Helios by Hilda Doolittle (1925)
The poem explores the relationship between a woman and her lover, Helios, who represents the sun. The speaker describes their love as all-consuming and transformative, with Helios bringing light and warmth to her life. However, their love is also fraught with tension and conflict, as the speaker struggles with feelings of jealousy and possessiveness.
By Hilda Doolittle · First published 1925 · Genre: Poetry, Mythology, Modernism · 338 words
First lines
_Helios makes all things right: -- night brands and chokes as if destruction broke over furze and stone and crop of myrtle-shoot and field-wort, destroyed with flakes of iron, the bracken-stems, where tender roots were sown, blight, chaff and waste of darkness to choke and drown._
_A curious god to find, yet in the end faithful; bitter, the Kyprian's feet -- ah flecks of whited clay, great hero, vaunted lord -- ah petal, dust and wind-fall on the ground -- queen awaiting queen._
What this Textopian page supports
Helios is listed on Textopian as a poem by Hilda Doolittle, dated 1925 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Hilda Doolittle
- Date: 1925 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Mythology, Modernism, Symbolism
- Length: 338 words
- Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Helios by Hilda Doolittle
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Helios?
- How does this poem by Hilda Doolittle fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Poetry first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form, utilizing poetic devices such as imagery, metaphor, and symbolism.
- Mythology — The text references mythological figures and themes, such as Helios, Athene, and the Kyprian, indicating a strong mythological influence.
- Modernism — The style and themes reflect modernist characteristics, including a focus on fragmented narrative and exploration of complex emotions.
- Symbolism — The use of symbols, such as the helmet and orange-spray, conveys deeper meanings beyond the literal text.
Tags
Poetry · Modernism · Symbolism · Nature · Mythology · Greek Mythology · Cosmology · Astronomy · Sun · Light · Spirituality · Mysticism