“The Eyeglasses”

By Williams Carlos Williams

The EyeglassesThe universality of thingsdraws me toward the candywith melon flowers that open

about the edge of refuseproclaiming without accentthe quality of the farmer’s

shoulders and his daughter’saccidental skin, so sweetwith clover and the small

yellow cinquefoil in theparched places. It isthis that engages the favorable

distortion of eyeglassesthat see everything and remainrelated to mathematics-

in the most practical frame ofbrown celluloid made torepresent tortoise shell-

A letter from the man whowants to start a new magazinemade of linen

and he owns a typewriter-July 1, 1922All this is for eyeglasses

to discover. Butthey lie there with the goldearpieces folded down

tranquilly Titicaca-

Williams uses contrasting imagery to

show the difference between the glasses and its observations; this also shows the importance of both to the speaker

Thesis

Examples

Observations• “melon flowers that

open” • “farmer’s shoulders”• “daughter’s skin”

Glasses • “in the most

practical frame of brown celluloid made to represent tortoise shell”

The speaker sees a lot of great scenes when wearing

his glasses, however he is not wearing them throughout the poem

His observations are also very precious to him

He wouldn't notice these things if he didn’t care

Analysis

Speaker: a person who owns glasses

• a sense of ambiguity because we don’t know if they are a man or a woman

Point of View: Third Person• Unlike some of his other works, it does not have an internal

monologue• By using the owner of the glasses as the speaker, the reader

gets a first-hand account Mood: positive, observant, appreciative Diction: a mix of high and low

• Cinquefoil: five-leaved• Celluloid: a tough, non-flammable thermoplastic• Titicaca: a lake in the Andes on the border of Peru and

Bolivia

Senses: Meaning and Language

Symbols: The glasses• Symbolize his appreciation for the world and for

what they allow him to see Imagery:• Tactile:

- “ daughter’s accidental skin”- “made of linen”

• Very heavy use of visual imagery• Auditory imagery:

- the typewriter

Senses: Imagery and Symbols

The similar number of syllables in each line,

about 6-8, creates unity throughout piece that connects imagery and symbols

There is not a significant use of rhyme

Sound

Very prominent use of enjambment

throughout the poem, extending through stanzas but break off at 5th

End-stopped with dashes in four places• “related to mathematics-”• “represent tortoiseshell-”• “and he owns a typewriter-”• “tranquilly Titicaca”

Structure

The use of juxtaposition by comparing the

natural/organic imagery with the precise/structured imagery is to emphasize the importance of both to the man or woman

The speaker seems to be somewhat in awe of both the glasses themselves and the images they can see with them, leading this poem to be a thoughtful stream of consciousness

Style

July 1, 1922

The actual date provides no significant event in William’s life

However, in 1922, he published which became a literary sensation f overshadowed Williams very different brand poetry

The Date

A lake in the Andes by Peru and Bolivia

Is the largest lake in South America

Peacefulness and tranquility can be reflected in the glasses• Glasses sitting on a table reflect nearby images

on their glass

Lake Titicaca

The imagery used throughout the poem

contrast to emphasize the difference between the glasses and what one can see with them

This poem in particular give the reader a real sense of what the man/woman sees, and what is precious to them

Conclusion

On a sheet of paper, choose and draw

your own representation of a specific scene or image used in the poem

Activity!