Thanatopsis By William Cullen Bryant

William Cullen Bryant wrote a poem regarding the passing of people from this world into the afterlife which he called “Thanatopsis”. The word Thanatopsis is actually a Greek word meaning ‘meditation on or contemplation of death’. It is the opinion of some readers that this poem expresses a traditional religious view of afterlife in heaven where as others who read it see it as a process that only involves our rejoining with nature. Bryant made references to heaven, nature and spirits which contribute to the discussion on both sides of the argument. Poetry, just like every other form of art, is subject to interpretation. After taking a closer look at Thanatopsis it will be easier to see just why these people cannot seem to agree. Bryant made

Death and decay is something that everyone understands and the process is not questioned so his references to our return to nature in a physical sense are very direct and to the point. Throughout the poem he mentions our rejoining with nature in different ways. For instance, on line 24 when he says that our bodies will “be resolved to earth again” (868 Bryant) he is talking about a physical decay. On line 61-62 Bryant states “All that breathe Will share thy destiny.” (868 Bryant) talking about the destiny of death itself and that no matter how you live it is unavoidable. He continues on saying that when you have died and those who live will eventually share the same fate “and shall come And make their bed as thee.” (869 Bryant). The most obvious and plainly stated reference to nature is on line 30 stating, “The oak Shall send his roots abroad, and pierce thy mould.” (868 Bryant). This statement is the best reference to nature because it speaks of it in a very matter of fact fashion detailing the way your own flesh will nourish the earth. All of these things he uses to depict our return to nature, the earth, the fact that we will all share the same dirt bed and share the same destiny. That destiny of course, is death

Not only does Bryant close the poem by calling the body to “join The innumerable caravan” (869 Bryant) that is returning to nature, but also by referencing what seems to be the soul or spirit as moving “To that mysterious realm” (869 Bryant). While it is true that some people may disagree as to what type of afterlife they believe the poem to reference. There are many others who believe it references both nature and ascension equally. A.F. Bridges who wrote “The Centenary of “Thanatopsis”” in The North American Review for the University of Iowa stated in his own analysis of the poem that the subject was “as universal as it is eternal, and it is strongly both.” (2 Bridges). Another author, A.F. Mclean Jr., seemed to be under the same opinion because he similarly wrote that Bryant “sought a mediating position between the blunt supernaturalism of Calvinism and the commitments of the deists to impersonal, natural law.” (3 McLean Jr.). The original question may have asked if the poem was referring to nature or to spiritual ascension, but there are two sides to every story and often the truth is somewhere in between. It seems that a few others have come to the same conclusion, that it is not about one or the other, but it is written in a manner that beautifully portrays the role of both nature and spirit in the act of