Critical Analysis
Philip Levine's poetry collection, The Mercy, offers a luminous exploration of the working-class experience, nostalgia, and the enduring struggle for justice. Through his poems, Levine captures the essence of survival and resilience, providing a poignant commentary on the immigrant journey and the challenges faced by ordinary people. The collection examines the nuances of language and its fleeting nature, juxtaposing personal histories with broader, universal themes.
The Visual and Historical Resonance of "The Mercy"
The cover of The Mercy features Alfred Stieglitz’s 1907 photograph, “The Steerage,” a fitting choice that reflects the themes of privation and possibility inherent in Levine’s work. This image of a crowded ship, brimming with hopeful emigrants, mirrors the journey of Esther Levine, the poet’s mother, who traveled to America on a ship named The Mercy. Stieglitz's photograph and its monochromatic tones encapsulate the hardships and aspirations of these voyagers, aligning seamlessly with the nostalgic and historical undercurrents of Levine's poems.
Esther Levine's presence is a dominant force throughout the collection, as her experience symbolizes the broader immigrant narrative that shaped Levine's life and work. Her voyage to the United States, filled with uncertainty and endurance, resonates with the themes of myth and history infused in Levine’s poetry.
Philip Levine: A Voice for the Working Class
Born in 1928 in Detroit to Russian-Jewish immigrants, Philip Levine's life and work have been profoundly influenced by the immigrant experience and the labor struggles of the working class. Levine's connection to Detroit, despite leaving at a young age, remains a central element of his poetry, reflecting the city's persistent inequalities and the endurance of its people. His acclaimed poem "They Feed They Lion," inspired by the Detroit riots of 1967, exemplifies his ability to capture the raw emotions and societal tensions of his hometown.
Levine’s academic journey took him to the University of Iowa and Stanford University, where he honed his poetic craft under the guidance of esteemed mentors. His work has earned prestigious accolades, including the National Book Award for What Work Is and the Pulitzer Prize for The Simple Truth. Levine's poetry, much like that of Walt Whitman, sings of the worker's triumphs and trials, though Levine's narratives delve deeper into the complexities of personal and collective mythologies.
The Elegiac and Enduring Themes of The Mercy
The Mercy follows in the footsteps of Levine's earlier works, maintaining a distinctive style characterized by a blend of realistic detail and elegiac reflection. His poems, rich in emotional precision, avoid sentimentality by grounding themselves in vivid, tangible imagery. Levine's favored forms—free verse, flexible blank verse, unmetered tercets, and quatrains—complement the thematic depth of his narratives, allowing for expressive freedom and linguistic exactness.
Yet, in The Mercy, Levine turns a critical lens on language itself, questioning its permanence and significance. Poems such as “Joe Gould’s Pen” explore the ephemeral nature of words and the challenge of capturing human experience through language. The poem mourns the disappearance of Gould's supposed nine-million-word magnum opus, pondering the durability of written language and its ability to convey the ineffable aspects of existence.
Exploring Art and the Artist in Narrative Form
Levine extends his exploration of language and meaning to the broader realm of art and the artist's role. Through narrative poems based on the lives of musicians, artists, and novelists, Levine examines the profound connection between creator and creation. These stories, rich with detail and resonance, convey the struggle of artists to translate their world into enduring works of art.
In "The Unknowable," Levine pays tribute to the legendary jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins, capturing the musicality and mystery of Rollins's creative process....
(This entire section contains 901 words.)
Unlock this Study Guide Now
Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in here.
The poem’s rhythmic cadence mirrors the improvisational nature of jazz, embodying the transcendence and beauty that art can achieve.
Esther Levine’s Journey and the Essence of Mercy
The collection's title poem, "The Mercy," dedicated to Esther Levine, encapsulates the harrowing yet hopeful journey of a young immigrant girl. At nine years old, Esther traversed the Atlantic, enduring the perils of a smallpox quarantine and the isolation of an unfamiliar language. Her story, painted with the clarity and compassion that define Levine's work, transcends personal history, embodying the resilience and adaptability of countless immigrants who came before her.
