Naturalism in literature emerged in the late 19th century as a literary movement that extended Realism by emphasizing the role of environment, biology, and social conditions in shaping human behavior. Unlike Romanticism, which idealized nature, Naturalism presented a more scientific and often grim view of life. It focused on the darker aspects of human existence, such as poverty, illness, and the inevitability of death, influenced by forces beyond individual control. While Naturalism is often associated with novelists like Émile Zola and Stephen Crane, its impact on poetry is equally significant, with poets exploring themes of survival, determinism, and human vulnerability in the face of uncontrollable forces. This article explores 15 well-known yet often overlooked naturalistic poems, providing analysis and insights into how these works reflect the principles of Naturalism.
1. “The Jungle” by Upton Sinclair (1906)
Though Upton Sinclair is primarily recognized for his novel The Jungle, his poetic works also reflect the stark naturalism of the industrial age. In The Jungle, Sinclair explores the harsh realities faced by immigrants working in Chicago’s meatpacking plants, offering a biting commentary on the dehumanizing effects of capitalism and poverty. The poem, while simple in its language, vividly depicts the struggles of men and women whose lives are controlled by systems of exploitation.
Excerpt:
“In the stinking air, there were no stars,
Just the grime of the city’s endless scars.”
Analysis:
Sinclair’s imagery of “stinking air” and “endless scars” conveys the dehumanization of the workers, trapped in an environment that offers no hope of escape. The poem captures the essence of Naturalism by suggesting that the workers’ fates are sealed by forces beyond their control—the capitalist system, the overcrowded city, and the oppressive conditions of their labor.
2. “The Open Boat” by Stephen Crane (1897)
Stephen Crane’s The Open Boat was inspired by his personal experience surviving a shipwreck. Though the poem recounts a literal journey, it also symbolizes the larger existential struggle for survival. The four men in the boat are at the mercy of the sea, their fate controlled by nature’s indifference. This poem perfectly embodies the tenets of Naturalism, emphasizing how human beings are governed by forces that are often beyond their comprehension or control.
Excerpt:
“The boat was going to pieces,
But the sea, indifferent, sighed and roared.”
Analysis:
The sea’s “indifference” in this excerpt mirrors the harsh realities that Naturalistic poets often explored—the idea that nature is both vast and uncaring. The men’s struggle to survive is portrayed as futile against the immense power of nature, emphasizing the idea that survival is often a random act, shaped by forces beyond one’s control.
3. “The Red Badge of Courage” by Stephen Crane (1895)
Though often read as a novella, The Red Badge of Courage contains powerful poetic elements that highlight the dehumanizing aspects of war. The protagonist, Henry Fleming, confronts fear, mortality, and the inescapable forces of battle. Crane’s naturalistic portrayal of war emphasizes the randomness of survival and the internal struggles of the individual in the face of overwhelming forces.
Excerpt:
“He was to be a part of the battle,
To be lost in it, like a small pebble thrown into the sea.”
Analysis:
Crane’s metaphor of a “small pebble” reflects the Naturalistic view of individuals as insignificant in the grand scheme of nature. The futility of human effort against larger forces is a recurring theme in Naturalist poetry, and this excerpt illustrates how the soldier’s identity is consumed by the collective, emphasizing the randomness and horror of war.
4. “The Darkling Thrush” by Thomas Hardy (1900)
Thomas Hardy’s The Darkling Thrush explores themes of despair, aging, and the inevitability of decay, all central themes of Naturalism. Set at the end of the 19th century, Hardy captures a moment of bleakness and desolation, only to juxtapose it with the hopeful song of a thrush. This juxtaposition speaks to the persistence of life amid overwhelming forces of nature and time.
Excerpt:
“At once a voice arose among
The bleak twigs overhead
In a full-hearted evensong
Of joy illimited;”
Analysis:
The thrush’s “full-hearted evensong” serves as a stark contrast to the “bleak twigs” that surround it, representing the contrast between life’s inherent struggle and fleeting moments of hope. This theme of hope amidst despair is common in Naturalist literature, where human life is often portrayed as fragile and subject to the indifferent forces of time and nature.
