grecian stoic") to commit suicide because they are forever guilty ("Eternally condemned"). Although it is unclear of what they are guilty, maybe of being different. Committing suicide "again" seems to indicate that the "ancients" committed suicide, and now the modern followers of "Reason" are supposed to follow.
The narrator hopes that the "Lords of logic" will realise something important just before they die ("Perhaps on paralysed final breath"). "history's only lesson" might be that "Reason" und "Unreason" are linked, two sides of the same coin.
Realising that will allow them to "Transcend" and surpass others (and probably themselves).
The final realisation is that mankind is insignificant ("human nothingness"). That realisation is like a magical item that offers protection ("talisman").
It allows "Reason" und "Unreason" to recombine into one, ehm, being. And after they recombined they can be used to understand the world.
I'd say the key points are:
- Reason is dead.
- Reason and Unreason are two parts of the same thing.
- Both are needed in order to understand anything.
EPT
