It is not easy to convey all the emotions a poet wants to, so they revise often. Poetry’s shorthand requires that every word be chosen correctly. Tennyson penned two versions his “Mariana”, one very different from the other. Both tell the story of Mariana, a woman left behind by her lover. She is left in her country home alone. One can clearly see why he chose to change his actions. “Mariana in the South”, the original version, has a more optimistic tone. It is able to move from deep depression into moments of hope. The second, simply called “Mariana,” lacks any hope. It is clear that Tennyson wasn’t content with his first attempt at writing poetry and decided to try again to create a sense of total despair. Tennyson made changes to the actual form of the poem as well as its diction and imagery in order to create a greater sense of despair.
Although the shape of a poem may seem insignificant and small, it shapes the poem’s meaning. Indented lines from each stanza of the first poem create an appearance that resembles waves. It alternates between indented or unindented lines. The refrain may appear to be the wave’s peak. The second version also alternates between unindented and indented lines. However the seventh line and eighth of each stanza reverse the order. Visually, the breaking of the pattern creates an unnatural feeling that appears more broken than smooth. This feeling of brokenness is important because Mariana is feeling the pain of losing her lover. A few instances of ineffective or awkward speech are found in Mariana’s “Mariana” (13). It appears that the word “carol”, which Tennyson intended to invoke, was chosen because of its two syllables. The word connotations imply joy, especially when it is used in a Christmas song–a time of love or peace. Mariana isn’t experiencing joy, love or peace. The second edition’s diction is clearly defined. There are many words that have two meanings. Both of these meanings are important to the work. Tennyson wrote that evening arrives because the “thickest darkness did [cross] the sky” (18). According to the footnote, “trance” can be translated as “cross,” which means “thickest darkness did [cross] the sky.” However, trance could also refer to being “witch,” something that could have dark connotations for the listener. In a similar vein, he wrote that Mariana looked athwart “the glooming plains” (20). This word, “Athwart”, can mean across but also perverse or incorrect. Mariana’s world appears somehow off without her lover. This word can also be found in line 77. Tennyson wrote in the final stanza that the sun was “sloping towards his western bower” (78). Most people are aware that the sun sets in west. Tennyson isn’t trying to remind readers of the sun’s exact location; he wants to show the finality associated with the sun setting. As the setting sun signifies the end, so the west is used to signify an ending or finality. The use of “western” to describe Mariana’s final happiness after her lover is gone serves to convey that feeling. Perhaps the most important diction change is the one the poet made to Mariana’s refrain. The refrain is repeated multiple times and is key to the meaning. The first version ends with “To live forgotten, love forlorn” while the second ends with “I would that my life were over.” Both versions are truly pitiful but the first focuses more on the present. Mariana considers her future and isn’t happy about it. The second option, however, is all about death. Mariana would rather die than face the hopelessness of this scenario.
These poems are so rich in imagery that they make it the most important element. Images are often used in many ways, with almost all of them being changed. Therefore imagery must be the focus of any discussion about the differences between the older and later “Mariana.” Perhaps the most dramatic example is religious imagery. “Mariana South” simply contains Christian religious imagery. The refrain contains Mariana’s complaints to Mary. Mariana prays at times to Mary to help her with depression. Heaven is referenced in the last verse. The last stanza of “Mariana” reveals that all that religiosity is gone. This changes greatly contributes to Mariana’s despair. Many religions give followers hope through prayer and the promise of happiness in heaven. Tennyson takes away Mariana’s hope by removing religion from her mind.
Another missing image pattern is the images that depict Mariana being beautiful. She is simply amazing throughout “Mariana’s South.” He wrote,
She accepted her sadder carols.
Slowly descend from the brow to your bosom.
Thro’ rosey taper fingers drew
Her deepest brown curls are reflected in her flowing locks
To left, right, and made to appear
Still-lit in a hidden shine
Her melancholy eyed are divine (13-19). Later, he referred to “the clear perfection her face” (32). These descriptions don’t serve any purpose and can be detrimental. Tennyson had to realize their ineffectiveness and removed all references to Mariana’s beauty from the second version.
