I will put Chaos into fourteen lines is an interesting and prominent poem. It is hard to completely understand what Edna St. Vincent Millay is trying to say throughout her poem. Her abstract ideas and thoughts in, I will put Chaos into fourteen lines, is an example of the Modernism era of writing (The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia). Millay’s inventive rhyme scheme and conceptual content draws the reader into the poem to try to completely understand its meaning. Edna St. Vincent Millay lived a somewhat chaotic life. The majority of her writings were written during a time in which The United States was in a very hectic place. This may have played a factor in the theme of her poem, I will put Chaos into fourteen lines.

I will put Chaos into fourteen lines is a very intuitive poem that displays many Modernist characteristics. I will put Chaos into fourteen lines, is a perfect sonnet. It is somewhat ironic that the structure of the poem is so perfect, and the content of the poem is so abstract. Millay, in her poem, most likely refers to the economic state of the country and the war that has recently ended in her poem. In her writing, she wishes to capture the chaos and try to understand it and make it good. Millay says, “Till he with Order mingles and combines. Past are the hours, the years of our duress (St. Vincent Millay, Edna).” This most likely refers to the great war that has come to an end. Millay uses a lot of vague symbolism in her poem, I will put Chaos into fourteen lines. It seems somewhat conceptual now, but if one takes into consideration the time period that Millay writes in, then the poem becomes easier to understand. A common trait of the Modernist time period is, “Dislocation of meaning and sense from its normal context,” and “Valorization of the despairing individual in the face of an unmanageable future (The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia).” Millay’s poem displays both of these traits. When the meaning of the somewhat chaotic poem is found, it becomes clearer that Millay is addressing the chaos that has taken place in the United States. She wishes to move on and understand the chaos that has taken place in the US at the time of her poem. I will put Chaos into fourteen lines is definitely a poem with many Modernism characteristics.

Edna St. Vincent Millay was born and raised in Maine. She grew up in the early 1900’s with the absence of her father who left the family in 1899 (Poets.org). Millay grew up in a very tough time. World War I started around 1914, and the depression took place shortly after. It would have been a very tough life. Edna St. Vincent Millay illustrates these struggles and tough times in her poem, I
will put Chaos into fourteen lines. It was a very unpredictable time for America. Americans were trying to understand what to do in their lives. Edna St. Vincent Millay describes this chaos and her hope to make it better in her poem.

There were similarities between I
will put Chaos into fourteen lines and The Black Finger. The two poems shared a common Modernism quality. Both The Black Finger, and I will put Chaos into fourteen lines address “valorization of the despairing individual in the face of an unmanageable future (The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia).” The Black Finger describes the unimaginable future in front of all African Americans, and I will put Chaos into fourteen lines depicts the chaotic future of the United States of America. There was not a common theme between I will put Chaos into fourteen lines and A Worn Path.

In conclusion,
I will put Chaos into fourteen lines is an interesting poem that displays many Modernist characteristics. These modernism traits include, “Dislocation of meaning and sense from its normal context,” and “Valorization of the despairing individual in the face of an unmanageable future (The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia).” Both are very evident in the poem. It has an abstract theme from the beginning, and the hope for understanding and a good future becomes clear at the end of the poem. Edna St. Vincent Millay poured the tough times and rough future for The United States of America into this poem. The times were tough, and Millay wished to first understand it, and then make it good. She says, “I have him. He is nothing more nor less, Than something simple not yet understood; I shall not even force him to confess; Or answer. I will only make him good (St. Vincent Millay, Edna).” I will put Chaos into fourteen lines is a modernist poem that describes the position that the American people felt about our country during this time.


Works Cited
St. Vincent Millay, Edna. "I Will Put Chaos Into Fourteen Lines - Edna St. Vincent Millay - Topic." The Greatest Community on Earth - AnswerPool.com. Web. 26 Apr. 2010. <http://answerpool.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/910603883/m/7641005682>.

"Modernist Literature - The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia." Main Page - The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia. Web. 25 Apr. 2010. <http://www.artandpopularculture.com/Modernist_literature>.

"Edna St. Vincent Millay." Poets.org - Poetry, Poems, Bios & More. Web. 30 Apr. 2010. <http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/160>.

Welty, Eudora. "A Worn Path." MoonStar. Web. 25 Apr. 2010. <http://www.moonstar.com/~acpjr/Blackboard/Common/Stories/WornPath.html>.

Grimké, Angelina W. "The Black Finger by Angelina Weld Grimke at Old Poetry." Oldpoetry - Classical Poetry Discussion. Web. 25 Apr. 2010. http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/49585-Angelina-Weld-Grimke-The-Black-Finger.


Cale George
English A5