Raleigh Was Right facts for kids

Raleigh Was Right is a poem written by William Carlos Williams and published in 1940. This poem is like a conversation, as it was written as a response to an older poetic exchange from the Elizabethan era. That exchange was between two famous poets, Christopher Marlowe and Walter Raleigh. Marlowe wrote "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love", and Raleigh replied with "The Nymph's Reply".

The play Roots in a Parched Ground by Horton Foote, which is the first part of The Orphans' Home Cycle, even got its name from a line in this very poem.

What is "Raleigh Was Right"?

This poem explores the idea that going to the countryside might not always bring peace, especially in modern times. It suggests that the simple beauty of nature, like violets, might not offer the answers or comfort people seek when facing real-world problems.

Who Wrote This Poem?

William Carlos Williams (1883–1963) was an important American poet. He was also a doctor! He often wrote about everyday life and objects, using simple, direct language. He believed that poetry could be found in the ordinary world around us. His poems often focused on American scenes and the way people spoke.

The Poetic Conversation: Marlowe and Raleigh

To understand "Raleigh Was Right," it helps to know about the two poems it's talking to. These poems were written hundreds of years ago, during the time of Queen Elizabeth I in England.

The Shepherd's Invitation

Christopher Marlowe wrote "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love." In this poem, a shepherd tries to convince his love to come live with him in the countryside. He promises her all sorts of beautiful things: beds of roses, caps of flowers, and a life filled with nature's joys. It's a very romantic and idealized picture of country life.

The Nymph's Clever Reply

Walter Raleigh then wrote "The Nymph's Reply to the Shepherd." A "nymph" is a nature spirit, and in this poem, she answers the shepherd. She points out that all those beautiful things he promised won't last forever. Flowers fade, seasons change, and love might not endure if it's based only on fleeting pleasures. Her reply is much more realistic and practical than the shepherd's dreamy invitation.

Why "Raleigh Was Right"?

William Carlos Williams' poem agrees with Raleigh's more realistic view. Williams suggests that in his time (the 1940s), the countryside can no longer offer a simple escape from problems. He writes that "the country will bring us no peace."

The poem talks about "Love itself a flower / with roots in a parched ground." This means that even love can struggle when people face difficulties like "empty pockets," which can lead to "empty heads" (meaning worries or lack of hope). Williams is saying that we can't just run away to nature to solve our problems; we need to face them in the real world.

Where Else Does This Poem Appear?

The line "roots in a parched ground" was so powerful that it inspired the title of a play. Roots in a Parched Ground is part of a series of plays called The Orphans' Home Cycle, written by the American playwright Horton Foote. This shows how poetry can influence other forms of art.

The Poem Itself

Raleigh was right

We cannot go to the country
for the country will bring us
no peace
What can the small violets
tell us that grow on furry stems
in the long grass among
lance-shaped leaves?

Though you praise us
and call to mind the poets
who sung of our loveliness it was
long ago!
long ago!
when country people
would plow and sow with
flowering minds and pockets
at ease—if ever this were true.

Not now. Love itself a flower
with roots in a parched ground.
Empty pockets
make empty heads. Cure it
if you can but do not believe
that we can live today
in the country
for the country will bring us
no peace.

— William Carlos Williams