The poem includes destruction images as an important addition to its imagery. The first version does not mention the condition of the house or the surrounding area as being unclean. The second version describes the house and its surroundings as being completely neglected. The first line reads:
The flower-plots can be made from the darkest moss
They were all thickly crusted.
The knots gave way to the rusted nails
This held the pear to its gable wall.
The sheds that were broken looked strange and sad.
The clinking latch was not lifted;
Wear the old thatch, woven and worn
The lonely moated garland. (1-12). The surrounding area is “gloomy” (20), with the trees having “gnarled” bark (42), as well as the wood paneling that is “moldering 64”. Everything in the grounds and house seems to be in some sort of disarray. These images create the impression Mariana, along with her surroundings, are in decline. These images can also be used to help create the gothic images in the second poetry. The Gothicism that is characteristic of Gothicism includes the destruction of the house and its rainy surroundings, as well “the flittings of the bats (17),” midnight (25), creaking door, and other references to ghosts. Mariana experiences deep sadness and longs to see these images associated with death.
Images of water in “Mariana”, contrast directly to images of heat, drought and other extremes in the earlier version. 54). In the first version, there is no riverbed and it appears “dusty-white”. Mariana cannot cry because the only water source is “shallows along a distant coast” (7). Tennyson writes that the day has “risen from heat and heat” (39-40). Although Mariana’s inability of crying is beautifully illustrated by the images’ dryness, Tennyson may have chosen something else for his poem. The images of dryness are transformed into images of wetness in the second version. Mariana can be heard crying almost every word of this poem. This makes it clear that Mariana’s tears are mirrored in the dew. He also wrote about the “blackened water” from a nearby sluice (38). He also writes about the mold, rust, and moss found in the house and its grounds. All things that are dependent on water. Perhaps he wanted Mariana able to weep, to make him seem more desperate and emotional. Maybe he needed the moisture to describe things like rotting or molding. It is likely that he was thinking of both these ends when he made his change.
The second poem uses water for a different purpose. While the first version’s bodies of water were swiftly moving bodies (a river, an ocean), the second version’s water is a moat or “sluice with darkened waters”. Mariana’s slow-motion life is highlighted by the slow-motion water images in the second poem. Her “dreary” life is unimaginable without her partner. Tennyson uses these pictures to show her the symbolism in her environment.
Tennyson’s second image version also includes pathetic fallacies as an important pattern. Mariana regards her home “lonely motted grange” (8). The morning sees it as having grey eye (31), and the night as being asleep (38). These inanimate objects don’t have eyes so they can’t sleep or feel lonely. However, Mariana projecting her emotions onto them indicates mental illness. She has seen her depression as her complete world.
The final image pattern is composed of images showing men fearful or afraidsome. Mariana calls the sun “sloping to [his] western bender”, which for her means another day in pain. Mariana views the sun as a man, something she fears. A tree is the most striking example of man-fearing imagery. The shadow of the poplar is seen falling “Upon her mattress, across her eyebrow” (56). The tree’s shadow falls on her bed, representing her sexual fear. It also falls on her forehead, indicating the mental dominance she suffered under him. The poplar’s windy sound, which “all confound[s]/Her sense,” is later mentioned (74-75). Tennyson’s images suggest that Mariana is male-like.
An analysis of Tennyson’s “Mariana” and his “Mariana” shows that Tennyson wasn’t satisfied with the original version of his poem. Mariana was too hopeful and beautiful to be truly pitied. He makes Mariana despairing through the use of literary devices. Each poem’s endings perfectly reflect the changes he made. The first poem’s final line reads: “‘The evening comes on that doesn’t morn,/ When my loneliness will end, / To live forgotten. And love forlorn. Mariana’s death is implied by this ending. The ending to the second poem is “He will never come,’ she stated; / She wept and said, ‘I’m aweary’. (80-82). In the second, she is denied the peace and comfort of death. The second poem shows a complete lack of hope and is far more devastating than the first.
