Easter is here, celebrations of this spring holiday are everywhere. Bunnies, baskets, chocolate, and plastic eggs line the grocery store aisles. New clothing is out on racks; Pastel shirts for men, flowery dresses and bonnets for the women. Freshness is in the air and the world seems to be awakening from its winter slumber with fragrance and beauty. Everything is new. It is a magical time of celebration.
With all the fanfare, it is easy to forget that the origins of this Holiday truly are humble. A celebration created in remembrance the week of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. “Easter Day”, by Oscar Wilde, is a reminder of the stark contrast between Easter beginnings and the present day celebrations.
Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) was a controversial and unconventional writer. He is known for his play “The Picture of Dorian Grey” and for his advocacy of the “Aesthetics” movement. Wilde wrote a book he simply called “Poems” in 1881. In it we find “Easter Day”.
The silver trumpets rang across the Dome:
The people knelt upon the ground with awe:
And borne upon the necks of men I saw,
Like some great God, the Holy Lord of Rome.
Priest-like, he wore a robe more white than foam,
And, king-like, swathed himself in royal red,
Three crowns of gold rose high upon his head:
In splendour and in light the Pope passed home.
My heart stole back across wide wastes of years
To One who wandered by a lonely sea,
And sought in vain for any place of rest:
'Foxes have holes, and every bird its nest.
I, only I, must wander wearily,
And bruise my feet, and drink wine salt with tears.'
When reading this poem, the first and second halves of the poem are in direct contrast to one another. In his description of the celebration of Easter he paints a picture of a noisy, crowded gathering filled with worship and splendor. He sets the "tone" of the first half with trumpets ringing alongside words are used to paint a cheery picture: awe, swathed, rising high, splendor, and light. In the second half, he changes the tone by using words that shift our mood. The intentional use of words that are in direct contrast with the first segment: stole, wastes, wander, lonely, searching in vain, and weary.
While Wilde does not mention the actual crucifixion of Christ in his poem, he has a direct Biblical reference from Matthew 8:20 in the New Testament: "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." It is also noted that he has intentionally capitalized the word “One”. When looking throughout historical writings, pronouns that refer directly to God or Jesus are always capitalized. The reference to bruised feet are a direct correspondence with the piercing of Jesus’ feet on the cross- as it is written that he was “bruised” but his bones were not broken (John 9:36). Drinking wine salt with tears could also refer to the offering of wine vinegar to Jesus just before he died. (John 9:29-30)
Celebrations are wonderful. They give us joy as we get together with friends and loved ones. Seeing the eyes of children light up as they participate in celebrations is a blessing in itself. But sometimes the true origins are lost amidst the fanfare. Wilde’s “Easter Day” is a reminder of the humble beginnings of the original Easter day.
