“Disillusionment of Ten O’clock” by Wallace Stevens: A Critical Analysis

Introduction: “Disillusionment of Ten O’clock” by Wallace Stevens

“Disillusionment of Ten O’clock” by Wallace Stevens, first appeared in 1915 in his collection Harmonium, captures Stevens’ unique approach to modernist poetry, characterized by vivid imagery and philosophical depth. The work contrasts the dull, unimaginative lives of people confined to routine and convention with the vibrant, dream-filled possibilities of imagination. It critiques the monotony of middle-class life, symbolized by plain white nightgowns, while yearning for a world where creativity and dreams are embraced. Stevens’ use of surreal imagery highlights the power of imagination to transcend mundane reality, suggesting that the true richness of life lies in the ability to dream and imagine.

Text: “Disillusionment of Ten O’clock” by Wallace Stevens

Annotations: “Disillusionment of Ten O’clock” by Wallace Stevens 

Line	Text	Analysis
1	The houses are haunted	A metaphor suggesting a sense of emptiness or unease within the houses.
2	By white night-gowns.	A symbol of purity and innocence, juxtaposed with the idea of haunting, creating a sense of irony.
3	None are green,	A rejection of vibrant, natural colors, emphasizing a sense of monotony or artificiality.
4	Or purple with green rings,	Continuing the rejection of natural colors, emphasizing a sense of artificiality and perhaps a lack of imagination.
5	Or green with yellow rings,	Further emphasizing the rejection of natural colors and the artificial nature of the houses.
6	Or yellow with blue rings.	Continuing the theme of artificial colors and the idea of a mundane, repetitive existence.
7	None of them are strange,	A rejection of the extraordinary or unusual, emphasizing the ordinary and mundane nature of the houses and their inhabitants.
8	With socks of lace	A symbol of delicacy and femininity, perhaps suggesting a lack of vitality or imagination.
9	And beaded ceintures.	Another symbol of elegance and sophistication, again suggesting a lack of vitality or imagination.
10	People are not going	A statement of fact, emphasizing the mundane nature of the inhabitants’ lives.
11	To dream of baboons and	A rejection of exotic or fantastical dreams, emphasizing the ordinary and mundane nature of the inhabitants’ thoughts.
12	periwinkles.	A symbol of simplicity and modesty, further emphasizing the ordinary nature of the inhabitants’ lives.
13	Only, here and there, an old	A suggestion of a rare exception to the norm, a hint of something different or unusual.
14	sailor,	A symbol of adventure and exploration, contrasting with the mundane nature of the houses and their inhabitants.
15	Drunk and asleep in his	A suggestion of escapism or a temporary release from the mundane, through the act of drunkenness.
16	boots,	A symbol of practicality and hard work, contrasting with the fantastical nature of the tiger hunt.
17	Catches tigers	A symbol of adventure, danger, and the unknown, contrasting with the mundane nature of the poem’s setting.
18	In red weather.	A symbol of passion, excitement, and perhaps even danger, further emphasizing the contrast between the mundane and the extraordinary.

