Entry 26: Thanatopsis

How does William Cullen Bryant's poem, "Thanatopsis," reveal the Romantic conviction that the universe, far from operating like a machine, is really a living organism that undergoes constant cyclical changes? How does the human speaker (the narrator) feel about this view of the universe? How do you feel about it? Describe your own view of the universe as it compares to the Romantics in general, and to Bryant's narrator in particular.

• The poem Thanatopsis shows Romantic conviction that the universe is really a living organism that undergoes constant cyclical changes by using nature as the theme, since nature is one of the most important characteristics of Romanticism. An example of this is that the poem refers to the rejoining of things, substances, and matter with the elements and the Earth (which is, in a sense, the universe). I believe that the narrator agrees with the view that people should not fear death, and that people should live happily and to their fullest and be ready to embrace death. He agrees that death is something that is good, or more specifically not necessarily bad, since it happens to everyone (no one is alone). I feel that his views in a way make sense, and may be true, but sometimes it depends on the situation to determine. My own view of the universe, as said above, is somewhat similar in that the universe is continuous. However, I cannot be that sure about the cyclical part because there are some contradicting things. For example, seasons and life cycles are cycles. However, what will happen when people actually die? Is there a thing such as reincarnation?