In the introduction to his book Museum of Words, James Heffernan discusses and contrasts a few possible definitions for ekphrastic literature. Ekphrasis is most generally thought of as “the literary representation of visual art” (1), but after considering what multiple other scholars have said about this concept and genre of literature, Heffernan proposes his own definition “simple in form but complex in its implications: ekphrasis is the verbal representation of visual representation” (3). He continues the exposition by bringing in the difference between narration and description, claiming that ekphrasis can never be purely one of these two modes, but rather that “because it verbally represents visual art, ekphrasis stages a contest between
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In particular, this poem is dedicated to Weigl’s wife, and it’s his attempt at explaining to her the trauma left in him after he fought in the Vietnam war, how he is trying and failing to live in the present, to enjoy life, to control the haunting memories and images of horror. One of the reasons this poem is interesting is because it doesn’t have an accompanying physical work of art, but instead uses the veteran’s memories as the visual representation, thus allowing us to answer some of the above questions about the capabilities and limits of …show more content…
This is what the poet is trying to explain to his wife when he says that “nothing can change that; she is burned behind my eyes and not your good love and not the rain swept air and not the jungle green pasture unfolding before us can deny it.” His wife cannot help him in this battle, and though the storm is over and the “rain swept air” is clear, he cannot ignore the atrocity and horror he experienced during the war. With his closing image, the poet describes the pasture as “jungle green”, reminding us that nothing has changed or will change by referencing the opening scene. In closing this loop, he asserts the inalterability of his truth; that he still sees the burning landscape of Vietnam in the harmless and peaceful surroundings of his safe house, that he will never be able to escape his
In particular, this poem is dedicated to Weigl’s wife, and it’s his attempt at explaining to her the trauma left in him after he fought in the Vietnam war, how he is trying and failing to live in the present, to enjoy life, to control the haunting memories and images of horror. One of the reasons this poem is interesting is because it doesn’t have an accompanying physical work of art, but instead uses the veteran’s memories as the visual representation, thus allowing us to answer some of the above questions about the capabilities and limits of …show more content…
This is what the poet is trying to explain to his wife when he says that “nothing can change that; she is burned behind my eyes and not your good love and not the rain swept air and not the jungle green pasture unfolding before us can deny it.” His wife cannot help him in this battle, and though the storm is over and the “rain swept air” is clear, he cannot ignore the atrocity and horror he experienced during the war. With his closing image, the poet describes the pasture as “jungle green”, reminding us that nothing has changed or will change by referencing the opening scene. In closing this loop, he asserts the inalterability of his truth; that he still sees the burning landscape of Vietnam in the harmless and peaceful surroundings of his safe house, that he will never be able to escape his