I have to analyze Emily Bronte's poem "Self-Interogation" as an interpretation of what the poem is sayng and I am confused as to how I am supposed to go about it. I mean, some of it I can understand, but certain lines in the poem confuse me as to what they can be interpreted as. I don't understand what can be interpreted from lines 9 through 16, line 26 through 28, lines 37 through 48. If anybody can help me, I will be eternally grateful!

Here is the poem:

Self-Interogation
By Emily Bronte

"The evening passes fast away.
'Tis almost thime to rest;
What thoughts has left the vanished day,
What feelings in thy breast?

"The vanished day? It leaves a sense
Of labour hardly done;
Of little gained with cast expense--
A sense of grief alone?

"Time stands before the door of Death,
Upbraiding bitterly
And Conscience, with exhaustless breath,
Pours black reproach on me:

"And though I've said that Conscience lies
And Time should Fate condemn;
Still, sad Repentance clouds my eyes,
And makes me yeild to them!

"Then art thou glad to seek repose?
Art glad to leave the sea,
And anchor all thy weary woes
In calm Eternity?

"Nothing regrets to see thee go--
Not one voice sobs' farewell;
And where thy heart has suffered so,
Canst thou desire to dwell?"

"Alas! the countless links are strong
That bind us to our clay;
The loving spirit lingers long,
And would not pass away!

"And rest is sweet, when laurelled fame
Will crown the soldier's crest;
But a brave heart, with tarnished name,
Would rather fight than rest.

"Well, thou hast fought for many a year,
Hast fought thy whol life through,
Hast humbled Falsehood, trampled Fear;
What is there left to do?

"'Tis true, this arm has hotly striven,
Has dared what few would dare;
Much have I done, and freely given,
But little learnt to bear!

"Look on the grave where thou must sleep
Thy last, and strongest foe;
It is endurance not to weep,
If that repose seem woe.

"The long war closing in defeat--
Defeat serenely borne,--
Thy midnight rest may still be sweet,
And break in glorious morn!"

Ceri, if you are having trouble understanding the poem, purhaps it has to do with the vocabulary. Here's a dictionary to help you understand her terminology: [www.onelook.com]

"Time stands before the door of Death,
Upbraiding bitterly
And Conscience, with exhaustless breath,
Pours black reproach on me:

"And though I've said that Conscience lies
And Time should Fate condemn;
Still, sad Repentance clouds my eyes,
And makes me yeild to them!"

She's saying that she is sorry for having thoughts of doubt. She's seeing sleep as a synonym for death.

>"And where thy heart has suffered so,
>Canst thou desire to dwell?"

In other words, she's saying to herself: "Do you really want to live after all the pain life has given you?"



"'Tis true, this arm has hotly striven,
Has dared what few would dare;
Much have I done, and freely given,
But little learnt to bear!

"Look on the grave where thou must sleep
Thy last, and strongest foe;
It is endurance not to weep,
If that repose seem woe.

"The long war closing in defeat--
Defeat serenely borne,--
Thy midnight rest may still be sweet,
And break in glorious morn!"

Here she's admitting that life has caused her grief and woe, but she resolves to face the death of sleep and awaken to a new day.


Les

Persnickety nitpicker that I am, I have to wonder about the quotation marks:

Canst thou desire to dwell?"

All previous stanzas finished without end quotes, having them only at the beginnings of stanzas, which usually indicates a particular speaker continues speaking. Does this mean there are two speakers in this poem? Nah, probably not. The interrogation is a question-and-answer of/to oneself alone.

I am thinking she ponders whether she has done enough in life, enough to feel content now to leave it. And perhaps there are further battles to be fought (and won) beyond the grave.