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Bury the great Duke by Dennis Brutus
Bury the great duke,"
I piped from the floor among my cotton
reels:
"Yes?" he turned in
suprise and
"Go on" he prompted
gently towelling the
the lather from a
half-shaved cheek.
"Bury the Great Duke
with a noise of
lamentation"
But, I faltered while
he waited and until
he turned away.
And what other failures over ages
kept him turning
half-away?
General Introduction
The poem "Bury the great Duke" was written by Dennis Brutus, a South African poet and anti-apartheid activist. Brutus is known for his works that focus on political struggle, injustice, and the human cost of apartheid. His writing often juxtaposes personal experiences with larger political and historical contexts, reflecting the tension between the individual and systemic oppression. "Bury the great Duke" was likely written during a time when Brutus was engaged in his activism, highlighting his reflections on leadership, loss, and failure.
Brutus's poetry is often sparse and conversational, drawing readers into his personal thoughts while grappling with historical themes. His works are marked by vivid imagery and the subtle layering of political undertones, making them both intimate and public in their scope.
Title
The title, "Bury the great Duke," immediately evokes a scene of mourning and tribute to a figure of authority or significance. The use of "great Duke" suggests nobility, power, and perhaps a historic figure who has left a legacy. The word "bury" in the title sets a somber tone, indicating death, finality, and the end of an era. The title may also hint at a ceremonial or respectful act of remembering someone who has had a profound influence, perhaps symbolizing larger ideas like the fall of leadership or the fading of ideals.
Themes of the Poem
In Dennis Brutus’s poem “Bury the great Duke,” several themes emerge that give depth to the speaker’s reflections on leadership, failure, and the passage of time. Below is an exploration of these themes in more detail:
1. Leadership and Legacy:
One of the central themes of the poem is leadership, as represented by the "Great Duke." The Duke symbolizes a figure of authority, someone who has led or influenced many. The act of "burying" this Duke suggests not only physical death but also the end of an era or the passing of an important leader. The use of "Great" in the title emphasizes the significance of this individual, implying that the Duke's influence was substantial.
Brutus is likely commenting on the fleeting nature of leadership. Leaders come and go, but their legacies—whether good or bad—linger in the minds of those they governed. The poem subtly questions how we remember our leaders after they pass, how we honor them, and what remains unresolved after their time in power. The Duke, in this case, may represent not just a person but an entire system of authority or governance.
2. Mourning and Lamentation:
The theme of mourning is central to the poem, both in the literal sense of mourning the death of the Duke and the metaphorical sense of mourning lost opportunities, ideals, or leadership. The speaker begins by intending to honor the Duke with "a noise of lamentation," which suggests a public, ritualistic mourning. However, the speaker falters and is unable to continue, perhaps symbolizing the difficulty in expressing genuine grief or paying adequate tribute to someone of great importance.
The act of burial itself is symbolic of closure, but the speaker’s hesitation points to the idea that mourning is not always straightforward. There may be lingering doubts or unfinished business, especially when it comes to figures of great authority. The inability to finish the tribute might also suggest a larger societal struggle to fully come to terms with loss, particularly when that loss is tied to political or historical significance.
3. Failure and Incompletion:
Failure is another dominant theme in “Bury the great Duke.” The speaker falters while attempting to express the grief for the Duke, which may symbolize personal failure, a failure of leadership, or even the failures of history. The rhetorical question in the final lines—“And what other failures over ages kept him turning half-away?”—implies that the Duke himself was plagued by failures. It also suggests that these failures may have prevented him from being fully embraced by those he led or fully remembered for his accomplishments.
This theme is reflective of the human condition, where even the greatest figures are not without their flaws. The poem seems to imply that every leader, no matter how great, is marked by their failures as much as their successes. This raises questions about how history remembers its leaders and whether it can fully acknowledge both their contributions and their shortcomings.
4. The Weight of History:
Brutus’s poem touches on the theme of history and its burden. The mention of "failures over ages" connects the Duke’s legacy to a larger historical narrative. The poem seems to suggest that leadership and failure are cyclical, with one generation of leaders often repeating the mistakes of those before them. The Duke, in this sense, is not an isolated figure; he is part of a historical continuum of leaders who are burdened by both their successes and their failings.
This theme also relates to the speaker’s inability to complete his tribute. It may reflect the impossibility of fully reckoning with history, particularly when that history is fraught with complexity. How do we properly mourn or honor figures who were both great and flawed? How does society deal with the weight of past failures, especially when they continue to haunt the present?
5. Memory and Forgetting:
Memory, or the struggle with memory, is another key theme in “Bury the great Duke.” The speaker’s difficulty in articulating a proper tribute reflects the difficulty of remembering those who have passed in a way that does justice to their full legacy. The fact that the Duke is described as “half-turning away” may symbolize the way memory fades over time, or how certain aspects of a person’s life and leadership are remembered while others are forgotten.
The rhetorical question about failures over ages also suggests that the Duke’s legacy may have been compromised or tarnished by his own shortcomings, and these failures may prevent him from being fully remembered or embraced by history. The act of turning “half-away” reflects a sense of distance or detachment, implying that we never fully understand or remember our leaders, or that their legacies are always incomplete.
6. Human Vulnerability:
In addition to addressing the vulnerability of leadership, Brutus’s poem also touches on the vulnerability of human beings in general. The speaker’s faltering voice represents the fragility of human expression in the face of significant loss or history. The intimate, personal imagery of the Duke “gently towelling the lather from a half-shaved cheek” adds a layer of humanity to this otherwise grand figure, emphasizing that even great leaders are ordinary people with vulnerabilities.
