The Forties
Josh Binderman
"The Forties" by Franz Wright
The Atomic Bomb.
Franz Wright
"Ill Lit"
Literal Interpretation
Situation
The poem notably lacks any emotion. It is almost a deadpan form, which makes Wright's work so much more powerful.
The speaker isn't a person, but more of an omniscient being that has seen man in it's best and worst. The speaker is unfazed by what they see (more to come on that later).
Structure
It is a free form poem, as it has no rhyme scheme or pattern. Wright likely chose this form of a poem to make it seem like the poem is really just an excerpt from the summary of human's time on Earth.
The story starts with a lowercase, as if it is the continuation of a sentence.
"The Forties" also has no punctuation, which adds mystery to the poem. The lack of punctuation also hints that this story is never-ending, and the folly of man will continue for ages. A notable non-use of punctuation is the wording of "in the desert cold men". This can be interpreted as that the desert is chilly. But, when in context, it can be taken as the men were cold-hearted, ruthless, and moralless for making the killing machines.
The ideas that are gathered through the poem are all gained through association with each other.
The title is significant so that the reader can figure out what the poem is about.
Language
The word choice is pretty regular. There are no words that require looking up.
The mood of the poem is dark and creepy. With the word "cold", it makes a spooky mood.
The entire poem is an allusion to the creation of the atomic bomb.
Wright's use of the word "star" is an interesting metaphor. It is a metaphor relating to the atomic bomb.
Musical Devices
There isn't any rhythm, but the lack of rhythm adds to the feeling of the poem.