A discovery based on a poem by Ralph Waldo Emerson

The ocean has existed long before humanity and will exist long after humanity ceases to  exist. The ocean is more than just a body of water. The sea contains history that humanity may never get to unlock. With everything that the ocean can be and provide, people have failed to give it the respect it deserves. People are dumping their trash into the ocean, overfishing, polluting it with noise that is harming marine life, and treating the environment so horribly that it heats up the ocean as well. Without water there is no life. If there were any one thing to determine the sustainability of living existence, it would be water. Ralph Waldo Emerson perfectly captures this idea in his poem simply titled “Water”. Although the poem is short, it does an amazing job at exploring the importance that water has on the world. Ralph Waldo Emerson uses personification in his poem “Water” to exemplify his deep respect for nature and implies that water is more than just a resource, but it is also an entity that behaves similarly to a human. By implying this, readers can deduce that policy change is vital in order to preserve the ocean which will eventually be the difference between survival and perish as a society as environmental threats continue to grow.

The main literary device used in Emerson’s poem is personification, which he uses to induce empathy for the ocean and show that it should be treated with respect like any human would deserve. Water is more than a vital resource, it “understands, Civilization well;” (1). By opening with this line, Emerson introduces the literary device of personification. It is no secret that the ocean has experienced every period of history that humanity has ever been through. By mentioning this, the ocean can be personified as a wise and old being. If the sea is so wise, why don’t people listen to it? This poem was written in 1909. At the time, international travel was done by traveling on boats. Globalization occurred through the use of boats as well. When Emerson wrote this poem, he had no idea of the increase in pollution that would occur within the next century. Rather than listen to his cautionary tale, people continued to modernize the world at the expense of the environment. As people treated the world worse, the ocean was one of the many things to suffer. Like a person who is neglected, the wise ocean decided to provide less and less until humanity changes the way they treat it. Emerson later connects this idea to a line about the ocean not being “disconcerted” (5), further implying that the ocean is wise. A non-living being cannot be wise, therefore the ocean has to be a living entity. Some cultures, such as Hinduism, see God as a body of water. Although the sea may not be a God, it is very much alive with every wave and storm.

Emerson shortly after states the power that the ocean has in inflicting emotion within himself. The ocean triggers feelings within him, just as how thoughtful words can make a person happy or how a hug can bring a person comfort. By continuing the personification of the ocean, Emerson calls the ocean pretty and explains how the ocean “chills [his] life, but wittily” (4). Like an old friend that one can always rely on, the ocean can provide more than just resources. It can be therapeutic and bring forth one’s true connection to nature. It can be a sanctuary from the society that people have created. Making the ocean be personified to resemble the love and care of a friend would be a great way to make people want to take care of the sea. This connection is likely an intentional way of turning a neglected body of water into a friend that requires the same amount of care as any other person. Emerson likely intended for people to read this poem and consider their connection to nature, specifically their treatment of the ocean. By creating a poem like this, discussions of protective policies likely came to be. While the ocean is not yet fully protected, analyzing literary history is a step in the right direction to protect oceans. People may not always be inclined to learn from Science, but literature is an engaging way to learn about true problems, and is arguably a better teacher of proper ways of coming up with a solution. Scientists can see why things are wrong and perhaps even come up with expensive solutions to the environment’s problems, but understanding and loving literature teaches people to treat the world a certain way. If people listen and agree with environmental literature, they will learn to love and take care of not only each other, but the world as well. 

The ocean expects nothing from people but respect, which Emerson implies in his poem. It simply treats humanity how humanity treats it. Emerson explains this towards the end of his poem. When the sea is “well-used, it decketh joy… ill used, it will destroy” (7). The ocean, like any person, can become angry when treated poorly. As a living environmental entity, it has a wrath that can wipe out bloodlines, whether it’s through tsunamis, tidal waves, rip tides, or currents. At the time that the poem was written, there weren’t nearly as many pollutants in the ocean as there are today. The great pacific garbage patch was only found in 1997, 90 years after the poem was written. It comes from all of the plastic that has traveled through currents and accumulated in the ocean. In retaliation, fish are dying from all of the plastic they are consuming, and coral reefs are dying from all of the chemical pollutants found in the plastic and other forms of waste. If nothing changes anytime soon, the poor treatment of the ocean will lead to the downfall of humanity. The ocean does not need humanity, but humanity undoubtedly needs it. Emerson ends his poem by reminding the readers that although the ocean is beautiful, it holds all the power and can and will destroy humanity if humanity tries to destroy it. Under a glowing sunset, the ocean lays with a “face of golden pleasure” as it will “Elegantly destroy” (11) what it needs to in order to live. Although it shares respect for humanity, the sea will never hesitate to do what it needs to do for its own survival. Like a bee, the ocean will mind its own business but will strike if people try to intervene with its natural existence. 

Emersons emphasis on the destructive nature of the ocean should serve as a hard warning as to why people must take better care of the ocean. At the time it was written, there wasn’t much concern for the ocean as science hadn’t declared human behavior to be dangerous to the ocean yet. A century later, the ocean is in crisis as we have entered a post-modernist world that has sacrificed the environment (specifically the ocean) for the sake of temporary convenience. Humanity has found a system that works so well, they are unwilling to change it, even if it means letting future generations suffer. This is why implementing policies is extremely important. This can change the course of the future before the damage to the environment becomes irreversible. The ocean is an entity that holds all of the knowledge that humanity has ever had, and it has a wrath more powerful than anyone could survive. Rather than fearing the ocean, it should be celebrated. It has provided more than it has ever destroyed multiple times over, and it treats people well as long as people treat it well. Some people may argue that implementing policies will do little help to the ocean and significantly reduce the standard of living for people, but that is simply not true. The standard of living may decrease in the short term, but it is better than the alternative, which is facing the wrath of environmental consequences. By personifying the ocean, Ralph Waldo Emerson shares his deep respect for nature that others should share, and implies that the ocean is a living entity that, similar to a human, responds to poor treatment.