In the Crowd by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
The poem explores the idea that individuals are often lost in the crowd and struggle to maintain their individuality amidst the masses. It highlights the tension between conformity and nonconformity, with the speaker yearning for freedom of thought and action. The poem also touches on the theme of loneliness, suggesting that even in a crowded space, one can feel utterly alone.
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox · First published 1886 · Genre: Poetry, Psychological, Social Commentary · 440 words
First lines
How happy they are, in all seeming, / How gay, or how smilingly proud, / How brightly their faces are beaming, / These people who make up the crowd! / How they bow, how they bend, how they flutter, / How they look at each other and smile, / How they glow, and what _bon mots_ they utter! / But a strange thought has found me the while!
It is odd, but I stand here and fancy / These people who now play a part, / All forced by some strange necromancy / To speak, and to act, from the heart. / What a hush would come over the laughter! / What a silence would fall on the mirth! / And then what a wail would sweep after, / As the night-wind sweeps over the earth!
What this Textopian page supports
In the Crowd is listed on Textopian as a poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, dated 1886 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Date: 1886 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Psychological, Social Commentary, Philosophical, Drama
- Length: 440 words
- Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for In the Crowd by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Genres
- Poetry — The text is structured in verse and employs poetic devices such as rhyme and meter.
- Psychological — The themes explore the hidden emotions and inner lives of individuals within a crowd.
- Social Commentary — The work critiques societal norms and the facade people maintain in public.
- Philosophical — The poem delves into existential questions about authenticity and human behavior.
Tags
Poetry · Philosophy · Psychology · Human Nature · Society · Crowd Psychology · Individuality · Conformity · Free Will · Social Pressure · Anonymity · Urban Life