Anecdote of the Jar
by Wallace Stevens
Anecdote of the Jar
And round it was, upon a hill.
It made the slovenly wilderness
Surround that hill.
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,
It took dominion everywhere.
The jar was gray and bare.
It did not give of bird or bush,
Like nothing else in Tennessee.
About Wallace Stevens
Interpretation
- "I placed a jar in Tennessee
It made the slovenly wilderness
Surround that hill."
This is a great example of personification. The jar is "making" the wilderness surround the hill that it is on top of and in charge of.
- "The wilderness rose up to it,
The jar was round upon the ground
And tall and of a port in air."
This stanza shows the power of the jar. The jar has invaded the territory of the wilderness. The characteristics of the jar help to describe and highlight the power and authority of the jar.
- "It took dominion everywhere.
It did not give of bird or bush,
Like nothing else in Tennessee."
This stanza highlights the differences between the jar and the wilderness and gives the jar a darker look than before. The jar and wilderness have very different qualities as seen in this stanza.
You can read more about the interpretation of this poem starting at http://www.shmoop.com/anecdote-of-the-jar/stanza-1-summary.html