Full+Moon+Sid+Analysis

The first stanza of "Full Moon" by Elinor Wylie conveys the idea that because of the speakers riches ("silk and Miniver) he or she feels trapped and cannot achieve her goals. This seems to contradict what one would think would happen if you were rich, but Wylie heavily reinforces that money can not buy happiness. The second stanza of the poem take a step away from the previous topic of hopelessness. It imparts the story of how the speaker got to where he or she is. Wylie discusses trodding wearily on living coals which is referencing the speakers tough journey. The third stanza discusses the speakers inability to get ride of all the social standards that are disguised as things that aren't so bad. This is a reference to how even if someone who is rich may seem to be happy because of all the things they own, they are really just covering up for their discontent. In the final stanza, Wylie conveys the message that to truly be free, one mist rid themselves of the social standards the loathe A very important part of "Full Moon" is the very many symbolic references mainly portraying the Moon, and bones. Some example of these include: "I could not suck the moonlight in", and referencing bones:"From my ribs, to leave them bare". And finally, another quote that uses bones as a literary device:

Within my skeleton, raged afresh To feel, behind a carnal mesh, The clean bones crying in the flesh. (lines 18-20)

Contrary to the title, the are many more symbols involving bones and flesh then the moon. In the quote "I could not suck the moonlight in", Wylie is trying to convey that the character in the poem (symbolizing good, and something the character in the poem wants) is not able to absorb, or achieve, something he or she wants because of his or her wealth. The "silk and miniver" representing wealth because they are both very expensive things (miniver being fur). In the quote "Morality I could not tear/ From my ribs, to leave them bare", Wylie is again referencing bones, and trying to illustrate that the character cant get away from the "expectations" of society. Using this interpretation, the flesh on her bones are the societies expectations, and the bones are her own true feelings. Another interpretation of this quote requires a knowledge of Wylie's history. Wylie left her family when she eloped with her first husband (of three), this shows that she did not conform to the social standards of her time, so in fact, this poem could be a reflection of Wylie's own life. "The spiritual savage caged" is referring to how the character feels as though he or she, and his or her emotions are in a cage. In the final lines 18-20 as reference before, Wylie is almost writing a summary of what preceded it. She is again saying that the character feels suffocated by the "flesh" or the social standards of her society. These final lines are very similar to the lines "Morality I could not tear/ From my ribs, to leave them bare", as she is basically suggesting the same thing. The rhyme scheme of Full Moon does not play a very big role in the interpretation of the poem. It follows the scheme AABBBCDEEEFFGGGHHHII, which isn't following any pattern other then only two lines going rhymless. The theme and feeling you get from this poem is depressing and almost as if the speaker has lost hope. The poem takes a look at how, even if somebody has a lot of money, they may not be happy. More evidence towards the theory that the character in this poem is Wylie herself is that it is written in first person. If it was in third person we would know for sure that it is about someone else but since it is first person we know it is either her, or a poem from the point of view of somebody else. Overall Full Moon by Elinor Wylie is a poem depicting the troubles of someone who cannot break free from the social standards and expectations of their society. This poem could be depicting Elinor Wylie's own struggle in her life, and this is the more likely explanation based on her life.