River God
by Stevie Smith
Now, let’s focus on River God
• Have you ever heard the expression ‘Still waters run deep’?
• It’s sometimes used to describe someone who, like a river,
has a calm appearance that hides deep and dangerous
undercurrents. The River God in the poem seems to
represent this idea – he is the dangerous spirit of the river
that lies hidden beneath its surface.
• The poem is a dramatic monologue: the poet uses the first
person (I) but takes on the persona (role) of a character and
uses the voice of this character in the poem. The poet, Stevie
Smith, is taking on the persona of the River God, and using
his voice to ‘speak’ the poem and reveal some of the river’s
secrets.
Evocative of pagan mythology and
superstition (pre-Christianity) –
emphasises power. Power of nature.
Lord or controller of humans
River God
First person – like a dramatic monologue –
personification of river . One stanza – unity,
flow
Structure – varied line lengths to reflect the
varied flow of the river. Look at it sideways it
looks like waves. Lots of enjambment - flow
Four adjectives with unattractive connotations
Is a
benevolent
God to the rest
of the natural
world
I may be smelly and I may be old,
Rough in my pebbles, reedy in my pools,
But where my fish float by I bless their swimming
And I like the people to bathe in me, especially women.
But I can drown the fools
Who bathe too close to the weir, contrary to rules. The river also
Pun on the phrase
‘rough and ready’?
Vindictive, lurking,
creeping tone – takes
pleasure in the killing
(sadistic)
has a sense of
autonomy and
certainty in its
ability (and a
preference for
women!)to
drown these
women.
Eccentric and whimsical yet
destructive, sadictic and
spiteful
Rhyme links the words in a
sinister contrast – the river takes
pleasure in playing with its
victims
And they take a long time drowning
As I throw them up now and then in the spirit of
clowning.
Hi yih, yippity-yap, merrily I flow,
O I may be an old foul river but I have plenty of go.
Fairytale – like opening to a story /
anecdote
Sinister environment –
sets up what happens
next
Once there was a lady who was too bold
She bathed in me by the tall black cliff where the
water runs cold,
So I brought her down here
Allusion to hell (the underworld) and
To be my beautiful dear.
Hades. Sacrificial act to the God?
The river also in the sense of time
frequently symbolizes the impermanence
of things.
Repetition of the word
‘beautiful’ might imply that
the river has a simple world
view or lower intelligence
Oh will she stay with me will she stay
This beautiful lady, or will she go away?
She lies in my beautiful deep river bed with
many a weed
To hold her, and many a waving reed.
Links to Duchess and
Medusa – how?
Sinister pun on the word ‘bed’ –
refers to the euphemisms we
use to describe death as
sleeping
Connotations of the face being
weathered by rocks
Oh who would guess what a beautiful white face lies
there
Waiting for me to smooth and wash away the fear
She looks at me with. Hi yih, do not let her
Go. There is no one on earth who does not forget her
Now. They say I am a foolish old smelly river
But they do not know of my wide original bed
Where the lady waits, with her golden sleepy head.
If she wishes to go I will not forgive her.
Connotes princesses from fairy
tales – Sleeping Beauty?
Discussion…
Below are four different interpretations of the poem. Which do you agree with
most and why? Are there any comments that you disagree with? Why? Do
you have your own interpretation of the poem which is different from any of the
thoughts below?
1.
The River God is telling humans that while we may think that he is just a
smelly, old river he is actually a powerful force – watch out!
2.
It’s clear that the River God is lonely and misunderstood. He is punishing
the people who do not respect him and reminding us that while we may
dismiss him as smelly and old he has many good qualities. Perhaps we
should feel sorry for him.
3.
This is a love poem; the River God has fallen in love with a human. The
River God reminds us that while all of us have forgotten the beautiful lady
(we’re only human and don’t last very long after all!), he will never forget
her or forgive her if she leaves.
4.
The poem is showing us how we take aspects of nature for granted when
each part of it has its own inner life and secrets that we know nothing
about.
How is the River God presented in this poem?
In pairs, choose four adjectives from the list below which you
think best describe the speaker of this poem.
Are there any that you think don’t apply at all?
Playful
Lonely
Friendly
Humorous
Argumentative
Dangerous
Apologetic
Boastful
Threatening
Cruel
Powerful
Secretive
Misunderstood
Sad
Now join with another pair and compare your choices. In your
group of four, decide which two of the four adjectives you
think are most useful in describing the River God and
then choose a line or two from the poem which you feel
best demonstrate these characteristics.