Literary Analysis - ON LOVE - Marriage by Kahlil Gibran PDF

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Cuanan, Julyca M. LITERARY CRITISM BSED English 3 ON LOVE - MARRIAGE by Kahlil Gibran

Poem Per Line Then Almitra spoke again and said, "And what of Marriage, master?" And he answered saying: You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.

You shall be together when white wings of death scatter your days. Aye, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.

But let there be spaces in your togetherness,

And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.

Love one another but make not a bond of love:

Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.

Explication/Analysis The speaker in the poem is using a third person Point of View (POV). Almitra, in the poem, asked his “master” the meaning of marriage. The master repeated the word, “together” in this line to emphasize that two persons vowing for a marriage shall always be bounded with love and should stay hand in hand in everything forevermore. “white wings of death scatter your days” insinuates that no danger, even death, could separate two married people. In this line, the speaker implies that marriage shall keep two people together even when God seems to be distant on them; that the love arose shall be bigger than the doubts and struggles that may come along their way. “Spaces” in this line insinuates that marriage is not a matter of whom dominates who, or whom possesses who. Marriage shall not imprison, control or confine one another, or try to take away one’s individuality. Rather, marriage shall have the space for individual growth. This line infers that when two people have both the space and togetherness in their marriage, they will have the guidance of the “winds of the heavens” in between them. The master, in this line, implies that they should love one another, but there should be no bond of love to be created. Because a bond, no matter how strong, is meant to be broken or weaken. The master perhaps implies that any external bond, even a bond of love, might be a source of discontentment in the marriage. Thus, married people shall let go of this ‘bond’, rather only try to love one another. This line implies that when freedom and spaces is formed in a marriage, then both the married people will feel more alive because no bond is holding them. The “moving sea between the shores of the souls” symbolizes the joy and love that flows freely in them, the sea that always

Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.

Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf. Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone, Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.

For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts. And stand together, yet not too near together:

For the pillars of the temple stand apart, And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.

CONCLUSION

leads their way towards each other. In this whole line, the master is trying to say that marriage is not supposed to be selfish. Marriage shall not only fill his/her own cup but also that of the other. This line also symbolizes the giving and taking in a relationship, that the things the one have shall also be shared with the other, and vice versa. The “space” aforementioned can also be applied in this line. It is important for married couple to have the space to breathe and to think and analyze things on their own. This line talks about both the individuality and togetherness. Married couple can give each other space while still thinking and acting as one. It is not necessary for one to always be in the company of the other in order to make the same music. The master demonstrates in this line that the love formed in the marriage shall not possess one another. Love should not control and should not be jealous. The “hand of Life”, since letter L is capitalized, insinuates that God is only the One that owns one’s heart, not a husband or a wife. In this line, the master implies that married couple should stand together but not at the expense of each other’s individuality and freedom. The pillars and temples used in this line demonstrates that two married people can have the freedom and still build the relationship. The oak tree and the cypress are the imagery used in this line and they both emphasizes that there is fast and swift growth that can arise when two married people is not in one another’s shadow. There is a kind of growth that will arise when one’s individuality and independence is not compromised in a relationship. This poem written by Kahlil Gibran has the theme that centers around the idea of marriage. Symbolism, repetitive words, metaphors, and imagery were used to emphasize ideas and meanings of the theme. The overall lesson of this poem represents a kind of love that is freeing and a kind of love that advocates for independence. Marriage, despite togetherness, should provide the space to move, to dream, to grow, and to love. In conclusion, marriage is suppose to allow for individual growth, otherwise, it will fail and will

not last....