Arthur Rimbaud was born in Charleville, France, on October 20, 1854. He was raised by an authoritarian mother who would often punish and discipline …show more content…
The majority of peers whom I surveyed about this poem claimed it made them uncomfortable. When asked why, they described how the details of the sisters’ long fingernails, and the death of the lice, grossed them out and made them feel as though the boy was being harmed or disturbed in some manner. Rimbaud’s use of this imagery may stem from his disturbed childhood and life in general.
However, upon further analysis, a simpler and much more pleasant scene can be discovered. Consequently, euphonious words such as “rosy plant honey” and “delirium” are used to detail the euphoric atmosphere. These melodious phrases are more commonly associated with visual and olfactory senses, whereas the poem’s unpleasant phrases use auditory and physical touch imagery.
Words such “delirium” provide a contrast in the tone of the poem. The sound of the word is euphonious, but its meaning changes the way it can be viewed. According to Merriam-Webster, delirium is defined by “an acute mental disturbance characterized by confused thinking and disrupted attention.” When juxtaposed with Rimbaud’s earlier use of “indolence,” meaning “inclination to laziness” (Merriam-Webster) in the poem, the two words clash, providing a surreal, dreamlike