The poem begins with the beginning of a voyage to sea. The speaker hopes for a peaceful start to his journey by saying, "And may there be no moaning of the bar" (ll. 3). I was somewhat confused on the "moaning of bar" but the foot note helped with the meaning. In the first stanza, I found it odd, that a journey would be began at nightfall instead of daybreak. I believe that whatever the mission, there was secrecy involved.
Rereading the poem again, I believe that it is a poem about death/dying. The reasoning behind this is the last line when the speaker wants to see is "pilot" which in my opinion referes to God. I relate back to my first impression of the poem, and understand that its a funeral of sort. When people die, they are cast into the sea and usually the ceremony is held at night, which would shed light on the journey beginning at sunset. Also to help prove this point, in the third stanza the speaker wishes that, "there be no sadness of farewell,/ When I embark" (ll. 11-12).
I contend that the speaker is dying these are his final wishes.
Tony,
ReplyDeleteGood post on wrestling with the meaning of Tennyson's poem. I think you are correct that this poem is supposed to be about death, and afterwards. Tennyson asked that it be placed last in any collection of his poems, as a way of indicating its focus on finality.