Poem Review
Variation on Guilt by Rita Dove
When most people figure out their
first child is on their way, they are overjoyed with the prospect of being a
parent. Indeed, the birth of a child is one of the most blissful experiences of
one's life. Receiving love and congratulations from friends and family, most
parents throw big social gatherings to celebrate the great blessing of having a
baby. However, when Thomas becomes a
father, he is tormented by the great responsibilities that lie ahead of him
that restricts him from the opportunities he can pursue. In “Variation on
Guilt,” by Rita Dove, Dove connects the disparate kinds of guilt that boiled up
inside of Thomas with other soon-to-be fathers as he is waiting outside for his
baby.
Thomas is a “perfect bystander,” sitting
alone in the hospital room, waiting for his child, and being completely
helpless to his wife. While other husbands are nervously anticipating their
babies, Thomas feels victimized. He is “high / and dry with a scream caught /
in his throat,” with a strong temptation to scream and escape his situation. On
the other hand, when Thomas’s focus shifts to the “row of faces coddled / in
anxious pride,” the soon-to-be fathers who are just dying to see their babies,
he feels preposterous. This stark contrast between the emotions of Thomas and
other fathers helps Dove unpack the guilt Thomas is going through. When
Thomas’s wife finally births their baby, Dove establishes an image of Thomas
“deal(ing) the cigars, / spit(ing) out the bitter tip in tears,” displaying an
image of having no joy or motivation to parent a baby. Through these strong
emotions, Dove effectively conveys the guilt that Thomas experiences as he
patiently waits outside along with other husbands.
While waiting in the hospital room,
Thomas glances at the nurse as the "doors fly apart", realizing that
his baby is born. Instead of looking up to the nurse with gratitude, Thomas
looks upon the nurse with scorn and discontent. Dove depicts the nurse's facial
expression as "that smirk, that strut of a mountebank," thinking that
the evil nurse is deriding him when the nurse is simply smiling at him with joy
at the birth of his daughter. Nurses, who take care of people's health and prevent
patients from being sick, are commonly interpreted as attentive, caring, and
friendly. On the other hand, mountebanks are deceivers who commit fraudulent
acts that contrast with nurses. Thomas’s crude portrayal of the nurse as a
mountebank reflects upon his mood and his mindset, showing his disinclination
of having a daughter. To add on, Thomas is “weak with rage" as he
"deals the cigars / spits out the bitter tip in tears.” With the use of
this vivid imagery, Dove blatantly reveals Thomas’s anguish about having a
daughter instead of a son. Thomas, unlike many other parents, doesn’t have the
energy and will to raise his child. As Thomas realizes what he’s feeling is not
the same as others, Thomas feels guilt.
In “Variation on Guilt,” Dove
unfolds Thomas’s feelings, concluding the poem with “Thomas deals the cigars, /
spits out the bitter tip in tears,” vividly illustrating the void and the guilt
boiling through his mind. The last image of a man spitting out a bitter tip
directly connects Thomas’s anguish to the concept of overthinking, suggesting
that he is going through various types of guilt. Through the fuming guilt, Dove
foreshadows Thomas’s hopeless domesticity. Thomas, left with his wife and an
infant, will now carry this scarlet letter from the hospital for the rest of
his life//is an unfortunate future for a young father who just birthed a young,
precious baby.
Jaelyn Kang
Jaelyn Kang originally from South Korea and is currently a student at Westminster School. She enjoys doing community service, playing soccer, and listening to music.