Title: Doesn’t make sense without any background information, however once we find out that David Brewster invented the kaleidoscope, it provides much needed context for the poem.
Paraphrase: The speaker begins by describing a tube that “you” image peering down to find “colored-glass debris”. He then goes on to describe an illusionary rose which the kaleidoscope creates, morphs, and eventually destroys. He then goes on to describe the “jumble[d]” colors and the “gaudy” images and eventually compares them to celestial images. The poem finally concludes with the final conclusion that the images in a kaleidoscope provide a euphoric, almost unreal glimpse of “hope”.
Devices:
- Structure - The first, obvious device in the poem’s structure is its kaleidoscope shape which enhances the poem’s playful tone and provides an almost tangible element to the ephemeral images.
- Diction - Probably the most important device in the poem as it allows Wilbur to contrast the heavenly images that the kaleidoscope produces with the harsh, very worldly object of the kaleidoscope itself. Very lofty, elevated diction - ironic for being a cheap child’s toy.
- Imagery - Continues the theme first started with his use of diction, imagery is used to contrast the celestial and spiritual to the earthly and scientific.
- Rhyme - Strong ABA rhyme scheme with three line stanzas, very formal, and consistent with Wilbur’s style which is often compared to Theodore Roethke and William Wordsworth despite being a prominent poet during the time of the Beats.
- Meter - Shifts between very strict, consistent meter, and broken, chaotic, jumbled meter. Reflects the distortions and shifts of a kaleidoscope.
Attitude: A very reflective tone, like one would expect from a person looking into a kaleidoscope. Very awestruck, wondering tone with the beautiful, religious images created by the kaleidoscope while at the same time recognizing the elusive, transient nature of the images. Also, much more down-to-earth, if not scornful, attitude toward the kaleidoscope and the components that make it up.
Shifts: Multiple shifts in the poem such as when the “glass-colored debris” yields a “pied rose”. Also seen when the “corruscating Flinders” end up “Fashioning once more/ a fine sixfold gaudiness” which then goes on to be compared to “Heaven’s joys”.Final shift before the last stanza as the speaker connects the kaleidoscope to hope on earth.
Title: At first, all the title seems to provide is context, however after reading through the poem it becomes apparent that it is more meaningful. By bringing in Sir David Brewster, who is a fairly well known scientist, and the word “toy”, Wilbur connects science to a childish fun. Furthermore, by including the “Sir”, he keeps with the motif of the elevated diction as if to reflect the transformative, almost magical nature of the kaleidoscope.
Theme/Total Meaning: In one sense, the poem can be interpreted as a reflection on the experience of looking through a kaleidoscope (which could reasonably be extrapolated to other life-altering or enlightening experiences). In this sense, the kaleidoscope is a mystical, magical experience that occurred at the intersection of science and imagination. Thus, imagination and childish idealism were able to take mundane, ordinary “debris” and “flinders” and transform them into a looking glass into a world in which even the light is “paraphrase[d]”. However, while this is an acceptable analysis it is also hard to ignore the spiritual elements and Wilbur’s own Episcopalian faith. With this in mind, it is important to recognize words and phrases with religious connotations such as “colored-glass”, “cathedral’s wall”, “prophets”, and “Heaven’s joys”. Thus, when we look at it in this sense the “exercise in hope” becomes much more important as the “magic” from the kaleidoscope acts a glimmer of heavenly hope that shines into our own broken world.
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