Wallace Stevens’ poem, “The Anecdote of the Jar” is an example of modern art in its purest form. The poem tells a story about a jar that is placed upon a hill in Tennessee, and how it transforms the landscape. The jar symbolizes modernism, and its placement on the hill signifies its impact on the natural environment.
The poem begins with the narrator describing how he placed the jar on the hill: “I placed a jar in Tennessee/And round it was, upon a hill./It made the slovenly wilderness/Surround that hill.” Here, Stevens expresses how modernity can alter landscapes, both physically and metaphorically. By placing an object from civilization onto an untouched piece of nature, he conveys how something from outside can drastically change what was once natural and untouched.
The poem goes on to describe how this jar brings about profound changes to the surrounding countryside: “The wilderness rose up to it/And sprawled around, no longer wild./The jar was round upon the ground/And tall and of a port in air.” This imagery speaks to how modern art can influence people’s perceptions and feelings about their environment. By introducing something new into an area, it alters what is considered beautiful or normal in that space.
Stevens also uses language to express how modern art can be seen as being disruptive or intrusive: “It took dominion everywhere./The jar was gray and bare./It did not give of bird or bush/But stood alone upon the plain.” Here, he emphasizes how certain aspects of modern art may seem out of place in a traditional setting; they are often seen as being disruptive or intrusive because they disrupt what people consider normal or beautiful within their environment.
Finally, Stevens emphasizes how modern art can bring about profound changes in people’s lives: “And now it seems to me/the beautiful uncut hair of graves./Birds chirp upon occasion/Distant lands had their attention.” By introducing something new into an area that was previously untouched by humans, he suggests that modern art can evoke feelings of curiosity and inspiration in viewers; even those from far away lands may be drawn to it due to its beauty and uniqueness.
In conclusion, Wallace Stevens’ poem “The Anecdote of the Jar” is an excellent example of how modern art can have a powerful effect on both physical landscapes and people’s perceptions about them. It demonstrates how something seemingly insignificant such as a jar could have a profound impact on its surroundings; altering them both physically and emotionally. Furthermore, Stevens shows us that this type of art has the potential to bring about positive changes by inspiring viewers from all over the world with its beauty and uniqueness.
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