Eye Mask By Denise Levertov Analysis

Stuck in Your Mind, Stuck in Your Ways
Denise Levertov’s “Eye Mask” describes the mechanisms in which an Eye Mask is used to assist life’s cycles of growth and identity. In this poem, the speaker represents the “dark” as an entity that will assist in her growth, instead of the light (10). This idea contradicts the connotation of darkness, as the word “dark” normally suggests growth being hindered, feelings of being alone, or even going through difficult times. The normal conventions of growth are challenged in this poem, with the use of the Eye Mask as something that both assists and hinders the speaker’s growth and identity.
In the poem, the speaker mentions the dark as if it is a progressive entity, meanwhile it actually limits her progression.

In lines one and five of the poem, darkness is viewed as a relaxing, comfortable space. In line one, the speaker states, “In this dark I rest,” in which darkness is looked at as a place to unwind (1). The word “rest” not only connotates sleep, but also rest that allows for growth, in which the body is able to regenerate itself through its time of dormancy. This idea of darkness is significant because the speaker begins the poem in a contradictory manner, in which the darkness is a place that allows for growth, when the word “darkness” usually suggests no growth at all due to the absence of light.
Line five of the poem also contradicts the idea of darkness. The speaker states, “Black silk, shelter me” to describe the eye mask as a covering that protects (5). The word “black” implies darkness, and a place of comfort for the speaker, implied by the word “shelter.” The eye mask can be seen here as something that is hindering growth because the speaker is in a place of comfort and is not allowed to step out of her comfort zone in order to initiate a traditional growth process. In this instance, the eye mask could be viewed as something that isolates the speaker from becoming the person she wants to be, or even the person that she wants the world to see her as. The eye mask can also be seen here as something that is buying the speaker enough time to improve herself, thus, assisting in her growth. The speaker’s contradictory view of growth as a process that occurs in the dark sets limits to her awareness and potential. This limitation is similar to the way an eye mask functions, in that it deters eyesight and what a person can see. The eye mask can be viewed, then, as something that not only physically obstructs the speaker’s sight, but also as something that blocks her advancement in life socially and mentally. Looking at the poem in this aspect matters because in being a recluse, the speaker uses the darkness to improve what she sees as her growth, when in reality she is simply remaining in her comfort zone, not allowing herself to reach her full potential.
In the final lines of the poem, the speaker once again looks at darkness as something that will assist in her growth. She states, “I must still grow in the dark like a root / not ready, not ready at all”, in which the darkness will lead to growth that she is comfortable with (10-11). Growth is compared to a root in these lines, and normally, a root sprouts due to the sunlight that is present. The paradox in these lines that darkness eventually leads to growth is flawed. There is a misconception of how the growth process actually works as the speaker repeatedly states that by remaining in the dark, she will grow. This problem could be b/c she has on an eye mask and may be unaware of the fact that it is the light that brings about growth.
The speaker also mentions the word “light” and words synonymous to light in the poem, that juxtapose the idea of the dark.

Line two mentions “unready for the light which dawns”, revealing that she is not yet ready for the progressive stage that is to come with exposure to light (2). The word “light” suggests growth, brightness, enlightenment, and revealing one’s true self. Light allows for transformative growth, and the speaker is not yet ready for this change. The speaker has an inkling that the light will bring about change because she states that she is “unready for the light”, showing that she understands what is to happen once she steps into the light. The eye mask counters the light through its covering. In doing so, the speaker uses the eye mask to enable what she believes to be her growth. The darkness that comes from this eye mask, though, actually hinders the speaker’s growth in which she is unware of because of the eye mask’s literal and figurative covering. Viewing light as an entity that evokes newness, the eye mask can be seen as something that prevents the speaker from revealing her true self to the world. In this case of not revealing her true self, the darkness is actually hindering her growth and the light is the process by which her true growth will be

initiated.
Lines three and four deal with time that has passed, and the speaker states, “day after day, / eager to be shared”, showing the passing of time. The speaker implies that she is ready to improve herself and to possibly consider the growth process that occurs in light.
The speaker states, “I need / more of the night before I open / eyes and heart / to illumination” (6-9). Light is given a synonym with use of the word “illumination” (9). Using the word “illumination” suggests an even brighter light than previously mentioned, almost as if this is a type of light that cannot be ignored for long. The speaker is dependent on the presence of the darkness; in line six, she states that she needs more of the darkness before coming into the light. Line six can be looked at as the speaker’s need for more time in her comfort zone, before she is to reveal her true self to the world. These lines are significant in showing the opposition of both darkness and light. The speaker never reaches the climax of change that the light allows for by remaining in her state of darkness.
The Eye Mask is synonymous to both a figurative and literal covering that does not allow the speaker to grow. The idea of removing the mask to step into the light is a window of opportunity for the speaker to not only reveal her true self to the world, but to become enlightened with knowledge to achieve the potential she would not have otherwise received while in the dark.
The themes of light, dark, and growth show the different ways in which people struggle to improve themselves, whether it be by stepping out and showing others who they really are or simply getting the motivation to begin improvements. This poem shows what the daily battle of self – improvement can be like. Some will often want to revert to their familiar ways of doing things and remain stagnant, until they feel ready. By remaining behind an eye mask of sorts, the light is not allowed to bring about the growth for which they are yet prepared.

Levertov, Denise. “Eye Mask.” Evening Train. New Directions, 1992.