Vulturine Necks - “The Gossips”
Theodore Roethke observes, “The vulturine necks stretch out.” The ‘vulturine necks’ embody the predatory tendencies to spy on individuals’ with the object of spreading disparaging narratives through gossip.
Dark Time - “In a Dark Time”
‘A dark time’ typifies a grim, unnerving scenario. The speaker expounds, “In a dark time, the eye begins to see,/I meet my shadow in the deepening shade; /I hear my echo in the echoing wood—/A lord of nature weeping to a tree.” The manifestation of the speaker’s shadow in the shade illustrates the tough instance because darkness does not facilitate the realization of shadows. The speakers’ perception of his/ her echo complicates the scenario considering that the echoing wood is bound to be gaudier than the echo of an individual. The ‘lord of nature’ is more prevalent than a tree; hence, would not be expected to weep ‘ to a tree.’ Accordingly, the lord of nature’s weeping incarnates the speaker’s murky situation.
Midnight - “In a Dark Time”
Theodore Roethke declares, “And in broad day the midnight come again!” The unlikely presence of midnight during the day is a clue of the speaker’s wretchedness for the speaker distinguishes darkness during the day instead of the conventional light. The restricted light suggests that the speaker’s optimism contracts during dark times.
Martyr - “I Knew a Woman”
Theodore Roethke asserts, “I’m martyr to a motion not my own.” A martyr is a religious allusion that epitomizes the long-lasting stimulus that the woman had on Roethke. The departure of a martyr is not overlooked. Similarly, Roethke senses that he is a martyr of the woman’s reminiscences which he cannot purge.
