Visiting Hour: A Journey Through Loss

Categories: Metaphor

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Exploring the depths of loss, "Visiting Hour" by Norman MacCaig takes readers on a poignant journey through the corridors of a hospital. In this powerful and moving poem, the writer employs a variety of literary techniques, including imagery, symbolism, and deliberate word choices, to captivate the reader's emotions and immerse them in the somber atmosphere of impending loss.

Set within the confines of a hospital, the narrative follows the persona's emotional pilgrimage as they visit a dying relative. The focus lies on their walk through the hospital's labyrinthine halls, ultimately reaching the bedside of their loved one.

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Throughout the verses, MacCaig skillfully explores the themes of death and pain, unraveling the complex emotions and thoughts of the persona.

In the initial stanza, the writer utilizes several techniques to convey the profound sense of loss experienced by the persona:

"Combs my nostrils

As they go bobbing along."

Here, the use of personification in 'combs' evokes a visceral discomfort, highlighting the painful nature of the experience.

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The phrase "as they go bobbing along" employs synecdoche, indicating the persona's detachment due to emotional overwhelm. Readers are drawn into the persona's unease, establishing a connection through empathy.

The second stanza delves into the persona's encounter with another patient:

"What seems like a corpse

Is trundled into a lift and vanishes

Heavenward."

The choice of 'seems' suggests a lifeless presence, not yet deceased but devoid of vitality in MacCaig's eyes. The onomatopoeic 'trundled' implies a lack of care, portraying the patient as unimportant to the hospital staff.

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The word 'Heavenward' carries a weight of finality, indicating the patient's journey beyond this world. Enjambment intensifies the impact, underscoring the themes of loss, death, and the afterlife playing on the persona's mind.

The third stanza marks a significant shift from observation to first-person narrative:

"I will not feel, I will not

Feel, until

I have to."

The repetition of 'feel' underscores the persona's awareness of their emotional state. The use of 'until' reveals their acceptance of the impending loss. This repetition serves as a mantra, portraying the struggle to contain emotions as the persona prepares for the inevitable. The change in mood symbolizes the unraveling of emotions, with the phrase 'I have to.' emphasizing the acceptance of loss amidst the internal turmoil.

Stanza four signals the return to an objective viewpoint, indicating the persona's regained control:

"Here and up and down and there,

Miraculously, of so much pain, so

So many deaths."

'Miraculously' conveys the persona's admiration for the nurses and their tireless work. The repetition of 'so much pain' emphasizes the overwhelming challenges they face, reinforcing the pervasive theme of loss and pain in the persona's mind.

Stanza five depicts the persona's arrival at the relative's ward:

"Ward 7."

This simple phrase symbolizes the finality of both the persona's destination and of life. Metaphors abound in this stanza, such as "in a white cave of forgetfulness," likening her mental absence to the stereotypical image of angels and the 'white light/tunnel' at life's end. The metaphorical 'arm wasted' symbolizes her weakened state, hinting at the persona's belief that he has already lost her.

"Distance shrinks till there is none left

But the distance of pain that neither she nor I can cross."

This extended metaphor vividly portrays the increasing distance between them and the intensifying pain as she fades further away.

Stanza six witnesses the conclusion of the visiting hour, marking the persona's loss of control:

"Black figure in her white cave,

Clumsily rises,

Swimming waves of a bell,

Fruitless fruits."

The contrasting imagery of a 'black figure' in her 'white cave' suggests intrusion into her sanctuary. The persona, represented by the black figure, struggles to detach himself, and the metaphorical 'swimming waves of a bell' portrays his drowning realization of her impending death. The oxymoron 'fruitless fruits' emphasizes the irreversibility of the situation, signaling a sense of hopelessness.

In conclusion, Norman MacCaig's "Visiting Hour" masterfully delves into the profound emotions of loss. This intelligent and gripping poem utilizes a myriad of techniques, including imagery, symbolism, and deliberate word choices, to create an immersive experience for the reader. "Visiting Hour" is not merely a poem; it is a journey that resonates, leaving a lasting impact on those who embark on this exploration of human emotion and the inevitability of loss.