Anthony Hecht's poem, "‘More Light! More Light!’" serves as a poignant meditation on human cruelty and the perennial question of divine indifference. This work can be interpreted through multiple lenses—whether as a reflection on the Holocaust, an exploration of World War II, or a broader historical narrative. Hecht, a Jewish American who served in Europe during World War II, bore witness to the horrors of the concentration camps. His experiences and conversations with survivors left an indelible mark on his psyche, informing much of his poetry in The Hard Hours.

The volume's centerpiece, "Rites and Ceremonies," places the Holocaust within the broader context of humanity's dark history of hatred and persecution. Hecht weaves together scenes of concentration camps with historical instances of Jews being burned as scapegoats during the Black Death, illustrating an unsettling continuum from medieval stakes to modern ovens. This chilling juxtaposition underscores the persistence of human cruelty across centuries.

In the more intimate "It Out-Herods Herod. Pray You, Avoid It.," Hecht reflects on his own vulnerability as a father. Safe within the confines of suburbia, he contemplates a horrific reality where he might have been powerless to protect his children from the atrocities of the gas chambers. Through such personal and historical lenses, Hecht's work resonates deeply, compelling readers to confront the troubling persistence of inhumanity.

Irony weaves intricately through the theme of light in the poem “More Light! More Light!” Its title is borrowed from the poignant last words of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the eminent German poet. Goethe's plea is tragically ironic; a nation that birthed such cultural and intellectual luminaries also gave rise to the architects of horrifying atrocities during the Holocaust. In the poem, light symbolizes both divinity and the human spirit. Yet, under the shadow of the Holocaust, these lights are dimmed to near extinction. The hopeful "light from the shrine at Weimar" is conspicuously absent, and the "light in the blue Polish eye" is extinguished, replaced by the chilling image of "a black soot."

Anthony Hecht vividly captures the dual nature of light and darkness, reflecting on the grim ironies of history. Despite the noble ideals of the Enlightenment or the Age of Reason, which aspired to elevate human understanding and morality, humanity remains entrenched in its capacity for cruelty and destruction. Enlightenment's promise of reason and moral progress seems hollow in the face of systematic genocide. The era that prided itself on the advancements of human thought also perfected the machinery of death. "Much casual death had drained away their souls," Hecht writes, illustrating a world numbed by the mechanized lethality of modern warfare.

The poem does not shy away from critiquing historical hypocrisies, where those professing religious compassion could simultaneously exact brutal violence, as Christians did when burning their own at the stake while praying for their souls. The stark contrast between enlightenment ideals and the brutal reality of human actions underscores Hecht’s lament over the moral failures of his time. The mechanization of death, efficiently reducing life to ashes, raises a haunting question: As death becomes routine and impersonal, does life itself lose its intrinsic value? Through Hecht’s poetic lens, the Enlightenment's glorious light is overshadowed, exposing a darkened world where humanity’s advances in reason have not illuminated the darker recesses of the human condition.

Anthony Hecht stands out as a modern poet deeply captivated by the echoes of history. In his poem "‘More Light! More Light!’," he revisits ancient conflicts and enmities, revealing how these age-old adversities continue to manifest in contemporary settings. While many poets of his era favor free verse, Hecht is celebrated for his mastery of formal meter. His eloquent control of language harmonizes with the brutal themes he explores, suggesting that amidst pervasive cruelty and animosity, language serves as a refuge and a source of solace. Through his poetry, Hecht offers a poignant reflection on the persistence of human suffering across time, using his craft to illuminate the darkest aspects of our shared past and present.