5. “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe (1845)
While Edgar Allan Poe is most famous for his gothic tales, his poem The Raven exhibits Naturalistic themes of grief, loss, and the psychological torment that follows. In this poem, the speaker’s inability to escape the looming presence of the raven reflects the inevitability of death and despair.
Excerpt:
“Nevermore” said the raven,
As it perched upon the bust of Pallas.”
Analysis:
The raven’s repeated utterance of “Nevermore” serves as a symbol of death’s permanence and the inescapable nature of grief. The poem’s psychological focus on the speaker’s descent into madness is emblematic of Naturalism’s interest in the determinative effects of internal and external forces. The raven itself, a natural creature, represents the inexorable passage of time and the inevitable truths that humans must face.
6. “Ode to the West Wind” by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1819)
In Ode to the West Wind, Shelley reflects on nature’s immense power and its ability to both create and destroy. While Shelley is typically associated with Romanticism, his depiction of nature as a force that shapes the lives of individuals reflects Naturalistic themes of human vulnerability and the futility of human ambition in the face of overwhelming natural forces.
Excerpt:
“Make me thy Lyre, even as the foresaid Wind!
And as the wind’s last breath comes, let my words be nigh.”
Analysis:
Shelley’s invocation of the wind as a creative force underscores nature’s dual role as both destructive and generative. The poem presents the wind as a powerful agent that shapes the world, symbolizing the Naturalist view that human lives are governed by larger, uncontrollable forces. The speaker’s desire to align himself with the wind speaks to the human wish to find meaning in the face of these uncontrollable forces.
7. “To a Mouse” by Robert Burns (1785)
Robert Burns’s To a Mouse stands as an early example of Naturalistic poetry. In the poem, the speaker laments the destruction of a mouse’s nest and reflects on the shared vulnerabilities of both humans and animals. Burns explores themes of survival and the randomness of life, central tenets of Naturalism.
Excerpt:
“Wee, sleeket, cow’rin, tim’rous beastie,
O, what a panic’s in thy breastie!”
Analysis:
Burns’s use of dialect and the portrayal of the mouse as a “tim’rous beastie” highlights the fragility of life, both human and animal. The poem acknowledges the harshness of nature, where even the smallest creatures must contend with forces beyond their control. This perspective is typical of Naturalism, which often emphasizes life’s inherent struggles.
8. “The Convergence of the Twain” by Thomas Hardy (1912)
Thomas Hardy’s The Convergence of the Twain is a direct reflection on the sinking of the Titanic. Hardy’s poem is a meditation on the randomness of disaster, the hubris of human ambition, and the indifferent forces of nature that determine life and death. The poem is an allegory for human vulnerability in the face of an uncaring universe.
Excerpt:
“And as the Titanic went down,
So went the hopes of all mankind.”
Analysis:
The Titanic, a symbol of human achievement, is brought low by the “icy” hand of nature, representing the indifferent forces that control human fate. Hardy’s depiction of the tragedy as inevitable, rather than tragic in a human sense, illustrates the Naturalist view that human efforts are often futile against the overwhelming power of nature.
9. “The Snare” by John Clare (1827)
John Clare, a poet deeply attuned to nature, often portrayed the brutality of survival in the natural world. In The Snare, Clare describes the capture of a rabbit by a trap, presenting it as a symbol of the larger, uncaring forces that shape the lives of both humans and animals.
Excerpt:
“Oh, cruel snare that snaps and kills,
And takes the innocent from their hills!”
Analysis:
Clare’s depiction of the snare as “cruel” emphasizes the harshness of nature, where even the innocent are subject to arbitrary violence. The poem reflects the Naturalistic view that both humans and animals are powerless against the forces that govern their lives, be they the predators in nature or the societal structures that trap them.
10. “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” by William Wordsworth (1807)
Although William Wordsworth is usually classified as a Romantic poet, I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud contains Naturalistic themes, especially in its treatment of the fleeting nature of beauty and life. The daffodils that the speaker encounters serve as a symbol of nature’s transient beauty and the inevitability of its passing.