This theme of vulnerability extends to the way the poem reflects on how difficult it is to adequately express grief, honor the past, or understand the full scope of historical events. Human beings, in their limited capacity, often fail to fully grapple with the enormity of loss and memory, and Brutus’s poem highlights this difficulty in a poignant, understated way.
7. Disillusionment and Reflection:
The poem hints at a sense of disillusionment with leadership and history. The speaker’s hesitation in completing the lamentation could suggest a deeper ambivalence about the Duke's legacy, indicating that perhaps he does not fully deserve the honor he is being given. This disillusionment is also present in the suggestion that the Duke’s failures have contributed to his incomplete legacy.
Brutus seems to reflect on how idealistic notions of leadership and greatness often clash with the realities of human failure and the complex, sometimes disappointing, nature of history. The speaker’s struggle to articulate a proper tribute reflects a broader societal disillusionment with the notion of “greatness” itself, as even the most celebrated figures are often flawed.
In “Bury the great Duke,” Dennis Brutus explores complex themes of leadership, failure, memory, and the burden of history. Through the Duke, Brutus reflects on the human tendency to venerate figures of authority while grappling with their imperfections and shortcomings. The poem’s reflective tone, coupled with the speaker’s hesitations, suggests that paying tribute to leaders is a fraught process, one that is often incomplete and marked by a tension between honor and disillusionment.
The poem’s themes resonate beyond the individual Duke, pointing to a larger commentary on how societies remember and forget their leaders, and how failures—both personal and historical—linger long after the physical act of burial. Through this multifaceted exploration, Brutus presents a somber reflection on the fragility of human legacy and the unresolved nature of mourning.
Literary Devices
1. Alliteration:
The repetition of the "B" sound in "Bury the Great Duke" is an example of alliteration, which creates a rhythmic quality and draws attention to the act of burial, emphasizing its significance.
2. Enjambment:
Brutus uses enjambment throughout the poem, such as in the lines, "Yes? he turned in / surprise and / 'Go on' he prompted." The breaking of lines adds to the conversational tone and mirrors the halting, uncertain flow of the speaker’s thoughts.
3. Imagery:
In the line, "gently towelling the / lather from a / half-shaved cheek," vivid imagery of a mundane action contrasts with the gravity of the conversation. The imagery also emphasizes the intimate, personal setting in which this reflective moment occurs.
4. Repetition:
The phrase "Bury the Great Duke" is repeated in the poem, reinforcing the speaker’s focus on the act of burial. This repetition emphasizes the weight of the Duke's death and the importance of this symbolic figure in the speaker's mind.
5. Rhetorical Question:
In the final lines, "And what other failures over ages / kept him turning / half-away?" Brutus employs a rhetorical question, which allows the poem to end on an unresolved note, inviting reflection on the deeper, historical failures that may haunt individuals and societies.
6. Symbolism:
The "Great Duke" is symbolic, likely representing more than just a single historical figure. He could symbolize leadership, ideals, or even the passing of an era. The act of burial symbolizes the end of a significant chapter or the conclusion of a leadership's influence, reflecting on how history often buries its leaders but not necessarily their legacies or failures.
Language and Diction
The language in the poem is conversational and simple, yet laden with deeper meaning. Phrases such as "gently towelling the / lather from a / half-shaved cheek" create an almost domestic, calm atmosphere, which contrasts with the weighty subject of death and historical reflection. The diction is formal when referring to the Duke but casual in the dialogue between the speaker and the man. This contrast in diction reflects the tension between personal experiences and grand historical themes.
The use of words like "bury," "lamentation," and "failures" imbues the poem with a tone of mourning and regret, while the conversational tone suggests the ongoing struggle to fully grasp or articulate the depth of these feelings.
Mood and Tone
The mood of the poem is melancholic and reflective. It carries an emotional weight as the speaker grapples with the idea of burying a significant figure, which may also represent the mourning of ideals or past failures. There is an underlying tone of incompletion or uncertainty, particularly as the speaker falters and fails to complete the tribute he begins.
The tone is both mournful and introspective. The Duke’s half-shaved cheek and the speaker’s hesitation suggest a disconnect or inability to fully reconcile with the figure’s death or legacy, which creates a sense of unresolved tension.
Context
Dennis Brutus wrote much of his poetry during the apartheid era, a time of intense racial and political strife in South Africa. He was deeply involved in anti-apartheid activities and was even imprisoned for his activism. This context influences the themes of loss, failure, and leadership in "Bury the great Duke."
The "Great Duke" in the poem could be a metaphor for leadership during times of political struggle, such as Nelson Mandela or another significant figure in South African history. The reflection on failure might allude to the disillusionment that often accompanies political movements or the ways history remembers (or forgets) its leaders.
Conclusion
In "Bury the great Duke," Dennis Brutus explores themes of leadership, loss, and the passage of time. The poem’s conversational tone, coupled with its reflective mood, invites readers to consider the failures of history and the difficulty of truly paying tribute to great figures after they are gone. Brutus skillfully blends personal experience with historical reflection, creating a poem that resonates on both intimate and public levels. Through the image of the Duke, Brutus reflects on the complexities of mourning, legacy, and the inevitable failures that haunt both individuals and societies.
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