Literary And Poetic Devices: “Disillusionment of Ten O’clock” by Wallace Stevens

Literary/Poetic Device	Example from the Poem	Explanation
Anaphora	“None are green, / Or purple with green rings, / Or green…”	The repetition of “None” and “Or” at the beginning of lines emphasizes the lack of color and imagination in the people’s lives.
Assonance	“In red weather”	The repetition of the “e” sound in “red” and “weather” creates a pleasing internal rhyme, reinforcing the vividness of the sailor’s dream.
Caesura	“Only, here and there, an old sailor,”	The comma introduces a pause in the middle of the line, creating a reflective break that contrasts the sailor’s imaginative world with the dullness around him.
Consonance	“Catches tigers”	The repetition of the “t” and “s” sounds within the phrase creates a sharp, staccato effect that adds emphasis to the action of catching tigers.
Contrast	“white night-gowns” vs. “tigers / In red weather”	The poem contrasts dull, colorless images of reality (white night-gowns) with vibrant, surreal images of dreams (tigers in red weather).
Enjambment	“People are not going / To dream of baboons and periwinkles.”	The sentence flows over the line break, reflecting the continuous nature of the speaker’s thought and the unbroken monotony of the people’s lives.
Hyperbole	“None of them are strange, / With socks of lace…”	Exaggeration is used here to emphasize how extremely ordinary and unimaginative the townspeople are.
Imagery	“white night-gowns,” “baboons and periwinkles”	Stevens creates vivid images of colorless conformity and bizarre dreams to contrast the mundane with the fantastical.
Irony	“The houses are haunted / By white night-gowns”	The idea of being “haunted” by something as mundane as white night-gowns is ironic, suggesting lifelessness rather than a more dramatic haunting.
Juxtaposition	“white night-gowns” and “tigers / In red weather”	Stevens places the plain reality of white nightgowns next to the fantastical imagery of tigers in red weather to highlight the contrast between dullness and imagination.
Metaphor	“The houses are haunted”	The houses are metaphorically “haunted” by the lifelessness and dullness of the people within them, suggesting a lack of vitality.
Negative Capability	“None are green, / Or purple with green rings…”	Stevens embraces ambiguity by listing what is absent, allowing readers to infer the dullness of the people’s lives without overtly stating it.
Personification	“The houses are haunted”	The houses are given human-like qualities, as though they are haunted by something, which adds a surreal, ghostly dimension to the lifelessness of the homes.
Polysyndeton	“Or green with yellow rings, / Or yellow with blue rings”	The repeated use of “or” between colors creates a rhythm and emphasizes the list of imaginative possibilities that are missing in the people’s lives.
Repetition	“None are green, / Or purple with green rings, / Or…”	The repetition of “None” and “Or” emphasizes the lack of creativity and variation in the lives of the townspeople.
Symbolism	“white night-gowns”	The white nightgowns symbolize the bland, unimaginative lives of the people, representing conformity and dullness.
Synecdoche	“white night-gowns”	The night-gowns represent not just clothing but the entire way of life of the people, symbolizing their lack of individuality.
Tone	“The houses are haunted / By white night-gowns.”	The tone of the poem is melancholic and critical, as Stevens expresses disillusionment with the lack of imagination in the people’s lives.
Vivid Imagery	“Catches tigers / In red weather”	The sailor’s dream of catching tigers in red weather is an example of vivid imagery, evoking a surreal and intense vision that contrasts with the rest of the poem.

Themes: “Disillusionment of Ten O’clock” by Wallace Stevens

• ·         Monotony and Conventionalism: One of the central themes in “Disillusionment of Ten O’clock” is the dullness and monotony of conventional life. Stevens uses the imagery of “white night-gowns” to symbolize the bland, uniform lives of the people in the houses. The repetition of “none are green, / Or purple with green rings” emphasizes the lack of variety and imagination in these lives. By focusing on the colorless nightgowns, Stevens illustrates how the absence of creativity and uniqueness leads to a sense of disillusionment and an unfulfilled existence. The poem critiques this homogeneity, suggesting that it stifles individuality and the potential for more vibrant, imaginative experiences.
• ·         The Power of Imagination: Imagination, or the lack thereof, is another prominent theme in the poem. The list of colors and strange objects like “socks of lace / And beaded ceintures” represents the possibilities of creative expression that are missing from the lives of the people. Stevens contrasts the plainness of white nightgowns with the vivid imagery of dreams, suggesting that imagination can bring color and excitement to an otherwise monotonous life. The phrase “people are not going / To dream of baboons and periwinkles” implies that without imagination, individuals cannot transcend their dull realities to experience more whimsical or fantastical dreams. Imagination, in Stevens’ view, is what brings meaning and richness to life.
• ·         Alienation and Isolation: The poem also explores the theme of alienation, depicting individuals as isolated in their uninspired, mundane routines. The “houses are haunted” not by ghosts but by the lifelessness of the people who reside within, disconnected from creativity and vibrancy. The use of the word “haunted” suggests that these people are trapped in their own homes, weighed down by the oppressive conformity of their lives. The old sailor, “drunk and asleep in his boots,” stands as the only exception, but even he is alienated from the rest, existing on the margins of society. His dreams of “catch[ing] tigers / In red weather” highlight the sharp divide between his vibrant, albeit chaotic, inner world and the colorless existence of others.
• ·         The Role of the Outsider: The poem concludes with the image of an old sailor who represents the role of the outsider, someone who, unlike the other people in the town, still retains the ability to dream vividly and creatively. While the rest of the characters are bound by their colorless nightgowns and lack of imagination, the sailor dreams of “tigers / In red weather,” a surreal and vibrant image that stands in stark contrast to the dullness surrounding him. Stevens uses the sailor to show that, although rare, there are individuals who resist the disillusionment of conformity and maintain their imaginative freedom. The sailor’s dreams serve as a metaphor for the liberating power of imagination and the possibilities that lie beyond the mundane.

