Change is totally natural in "Shine, Perishing Republic," and the speaker uses nature's cycles to help illustrate the idea that powerful nations ought to face reality and quit hogging all of the influence. Empires of course love to resist change, but the fact is, it's a necessary part of life, just like the mountains and meteors that tend to remind us of how impermanent everything is. But it's not all bad. The speaker tells us that beneath the decaying empire is a republic that still has some polish to it. So, even things that look as if they're decaying, they can still evolve into a better form and shine in a new and totally awesome way.
Questions About Change
- Why is it that the kind of change that the protesters want doesn't amount to much in the poem? What's the speaker trying to say about their "sighs" that sink right back into the decaying mass?
- Why are men so resistant to change in the poem, especially when it involves politics? Don't they know any better when they look around and realize that everything changes? How might the speaker answer that question?
- Is there anything in the poem that appears as if it doesn't change? Do you agree with the idea that the only thing that doesn't change is change itself? Why or why not?
- Why does the speaker say that the noblest spirits looking to promote positive change for mankind are often caught in traps? Is there a way to love mankind without getting stuck in a trap? If not, why not? If so, how?
Chew on This
Even though America looks like an icky, gooey mess at first, the speaker makes us aware of the fact that even that can change. He's looking forward to the day when the monster-empire self-destructs to reveal a shiny republic beneath the surface.
Sometimes men like to think that they're above nature and therefore don't abide by the same laws (we're looking at you, Mr. Trump). But the speaker squashes that arrogance right away by using the metaphor of a decaying fruit that functions a lot like a decaying empire.