The Grasshopper Themes

The Grasshopper Themes

Poetic immortality

The second half of the poem talks about the theme of immortality in the poetic sense, immortality through one's work and accomplishment. Fear of death leaves people wanting to live an eternal trace behind them and here is no different as well. The poet talks to his friend and praises their poetic mission which shall last forever, even after they are gone. Their "sacred hearths shall burn eternally" with nothing being able to dissolve them. They are "richer than untempted kings" and "lords of all what seas embrace".

Irresponsibility, enjoyment without considering what lies ahead

Allusion to the fable of the grasshopper and the ant, the first half of the poem follows the grasshopper in his enjoyment in everything nature gave him: he is "drunk every night with a delicious tear dropped from heaven", the joys of earth and air are his entirely, he lies in a "carved acorn-bed", he welcomes the sun and its beams. But, the cold and the winter soon arrives, there is neither grass nor flowers to protect him, the cold wind shaved it all off. The grasshopper lazily enjoyed the pleasures of the present without considering or preparing himself for the future which ended badly for him. It is an old story retold in the poem and it promotes responsibility instead of laziness.

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