The concept of historical determinism suggests that past events cast long shadows over both personal destinies and societal structures, shaping the present. Lisel Mueller's birth during an era destined to be etched into history's annals speaks volumes. The seismic shifts of World War II touched millions, sculpting the essence of countless lives as they unfolded through time. Whether igniting flames of creativity or pushing souls to the precipice of despair, the war's transformative influence on human existence is indisputable. This theme of historical determinism threads through Mueller's poetry. In a revealing 1985 dialogue with Nancy Bunge, author and Michigan State University scholar, Mueller confessed, "I'm partial to history. To me a sense of what has gone on in the past is very important to one's view of the world."

"The Exhibit" serves as a vivid illustration of historical determinism. The uncle, ensnared at some point in the war's grip as a prisoner, clings to an imagined "hero" as a shield against the starkness of reality. Much like fortifications against the elements or foes, his mental construct provides refuge from a world marred by brutality, conjuring visions of a serene past. The poem paints a portrait of a life steered by the war's hand, enduring decades of loss and finding solace in fantasy until truth and illusion blur. Though the uncle's pre-war existence remains a mystery, it's plausible to conclude he once neither believed in unicorns nor felt the compulsion to seek such myths for solace.

Few American poets dare to embrace the responsibility of weaving social commentary into their verses. While political fervor may echo through the streets, it rarely sings within the lines of poetry. Lisel Mueller, however, is an exception—a European-born American who boldly threads her beliefs on social justice, warfare, and equality into her poetic tapestry. In a candid 1985 conversation with Nancy Bunge, Mueller reflected on the apparent influence of nationality on poets, stating, "There is a problem with finding subject matter in our society, partly because there is a great bias among young writers against political writing.... That seems to me a uniquely American and English tradition of disassociating writing from what goes on in the world because it's certainly not true of European writers and it's not true of South American writers."

In her poem "The Exhibit," Mueller employs both subtle allusion and direct revelation to unravel the intimate horrors hidden within the spectacle of public warfare. Through lines like "... to believe in something / that could not be captured except by love," she hints at deeper truths, while starkly declaring "This world, / this terrible world we live in." By weaving the narrative of a family member into her verse, she echoes the silent struggles endured by countless war survivors. While the remembrance of historical tragedies might serve as a bulwark against repetition, such memories often seize the heart, and this poem powerfully captures the ceaseless grief that political oppression births.

Myth as an Emotional Refuge

Myth weaves its intricate tapestry throughout "The Exhibit" in two profoundly distinct ways. Initially, it acts as an emotional armor for the uncle, shielding him from utterly surrendering to the starkness of reality. As the poem unfolds, revealing his motivations for clinging to the notion of unicorns, we begin to grasp the legitimacy of his convictions. Much like the fantasies children conjure for solace or companionship, adults, too, often weave fantastical worlds or embrace extraordinary beliefs to inject a glimmer of hope into a bleak existence. In Mueller's poem, the uncle might merely feign belief in these mythical creatures, yet this pretense proves superior to succumbing entirely to his very...