To many readers and scholars, Walt Whitman’s post-war poem “The Pallid Wreath” is a simple poem concerning the concept of death and remembrance that was written in the final years of Whitman’s life. While a lot of Whitman’s poetry deals with the concepts of life and death concerning human beings, much of Whitman’s work also expresses his ideology towards the United States of America. When examining this poem in conjunction with Whitman’s other work about America, we can draw a connection and interpret the poem as a possible allegory for America at that time. By viewing the poem through this lens, we are able to add another layer of depth to one of Whitman’s post-Civil War poems.
Whitman opens the poem with the lines, “Somehow I cannot let it go yet, funeral though it is” (641). Immediately, Whitman sets the stage of this poem by establishing the theme of remembrance. Viewing it through the lens of an allegorical America, we can see that Whitman is talking about not wanting to let go of an already dead America. The idea of America to Whitman is too much to let go, in spite of the fact that it is already dead. It’s also important to note that Whitman uses the word, “it” when describing the thing that he doesn’t want to let go, thus further supporting the idea that Whitman doesn’t want to let go of a concept rather than an actual person. Whitman continues to by describing a wreath hanging on a wall with it “pink, blue, yellow, all blanch’d, and the white now / gray and ashy” (641). It is worthy to note that these colors can be interpreted as washed out and dingy alternatives to the colors on the United States flag (red, white, and blue). The old America is washed out and has been soiled to the point of death. The colors are no longer reminiscent of the once proud flag and are now but faint similarities of the original colors.
Whitman continues by saying, “But I do not forget thee. Hast thou then faded?” (641). Whitman states that he has not forgotten this concept of America and wonders whether or not that idea is indeed “faded” even though he remembers it. Whitman, in other words, asks, “Can something truly die if you remember it?” To Whitman, this is the imperative question that is the driving force of the poem and the one that he ultimately answers in the next few lines of the poem. He continues by saying, “Is the odor exhaled? Are the colors, vitalities, dead? / No, while memories subtly play — the past vivid as ever” (641). Again, Whitman questions whether or not America is dead or not by asking if an odor has been exhaled and if there is a lack of colors and vitalities. He comes to a conclusion by saying no. The memories of America are too vivid for him to believe that America is truly dead.
Interestingly enough, Whitman later personifies America in this poem, thus giving the reader an inside look to how Whitman views America. Whitman states, “Thy smile, eyes, face, calm, silent, loving as ever” (614). Whitman portrays his version of America as being calm, silent, and loving. It is important to note that he doesn’t see America as a chaotic, loud, hateful place that it seemed to be during Civil War and the Reconstruction Era. Whitman views America in an idealized fashion where people are loved by one another and there is no wars that would disturb the silent, calm nature of America. Whitman finishes the poem with the line, “It is not yet dead to me, nor even pallid” (641). Whitman’s America, in his eyes, is not dead. To him, it’s not even paling. Whitman’s idealized America is still alive. It is just not living up to the calm, silent, and loving nature it used to be. By finishing the poem in this way, Whitman demonstrates his thoughts on the idea of America dying and what he believes to be a true America. While everyone else is mourning the loss of America at this fictionalized funeral, Whitman still chooses to remember America not as what it has become, but what it was and still is: calm, silent, and loving as ever.
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https://www.homedepot.com/p/ANLEY-Vintage-Style-Tea-Stained-American-US-Flag-3-ft-x-5-ft-Nylon-Embroidered-Stars-and-Sewn-Stripe-Antique-USA-Banner-Flag-A-Flag-US-Retro/309241504
I really like this reading of the poem as an allegory for the fading hope and promise of American. In that way it works well with “Mirages”–it is another poem where Whitman has to work so hard conjure a brighter future than the facts permit. Where “Mirages” seems more self-aware as a reflection on the illusions of hope, “Pallid Wreath” seems perhaps less self-conscious and more earnest–even if we, as readers, feel heavily that sense of willful illusion. Great post!