“Lot’s Wife” by Anna Akhmatova: A Critical Analysis

Introduction: “Lot’s Wife” by Anna Akhmatova

First published in 1924, “Lot’s Wife” by Anna Akhmatova is a poignant and powerful poem that explores the themes of loss, longing, and the human condition. The poem is a masterful reinterpretation of the biblical story of Lot’s wife, who is turned into a pillar of salt for looking back at the city of Sodom as it is being destroyed. Akhmatova’s version is a deeply personal and emotional work, characterized by its use of simple yet evocative language, rich imagery, and a haunting musicality. The poem’s central figure is a symbol of nostalgia and the human desire to hold onto what is being lost, and its exploration of the complexities of memory and the pain of separation continue to resonate with readers to this day. Through its beautiful and haunting language, the poem conveys a sense of yearning and melancholy, making it a timeless classic of modern poetry.

Text: “Lot’s Wife” by Anna Akhmatova

Annotations: “Lot’s Wife” by Anna Akhmatova

Line	Annotation
And the just man trailed God’s shining agent,	The poem starts by describing Lot, the just man, following God’s agent ( possibly an angel) who is leading him away from Sodom.
over a black mountain, in his giant track,	The journey is taking place over a dark and ominous mountain, with the agent’s large footprints leading the way.
while a restless voice kept harrying his woman:	Meanwhile, a persistent and anxious voice is urging Lot’s wife to look back at what she is leaving behind.
“It’s not too late, you can still look back	The voice is tempting her to take one last glance at her old life.
at the red towers of your native Sodom,	The voice is reminding her of the familiar and beloved landmarks of her hometown, Sodom.
the square where once you sang, the spinning-shed,	The voice is evoking memories of happy times in the town square and the spinning shed, where she may have worked or socialized.
at the empty windows set in the tall house	The voice is pointing out the empty windows of her family home, where her loved ones once lived.
where sons and daughters blessed your marriage-bed.”	The voice is reminding her of the happy memories of her children blessing her marriage.
A single glance: a sudden dart of pain	Lot’s wife takes one quick look back, and it causes her a sharp pain.
stitching her eyes before she made a sound . . .	The pain is so sudden and intense that it’s as if it has stitched her eyes shut before she can even cry out.
Her body flaked into transparent salt,	As punishment for looking back, Lot’s wife is turned into a pillar of salt.
and her swift legs rooted to the ground.	Her legs are frozen in place, as if rooted to the ground.
Who will grieve for this woman?	The poem asks if anyone will mourn the loss of Lot’s wife.
Does she not seem too insignificant for our concern?	The poem questions whether Lot’s wife is too minor a character to be worthy of our sympathy.
Yet in my heart I never will deny her,	The speaker asserts that they will always acknowledge and remember Lot’s wife.
who suffered death because she chose to turn.	The speaker is highlighting that Lot’s wife’s fate was a result of her own choice to look back.

