Sonnet I by James Agee: the poem and Analysis

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The poem

So it begins. Adam is in his earth.

Tempted, and fallen, and his doom made sure

Oh, in the very instant of his birth:

Whose deathly nature must all things endure.

The hungers of his flesh, and mind, and heart,

That governed him when he was in the womb,

Those ravenings multiply in every part:

And shall release him only to the tomb.

Meantime he works the earth, and builds up nations,

And trades, and wars, and learns, and worships chance,

And looks to God, and weaves the generations

Which shall his many hungerings advance

When he is sunken dead among the sins.

Adam is in the earth. So it begins.

 Analysis 

James Agee's "Sonnet I" is a contemplative reflection on the human condition, drawing parallels between the biblical story of Adam and the universal experience of humanity. The poem explores themes of temptation, mortality, and the cyclical nature of life.

The opening lines, "So it begins. Adam is in his earth," immediately evoke the biblical narrative of Adam being created from the earth. Agee portrays Adam as a figure doomed from the moment of his birth, destined to endure the consequences of his fall from grace.

The poem delves into the idea of human nature, describing how Adam's primal instincts and desires continue to drive him throughout his life. The "hungers of his flesh, and mind, and heart" are portrayed as relentless forces that govern his actions and ultimately lead to his demise.

Despite his struggles, Adam engages in the activities of life—working the earth, building nations, trading, warring, learning, and worshiping. These activities are depicted as both a distraction from his inevitable fate and a testament to his resilience and creativity.

The poem concludes with a reflection on the legacy of Adam, suggesting that his actions and desires are passed down through generations, shaping the course of human history. The final lines, "When he is sunken dead among the sins. / Adam is in the earth. So it begins," reinforce the cyclical nature of life and the idea that humanity is eternally bound by its nature and its history.

Overall, "Sonnet I" is a thought-provoking meditation on the human condition, using the story of Adam as a lens through which to explore the universal experiences of temptation, mortality, and the quest for meaning.