Literary Theories and “Disillusionment of Ten O’clock” by Wallace Stevens

Literary Theory	Application to “Disillusionment of Ten O’clock”	References from the Poem
Psychoanalytic Criticism	Focuses on the inner workings of the mind, unconscious desires, and dreams. The poem contrasts the suppressed imagination of the townspeople with the vibrant dreams of the sailor, symbolizing repressed desires.	“People are not going / To dream of baboons and periwinkles.” This highlights a repression of vivid, imaginative dreams.
Modernist Criticism	Modernism often critiques conventionality and the alienation caused by modern life. The poem reflects these concerns through the monotony of the townspeople’s lives, devoid of imagination and creativity.	“The houses are haunted / By white night-gowns,” illustrating the lifeless and monotonous existence of the people.
Symbolism	Symbolist theory emphasizes the use of symbols to express deeper meanings. Stevens uses color and clothing as symbols of imaginative or repressive states of being.	“None are green, / Or purple with green rings,” where colors symbolize the missing vibrancy and creativity in life.

Critical Questions about “Disillusionment of Ten O’clock” by Wallace Stevens

• What is the significance of the repeated references to color in the poem?
• The repeated references to color in “Disillusionment of Ten O’Clock” serve to emphasize the monotony and artificiality of the world described by Stevens. The houses are painted in unnatural, repetitive colors, such as “green with yellow rings” or “yellow with blue rings” (lines 4-6). This suggests a lack of vitality and imagination, and a sense of the world as a constructed, artificial place. The absence of natural colors, such as green and blue, further reinforces this idea of a world devoid of life and beauty.
• How does the contrast between the mundane and the extraordinary contribute to the poem’s overall meaning?
• The poem contrasts the mundane, everyday world of the houses and their inhabitants with the extraordinary and fantastical elements, such as the sailor’s dream of catching tigers in red weather. This contrast highlights the limitations and constraints of the ordinary life, and suggests a longing for something more exciting or adventurous. The mundane world is depicted as repetitive, colorless, and lacking in imagination, while the extraordinary elements offer a glimpse of a more vibrant and exciting reality.
• What is the significance of the haunted houses in the poem?
• The haunted houses in the poem symbolize a sense of emptiness, unease, and perhaps even a longing for something more. The haunting suggests that the houses are filled with unspoken fears, desires, and regrets. The juxtaposition of the haunted houses with the pure white night-gowns (line 2) creates a sense of irony, suggesting that the purity and innocence associated with the night-gowns is somehow tainted or corrupted.
• How does the poem’s focus on dreams and imagination relate to its overall theme of disillusionment?
• The poem’s focus on dreams and imagination highlights the limitations and constraints of the ordinary life, and suggests a longing for something more. The inhabitants of the houses are depicted as unable to dream of anything more exotic or fantastical than baboons and periwinkles (lines 11-12). This suggests a lack of imagination and a sense of being trapped in a mundane existence. The only exception is the old sailor, who dreams of catching tigers in red weather, offering a glimpse of a more vibrant and exciting reality. However, even his dream is ultimately a fantasy, and the poem ultimately suggests that disillusionment and disappointment are inevitable.

