Compare And Contrast Catullus 5 'And Parentheses'

Both Catullus 5 and “Parentheses” by Khaela Maricich and Melissa Dyne’s band The Blow illustrate a love story that acts as a haven from society’s judgement. Despite being written over two thousand years apart, both works of poetry share a feeling of complete and all-encompassing love that is powerful enough to bring out one’s most vulnerable self. Sharing stylistic choices such as brevity and repetition, both works instill similar emotions of simplicity and contentment. The two poems even follow the same structure: beginning by addressing how the concerns of others do not matter, transitioning by using imagery of night to show comfort, and ending on an affirming description of love.

While Catullus is mainly concerned about what specific men

say of his and Lesbia’s love, “Parentheses” deals with one’s own insecurities about showing their true self and what hypothetical people may think of them. Urging Lesbia to not worry herself with other’s judgement, Catullus writes, “Vivamus, mea Lesbia, atque amemus, rumoresque senum severiorum omnes unius aestimemus assis!” (Catullus 5.1-3). In addition to using alliteration when describing the harsh old men to further stress their viciousness, Catullus builds a situation in which his relationship with Lesbia is harshly judged. However, instead of going into depth as to why it is criticized, he does what he tells Lesbia to do: cast it aside. Catullus devalues the opinions of elders and places his love for Lesbia above all traditional norms and values, showing his entire devotion to her through their shared sacrifice of acceptance from society. Conversely, “Parentheses” addresses concerns about conformity on a more personal level. As Catullus describes rumors and direct judgement, Maricich and Dyne deal with the systemic expectations to be strong, certain, and unfeeling—often among men, though it is unclear who the song is written for. Describing the listener’s self-constructed, society-enforced assuredness, Maricich and Dyne write, “Built well, you’re a strong letter “I,” with your feet on the ground and your head to the sky” (Dyne and Maricich 3-4). Maricich and Dyne use a metaphor—the comparison of the listener to the letter “I”—to further establish an image of the person’s rigidness, demonstrating their fabricated confidence and conformity to societal expectations of decorum. This person is well-grounded and certainty is of high importance to them, shown through the reference: “your feet on the ground” (Dyne and Maricich 4). However, the speaker in the song does their best to dismantle this uptightness and convince the listener of the value in their true and unhidden emotions.
Night and day are used to both create more depth and serve as a transition between the outside world and the personal one.

Pointing to the perceived imbalance of the passage of time, Catullus describes a “brevis lux” and “nox…perpetua” (Catullus 5.5-6). Though the day is commonly considered the main part of one’s life, Catullus flips night’s and day’s perceived lengths, denoting their respective significance to him. Both he and Lesbia go through their lives, experiencing little joy or time to show their true selves, leaving them in wait for the next time they see each other at night. The day, experienced with little critical thought or observation passes as a blur of inactivity and anticipation. For the two of them, it is a time for rest while others do business. However, as the sun sets, the roles switch. Though the night is slept by most, Catullus and Lesbia are together when it falls, unwilling to sleep due to their utter devotion to each other. This long-awaited nighttime lasts forever in their eyes, as they are free from others critical sight and allowed to be truly in love. While Catullus uses night and day to show importance, “Parentheses” personifies the daylight, reflecting the situation of the audience. Maricich and Dyne, supporting their argument that one needs to rest now and again, write, “Even day takes relief every day from its work making light from the night” (Dyne and Maricich 9-10). Though masking its meaning in repetition and ambiguity, Maricich and

Dyne remark that even the sun rests from its job of creating light from nothingness every cycle of day and night. Something so archaically powerful such as the sun does not stay constantly bright and use up such valuable energy. Though scientifically untrue, this section symbolizes the human shift between day and night and the connotations of darkness as a time to release and relax. In this context, a time for rest does not necessarily mean sleep, nor must it happen at night; however, it is the symbolic representation of being with another person with whom one feels entirely at peace with. Catullus and The Blow both use differing imagery of night and day, though use it to send similar messages about the comfort of another and the importance of respite.
When night comes, enveloping everyone in a protective darkness, one’s most vulnerable self is able to come forth without fear of condemnation.

Catullus uses anaphora with “dein,” “mille,” and “centum” to describe the overflow of love that has been withheld during the day (Catullus 5.7-10). Each repetition of the words brings an over-the-top demeanor to the poem, evoking more powerful emotions in the reader due to their love. The thousands upon thousands of kisses that Catullus describes serve as hyperbole to further emphasize the inordinate scale of their affection. By stating that he and Lesbia are unable to keep track of their kisses, Catullus creates a situation in which they are so in love that their time in each other’s company swirls together, lost in a sea of passion and dizziness. This time spent together is when both Catullus and Lesbia are truly at peace, comforted by each other’s presence. Likewise, Maricich and Dyne sing of a time that mirrors Catullus’s, in which another person serves as a haven of safety and acceptance. Continuing the imagery of the strength of the letter “I,” Maricich and Dyne write, “When you’re holding me, we make a pair of parentheses,” creating a sweet depiction of two people embracing, enclosing something unsaid between them (Dyne and Maricich 11-12). With the company of another, the constant need to stay strong and presentable is broken down, allowing for one to feel safe and accepted as their true and unfiltered self. The love between

the two individuals is enough to prop each other up and get each other through either individual’s struggles in life. There is a clear understanding of love in “Parentheses,” much like in Catullus’s work, demonstrating that when embraced by another’s welcoming arms, one’s uninhibited self comes forth, ready to be accepted and loved.