Chesterton's Attitude And Profession To The Donkey example essay topic

Gilbert Keith Chesterton, author of "The Donkey", was a religious man who wanted to influence his readers and promote social change through his writings and poetry. According to Dan Boyd, British Poets, 1880-1914, "Chesterton in his poetry, as in his other writings, saw himself as a spokesman for the poor and exploited whom he regarded as the mystical symbols of God's presence in the world". The American Chesterton Society concurs, adding: Chesterton's appreciation of the common man predates his college years. His teenage notebooks are full of a reverence for ordinary people, expressed as a corollary to his reverence for the most ordinary of objects and things. Chesterton's respect for the common man was basically a respect for free will. He said that the actions of a beggar are as momentous as the actions of a prime minister, because the beggar's actions are no less free and have an eternal significance surpassing all merely temporal enterprises, even those of prime ministers and kings (web).

Chesterton's "The Donkey" is full of religious symbolism that, when told from the donkey's passionate perspective, promotes a change of opinion regarding this beast of burden, and of society's downtrodden and oppressed members. The donkey as the narrator of this poem, allows the reader to experience a unique point of view, and creates a sense of empathy by using emotionally charged words and phrases, such as "moon was blood", "devil's walking parody" and "far fierce hour and sweet" (Chesterton 3, 7, and 14, respectively). Typically, the donkey is viewed as a mere work animal, not very intelligent, often abused and mistreated. As defined in Webster's Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary, "Donkeys are descended from the African wild ass and are sure-footed hardy animals that can walk for long periods in hot, difficult conditions with a minimum of food or water".

Chesterton helps readers identify with the donkey's suffering when he writes, "The tattered outlaw of the earth, / Of ancient crooked will; / Starve, scourge, deride me... ". (Chesterton 9 - 11). The symbolic events described in the first stanza correlate with the arch angel being cast from heaven and Adam and Eve being driven out of the Garden of Eden; thus, the time of the creation of the donkey. The second stanza gives the reader a demonic description of the donkey, using words like "monstrous head, sickening cry and ears like errant wings" (Chesterton 5 - 6). By the third stanza, there seems to be a noticeable lapse of time.

The donkey has become a beast of burden. The narrator's opinion of himself is low "I am dumb" (Chesterton 11). This opinion seems to mirror society's treatment of him, as he laments, "Starve, scourge, deride me... ".

(Chesterton 11). Hilaire Belloc, personal friend of Chesterton, compares Chesterton's attitude and profession to the donkey, "The writing man, I say, is a most unhappy beast of burden (and I know something about it); he bears upon his back for conveyance to others the joys and consolations, the visions that make life in this bad world tolerable. But he may not enjoy them himself any more than the donkey may enjoy the vegetables that he bears to market". (Belloc). Chesterton himself remarks on society's misguided attitude toward the poor and underprivileged, at one point saying, "I think the oddest thing about the advanced people is that, while they are always talking about things as problems, they have hardly any notion of what a real problem is". (web). "The Donkey" is a classic example of an oppressed entity enlightening those who have no idea about the hardships it has endured.

And, by the end of the poem, the reader understands that the donkey is proud of its one true joyous moment. The fourth and final stanza describes the donkey's "hour of triumph". The donkey is able to confront the fools who have mistreated him, as he describes his finest hour, recalling when people laid "palms before my feet" (Chesterton 16). The incident the donkey refers to is discussed in Matthew 21: 5, The Open Bible, "Behold, your King is coming to you, / Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, / A colt, the foal of a donkey".

Using poetic symbolism, effective first person point of view, strong religious metaphors and intense, forceful diction, "The Donkey" has deep spiritual and social connotations. Chesterton is able to encourage the reader to reconsider the importance and value of a lowly work animal, evoking a sense of sympathy and respect. Perhaps society as a whole should reassess its labels and attitude toward the lower working class and acknowledge this group's worth and importance. Belloc, Hilaire.

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Stanford, Donald, ed. British Poets, 1880-1914. Vol. 19. Michigan: Edwards Brother, Inc., 1983.62 - 76.