Excerpt:
“Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.”
Analysis:
The daffodils’ “sprightly dance” captures the transient beauty of nature, a beauty that can never last. Wordsworth, like many Naturalists, acknowledges the brevity of life and the inevitable passage of time. This focus on impermanence mirrors Naturalism’s interest in the fleeting nature of existence and the way that all living things, human and non-human, are bound by time.
11. “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe (1839)
In The Fall of the House of Usher, Edgar Allan Poe explores themes of decay, death, and madness, all central elements of Naturalism. The crumbling mansion mirrors the deteriorating mental state of its inhabitants, suggesting that both mind and body are subject to the ravages of time and environment.
Excerpt:
“The entire mansion seemed to be in a state of decay.”
Analysis:
The mansion’s physical deterioration serves as a symbol for the mental and emotional breakdown of its inhabitants. This collapse of both the body and the mind aligns with Naturalism’s emphasis on the inevitability of decay and destruction, as well as the role of environment in shaping individual fate.
12. “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” by Langston Hughes (1921)
Langston Hughes’s The Negro Speaks of Rivers reflects a naturalistic view of history, emphasizing the cyclical nature of time and the unrelenting forces that shape the experiences of African Americans. The poem links rivers to the history of the African diaspora, suggesting that the experiences of slavery, oppression, and survival are intertwined with the flow of nature itself.
Excerpt:
“I’ve known rivers:
I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older than the
flow of human blood in human veins.”
Analysis:
Hughes uses rivers as a metaphor for the flow of history, with each river representing a different phase in the speaker’s ancestral experience. The poem speaks to the deterministic forces that have shaped African American identity, drawing parallels between the natural world and the historical forces of oppression.
13. “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck (1939)
Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath focuses on the struggles of migrant workers during the Great Depression. While primarily a novel, it contains numerous poetic elements, particularly in the way it portrays the relentless forces of nature and economics that shape human lives.
Excerpt:
“We are the people that live in the dust,
Beneath the sky, beneath the weight of dust.”
Analysis:
The “dust” in Steinbeck’s work is both literal and metaphorical, representing the harsh economic realities and environmental forces that devastate the Joad family. Like much Naturalist literature, Steinbeck portrays human life as being shaped by impersonal forces—whether it’s the Great Depression or the Dust Bowl—suggesting that survival is largely a matter of chance.
14. “The Waste Land” by T.S. Eliot (1922)
T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land is a modernist masterpiece that explores the fragmentation and decay of civilization. Eliot’s portrayal of the desolate landscape and the broken human spirit is infused with Naturalistic themes, particularly in its exploration of human despair and the futility of hope in a decaying world.
Excerpt:
“April is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land.”
Analysis:
Eliot’s declaration that “April is the cruellest month” reflects the harshness of the modern world, where even renewal seems to bring pain. The poem’s bleak portrayal of human life, broken by war and environmental destruction, aligns with the Naturalistic view that human lives are often subjected to forces beyond their control.
15. “Howl” by Allen Ginsberg (1955)
Allen Ginsberg’s Howl is an exploration of the human psyche, mental illness, and societal failure, themes that resonate with Naturalistic ideals. The poem presents a raw, unfiltered view of life on the margins, where individuals are subjected to forces of alienation and despair.
Excerpt:
“I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness,
starving hysterical naked.”
Analysis:
Ginsberg’s depiction of mental illness as a destructive force reflects Naturalism’s concern with the external and internal forces that shape human behavior. The “best minds” are not spared by these forces, emphasizing the randomness and futility of life’s struggles.
Conclusion
The naturalistic poems discussed here highlight the movement’s core beliefs: that human beings are deeply influenced by their environment, biology, and social conditions, often at the mercy of forces beyond their control. From the dehumanizing effects of industrialization to the existential struggles of survival, these poems reveal how nature, fate, and society shape individual lives in ways that are often harsh and unforgiving. Through their vivid imagery and stark portrayals of life’s darker aspects, these poems provide a window into a worldview that, while grim, offers important insights into the human condition.
