A Constant Fear – Robinson Jeffers Protest Against War
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Sandra Pavleska
December 3, 2006
Ms. Clark — Section 10-7
“Shine, Perishing Republic” by Robinson Jeffers
A Constant Fear:
Robinson Jeffers’ Protest Against War
Robinson Jeffers’ poem, “Shine, Perishing Republic” is a poem about activism and the right to protest. In the poem, Jeffers makes it clear that he is protesting war, with his description of how republics become empires through war and violence. He reveals his feelings of anger and sadness in response to the aftermath of World War I. Jeffers also indicates his protective side, worrying about his children, anticipating the day when he would instruct them about government corruption. “Shine, Perishing Republic” is a poem that reminds readers of moral principles while protesting against war.
In Jeffers’ poem, he illustrates how republics become empires through war and violence. The thought through which he extricates this idea is in the beginning of the poem, where he describes America settling into a certain mould of vulgarity, or in lighter terms, he is trying to show that the country is becoming accustomed to its constant impropriety. Jeffers addresses America when he mentions an empire forming in the first line, “the mould of its vulgarity, heavily thickening to empire.” Jeffers is attempting to make the reader picture America’s corruption and future demise — this is because empires constantly lead to failure. The connection between this and basic ethics is evident because most people not involved in the government will not bear the idea of an empire. They have realized that time and time again, empires collapse, or in this sense, “perish.” Although individual people have different views, almost everyone follows the same moral code, and that it to resist violence by protesting against war.
Jeffers exposes his position on the outcome of World War I with anger and frustration. He does this throughout the entire poem, but his anger is evident within the last lines of the poem: “There is the trap that catches noblest spirits.” With this, you can recognize that he is speaking of the soldiers who were “caught” and “trapped” into World War I to fight for a country in which Jeffers believes is becoming ridiculously powerful. Amid this idea, most people are not completely