And Must I Then

Name: And Must I Then
Author: Edna St. Vincent Millay

The poem explores the complex relationship between the speaker and pain, personified as a constant companion throughout life. The speaker grapples with the inevitability of living alongside pain, expressing a sense of resignation and acceptance. The imagery of sharing intimate aspects of life, such as fire and bed, emphasizes the inescapable nature of this relationship. The speaker acknowledges the burdens imposed by pain, which disrupts peace and complicates simple tasks. Despite recognizing pain as an uninvited guest, the speaker also understands that pain is intertwined with existence, suggesting that one cannot fully live without acknowledging its presence. The tone oscillates between bitterness and acceptance, revealing a struggle to reconcile with the reality of suffering. Ultimately, the speaker concludes that pain will accompany them until death, indicating a shared fate. The poem reflects on the duality of life, where joy and suffering coexist, and the speaker's reluctant acceptance of this truth. The final lines convey a sense of forgiveness, albeit with reservations, highlighting the complexity of the relationship between the self and pain.

By Edna St. Vincent Millay · First published 1920 · Genre: Poetry, Existentialism, Romanticism · 165 words

First lines

And must I then, indeed, Pain, live with you

All through my life? -sharing my fire, my bed, Sharing-oh, worst of all things! -the same head? -

And, when I feed myself, feeding you, too? So be it, then, if what seems true, is true:

Let us to dinner, comrade, and be fed; - I cannot die till you yourself are dead, And, with you living, I can live life through. Yet have you done me harm, ungracious guest, Spying upon my ardent offices

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And Must I Then is listed on Textopian as a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay, dated 1920 CE.

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Work type: Poem
Author: Edna St. Vincent Millay
Date: 1920 CE
Language: English
Genres: Poetry, Existentialism, Romanticism, Modernism, Confessional Poetry
Length: 165 words
Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

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Genres

Poetry — The work is a poem that explores deep emotional themes and uses structured verse.
Existentialism — The poem grapples with themes of existence, pain, and the human condition.
Romanticism — The emotional intensity and personal reflection align with Romantic literary themes.
Modernism — The poem's introspective nature and focus on individual experience reflect modernist characteristics.