The image of Esther savoring a gifted orange symbolizes the nourishment of newfound mercy—a sustenance that she carries with her throughout her life. This profound moment, both personal and universal, highlights the transformative power of small acts of kindness amidst adversity.
A Tribute to Resilience and Memory
Levine’s poems in The Mercy are characterized by their narrative strength and emotional depth. They serve as a testament to the enduring spirit of the working class and the immigrant community, offering poignant reminders of the struggles and sacrifices that have shaped their collective identity. Levine's ability to weave personal and historical narratives into a cohesive tapestry invites readers to reflect on the complexities of survival and the quest for justice.
By focusing on the untold stories of everyday people, Levine presents a vivid portrait of the past, urging contemporary readers to remain mindful of the enduring impact of history. In doing so, The Mercy not only honors the resilience of those who came before, but also challenges us to address the inequities that persist today.
Sources for Further Study
The Atlantic Monthly 283 (April, 1999): 108.
Booklist 95 (March 15, 1999): 1278.
Library Journal 124 (March 15, 1999): 83.
The New York Times Book Review 104 (April 18, 1999): 26.
The Progressive 6 (August, 1999): 44.
Publishers Weekly 246 (January 25, 1999): 90.
Style and Technique
The poem "The Mercy" by Philip Levine employs simple yet powerful narrative techniques to paint a vivid picture of historical and personal significance. By weaving a story grounded in "true" events, Levine captures the journey of his mother aboard the ship named "The Mercy" to Ellis Island. This factual foundation not only preserves personal history but also invites readers to engage deeply with the universal themes of memory and mercy.
Tonal Simplicity and Conversational Ease
The poem’s tone is both straightforward and conversational, reminiscent of Robert Frost's style. Levine’s voice is designed to resonate with everyday readers, fostering trust and accessibility. The simplicity of the tone does not diminish the depth of the story; rather, it enhances the poem's ability to delve into various tangential narratives that enrich the central theme. An early passage, starting with line 9, illustrates this approach:
A long autumn voyage, the days darkening with the black waters calming as night came on, then nothing as far as her eyes could see and space without limit rushing off to the corners of creation.
This passage exemplifies how Levine breathes life into his mother's memories, depicting her experience vividly and evoking the emotional and physical isolation she endured during her journey.
Temporal and Narrative Shifts
One of Levine's notable technical achievements in "The Mercy" is his fluid use of tense and perspective. Initially, the poem begins in the past tense, capturing the historic voyage. However, it transitions into the present in line 3: "She remembers trying to eat a banana." This shift creates immediacy, emphasizing the necessity of memory as a key theme. Memory acts as a bridge, connecting past experiences to present understanding and offering a path to mercy.
In the poem’s concluding lines, Levine again plays with time, muddying the lines between past and present: "There a story ends. Other ships/ arrived, the list goes on for pages, November gives/ way to winter, the sea pounds this alien shore." The story of immigration continues, yet it is seamlessly interwoven with the intimate moment of his mother eating an orange, a memory so vivid it feels present: "She learns that mercy is something you can eat/.you can wipe it away with the back/ of your hands and you can never get enough."
Addressing Identity and Universal Themes
Throughout "The Mercy," Levine adeptly addresses multiple audiences—his mother, himself, and the readers. This multifaceted approach ensures the poem transcends personal narrative, achieving a universal resonance. Instead of focusing solely on his own experiences, Levine uses historical facts and symbols to broaden the poem's appeal and imbue it with utilitarian purpose.
The poem’s effectiveness lies in its ability to provoke thought and reflection on the reader's part. By encouraging an examination of memory, Levine suggests that understanding and mercy can be extended beyond personal experiences to a more universal plane. In "The Mercy," Levine invites readers to explore their own memories, urging them to seek and offer mercy as a fundamental part of the human experience.
