THE ENCOUNTER
You came to the side of the bed
and sat staring at me.
Then you kissed me-I felt
hot wax on my forehead.
I wanted it to leave a mark:
that’s how I knew I loved you.
Because I wanted to be burned, stamped,
to have something in the end-
For New Criticism close reading of a text is mandatory because New Critics believe that text itself is the source of meaning. By close reading, they mean the careful examination of the text without considering the author's biography, historical context or "The Spirit of the Age". So to understand the battle cry of New Critics "The text itself" lets look at the following lines from the poem The Encounter by Louise Gluck.
Imagery and Symbolism:
The poem's key image is "hot wax on my forehead" which conveys a striking mix of physical sensations and emotional intensity. Hot wax symbolizes something that is both painful and transformative. The kiss which is a symbol of tenderness and affection, contradicts the searing pain of hot wax. This creates a paradox where love, often associated with joy and comfort, is linked to pain and a desire for permanence.
Paradox:
There is a paradox in the idea that love is both desired and painful so it is self-contradictory bur reveals a deeper truth. Another paradox lies in the realization of the speaker that they love because they want the pain to leave a mark.
Irony:
The desire for the wax to leave a mark is ironic because it says that the speaker finds comfort in pain.
Unity:
Every element of the poem like from the kiss to the wax to the desire for a mark -works together to emphasize the idea that love is transformative, often painful and deeply desired. The imagery, structure, and all contribute to the central revelation: that love is known not just by pleasure, but by a willingness to endure its painful aspects.
Theme:
The primary theme is the complexity of love -how it intertwines joy with pain, tenderness with suffering. Another theme is vulnerability in love.
Conclusion:
Through the lens of New Criticism the poem reveals its thematic complexity and emotional depth which a literary work must have, if it is to adequately represent the complexity of human life. The use of imagery like hot wax and the desire for a permanent mark highlight the paradoxical nature of love -where vulnerability and suffering are intertwined with affection. And over all literary devices contribute the meaning of the text.