"The Emperor of ice cream” was published in Wallace Steven’s first collection of Poetry “Harmonium” in 1922. According to Paul Mariani, Steven’s biographer, this is one of the personal favourite poems of the poet.
The title of
the poem may appear quite strange and incongruous. Wallace Stevens like a
ringmaster performs feats with unusual word combinations. The poem has two
stanzas which depict two different aspects of our life. The poet sets up a
contrast between earthly pleasures and death, between appearance and stark
reality. The first part describes the earthly pleasures, routine pleasures and
activities. An unseen character orders a muscular person who rolls cigars to
whip ice cream and curds in kitchen cups. The roller of big cigars and ice
cream cups represent earthly pleasures. The words “muscular” and “concupiscent”
(lustful) suggest sensual aspects of life. The sentence “Let the wenches dawdle
in such dress as they are used to wear” suggest the drab aspect and disillusionment
of reality in spite of its sensual pleasures. The word “wenches” again suggests
something cheap and sensual. The sentence “Let the boys bring flowers in the
last month’s newspapers” again suggest the transient nature of earthly
pleasures just like newspapers which have become useful only as wrapping
covers. The ambiguous line “Let be be the finale of seem” refers to the end of
appearances rather than things that are actually are.
All our earthly activities are like scenes in a play. They are fleeting experiences without any solid existence. The image of “Ice cream” represents the dual aspect of our existence. It is very tasty and pleasant but at the same time it melts away gradually just like our lives. The coldness also suggests the finality of dissolution and death. “The only emperor is the emperor of the ice cream” suggests the almighty controlling power of Time which changes everything. The cold ice cream also suggests the impending death and dissolution. In this part of the poem the poet describes the festive celebration of death observed in some Canadian or red Indian American tribes at the time of a person’s death.
The second
part of the poem portrays the gloomy scene of a dead woman wrapped in a shroud.
The shroud was previously embroidered with flowers by the dead woman The
cupboard (“the dresser of deal lacking the three glass knobs”) with three knobs
missing the kitchen cups and the cheap
dress worn by girls suggest the poor background of the dead woman. Her horny
protruding feet indicate her hard life and stark reality which triumphs over
illusory and gaudy appearances. “Let the lamp affix its beam” reiterates this
fact that reality cannot be hidden and one should clearly see and accept one’s
own destiny or real condition. The line “The only emperor is the emperor of ice
cream” is reiterated to emphasize the controlling power of time. The mysterious
person who gives orders to others reveals the dual aspect of dynamic life (embodied
in the symbol of melting ice cream, flowers and burning cigars) and static
death both of which are inseparable parts of our lives.
Stevens uses striking, original imagery with profound meaning and symbolic significance. The tone is quite impersonal and balanced without any passionate effusion. The style is quite simple with smooth, flowing rhythm. Though it is written in free verse the lines are quite balanced and musical as the poet used rhetorical devices like alliteration (concupiscent curds), assonance (Let be be finale of seem). The poet portrays the earthly joys of life though they are transient. The poet seems to give equal importance to earthly pleasures of life and ultimate reality as he believes that “A poem should stimulate the sense of living and be of being alive.”
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11th January, 2021 Somaseshu Gutala
Interesting,good one 👍
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