Literary Works Similar to “Disillusionment of Ten O’clock” by Wallace Stevens

1. “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot: Both poems explore themes of disillusionment, alienation, and the limitations of modern life.
2. “The Waste Land” by T.S. Eliot: Both poems depict a fragmented and disillusioned world, with a focus on the loss of meaning and purpose in contemporary society.
3. “The Second Coming” by W.B. Yeats: Both poems express a sense of impending doom and the breakdown of traditional values, with a focus on the cyclical nature of history.
4. “Ode on Grecian Urn” by John Keats: Both poems explore the relationship between art and reality, and the power of beauty to transcend time and mortality.
5. “When I Consider How My Light Is Spent” by John Milton: Both poems grapple with themes of mortality, loss, and the meaning of life, with a focus on the limitations of human existence.

Representative Quotations of “Disillusionment of Ten O’clock” by Wallace Stevens

Quotation	Context	Theoretical Perspective
“The houses are haunted / By white night-gowns.”	The poem opens with a description of houses filled with people whose lives are dull and monotonous.	Modernist Criticism: The lifelessness of modern life is symbolized by the haunting of ordinary white nightgowns, highlighting alienation.
“None are green, / Or purple with green rings.”	Stevens lists colors that are absent from the nightgowns, suggesting a lack of imagination.	Symbolism: The absence of vibrant colors symbolizes the lack of creativity and vibrancy in the lives of the people.
“None of them are strange, / With socks of lace.”	The people’s clothing is ordinary and lacks the unique or strange elements that would indicate individuality.	Psychoanalytic Criticism: This reveals the repression of the unconscious, where creativity and strangeness are suppressed.
“People are not going / To dream of baboons and periwinkles.”	The townspeople are described as lacking the capacity to dream of fantastical, surreal things.	Surrealism: The reference to dreams of baboons and periwinkles emphasizes the imaginative potential that remains unexplored by the people.
“Only, here and there, an old sailor,”	A lone figure, the old sailor, is presented as the only person who might dream outside of the mundane.	Existentialism: The sailor represents an individual who retains the capacity for imagination in a world that has lost meaning.
“Drunk and asleep in his boots.”	The sailor, though imaginative, is also shown to be disconnected from reality, sleeping drunkenly in his boots.	Psychoanalytic Criticism: His dream state symbolizes a release of unconscious desires, though they are affected by his inebriation.
“Catches tigers / In red weather.”	The sailor’s dreams are vivid and surreal, involving the catching of tigers in extreme, red weather conditions.	Symbolism: The tigers and red weather symbolize the wild, untamed imagination that exists only in the sailor’s dreams.
“None are green, / Or purple with green rings.”	Repeated imagery that emphasizes the absence of vibrant, unusual colors, reinforcing the blandness of life.	Formalism: The repetition serves as a structural device, reinforcing the central theme of disillusionment through recurring absence.
“The houses are haunted”	The word “haunted” returns to symbolize how ordinary life is ghostlike and lifeless without imagination.	Modernist Criticism: The metaphor of haunting underscores the emptiness and lack of purpose in modern existence.
“In red weather”	The phrase adds surreal, dreamlike qualities to the sailor’s imagination.	Surrealism: The vivid and fantastical “red weather” contrasts with the mundane, using surrealism to express hidden depths of the mind.

Suggested Readings: “Disillusionment of Ten O’clock” by Wallace Stevens

1. NATHAN, LEONARD E. “WALLACE STEVENS AND MODERN POETRY.” Indian Literature, vol. 10, no. 1, 1967, pp. 82–101. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/23329080. Accessed 22 Oct. 2024.
2. BATES, MILTON J. “Stevens and Modernist Narrative.” The Wallace Stevens Journal, vol. 35, no. 2, 2011, pp. 160–73. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/44885285. Accessed 22 Oct. 2024.
3. LEGGETT, B. J. “Anecdotes of Stevens’ Drunken Sailor.” The Wallace Stevens Journal, vol. 26, no. 1, 2002, pp. 15–21. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/44884672. Accessed 22 Oct. 2024.
4. Eder, Doris L. “Wallace Stevens: Heritage and Influences.” Mosaic: A Journal for the Interdisciplinary Study of Literature, vol. 4, no. 1, 1970, pp. 49–61. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/24776204. Accessed 22 Oct. 2024.
5. Buttel, Robert. “Wallace Stevens at Harvard: Some Origins of His Theme and Style.” ELH, vol. 29, no. 1, 1962, pp. 90–119. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2871927. Accessed 22 Oct. 2024.