Literary And Poetic Devices: “Lot’s Wife” by Anna Akhmatova

Literary/Poetic Device	Example from Poem	Explanation
Alliteration	” Who will grieve for this woman?”	Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words.
Allusion	“native Sodom”	Reference to a well-known biblical city.
Apostrophe	“you can still look back”	Addressing Lot’s wife directly, though she is not present.
Assonance	“sudden dart of pain”	Repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words.
Enjambment	“over a black mountain, in his giant track, / while a restless	Continuation of a sentence or phrase across a line break
	voice kept harrying his woman”	without a pause.
Foreshadowing	“It’s not too late, you can still look back”	Hinting at future events, in this case, the woman’s fate.
Hyperbole	“over a black mountain, in his giant track”	Exaggerated description for emphasis or effect.
Imagery	“red towers of your native Sodom”	Vivid descriptions that appeal to the senses.
Irony	The woman turning into a pillar of salt after being warned not	A contrast between what is expected and what actually happens.
	to look back
Juxtaposition	Contrasting the woman’s former life in Sodom with her current	Placing two contrasting elements side by side.
	fate as a pillar of salt
Metaphor	“God’s shining agent”	A comparison between two unlike things without using “like” or
		“as”.
Onomatopoeia	“swift legs rooted to the ground”	Words that imitate sounds.
Paradox	“a restless voice kept harrying his woman: / ‘It’s not too	A statement that seems contradictory but may reveal a deeper
	late, you can still look back'”	truth.
Personification	“her swift legs rooted to the ground”	Giving human characteristics to non-human entities.
Repetition	“you can still look back”	Repeating words or phrases for emphasis or effect.
Rhyme	Internal rhyme: “Her body flaked into transparent salt” and	The correspondence of sounds at the end of words or lines.
	“and her swift legs rooted to the ground”
Simile	“Her body flaked into transparent salt”	A comparison between two unlike things using “like” or “as”.
Symbolism	“transparent salt”	The use of symbols to represent ideas or concepts.
Synecdoche	“the spinning-shed”	A part of something is used to represent the whole thing.
Tone	The tone of regret and empathy towards Lot’s wife’s fate	The author’s attitude or feeling towards the subject.

Themes: “Lot’s Wife” by Anna Akhmatova

• Theme 1: The Power of Nostalgia
• The poem explores the theme of nostalgia and the human desire to hold onto the past. Lot’s wife is tempted to look back at the city she is leaving behind, and this single glance ultimately leads to her demise. The voice urging her to “look back” (line 3) appeals to her nostalgia, reminding her of the “red towers of your native Sodom” (line 5) and the “square where once you sang” (line 6). This nostalgia is so powerful that it overcomes her sense of self-preservation, leading her to make the fatal choice to turn back.
• Theme 2: The Consequences of Choice
• The poem highlights the consequences of our choices, no matter how small they may seem. Lot’s wife’s decision to look back results in her transformation into a pillar of salt (line 11). This punishment serves as a reminder that our actions have consequences, and that we must be mindful of the choices we make. The poem suggests that even a single glance can have far-reaching and devastating effects.
• Theme 3: The Human Condition
• The poem explores the human condition, particularly the universal experience of loss and longing. Lot’s wife’s story becomes a symbol of the human desire to hold onto what is being lost. The speaker’s final lines, “Who will grieve for this woman? / Does she not seem too insignificant for our concern?” (lines 13-14), highlight the universal nature of human suffering and the importance of acknowledging and remembering those who have been lost.
• Theme 4: Memory and Remembrance
• The poem explores the theme of memory and remembrance, particularly the importance of remembering and honoring those who have been lost. The speaker’s final lines, “Yet in my heart I never will deny her, / who suffered death because she chose to turn” (lines 15-16), serve as a testament to the enduring power of memory and the importance of acknowledging the past. The poem suggests that even in the face of loss and destruction, memory can serve as a powerful tool for preserving the past and honoring those who have come before us.

Literary Theories and “Lot’s Wife” by Anna Akhmatova

Literary Theory	Explanation	Application to “Lot’s Wife”	Critique
Feminist Criticism	Focuses on gender roles, power dynamics, and representation of women in literature.	Analyzes the portrayal of Lot’s wife and her agency in the poem.	While the poem portrays Lot’s wife as a tragic figure, it may be critiqued for reinforcing traditional gender roles, as her agency is limited to her role as a wife and mother.
Formalism	Emphasizes close reading of the text, focusing on literary elements such as structure, form, and language.	Examines the use of imagery, symbolism, and sound devices in the poem.	This approach may overlook the socio-historical context and deeper meanings embedded in the poem’s themes and symbols.
Psychoanalytic Criticism	Explores the unconscious desires, motivations, and conflicts of characters and authors.	Analyzes the psychological turmoil and inner conflicts of Lot’s wife.	Critics might argue that applying psychoanalytic theory to a poem could lead to overly subjective interpretations and neglect the broader cultural and historical context.

Critical Questions about “Lot’s Wife” by Anna Akhmatova

• Question 1: How does the poem use the figure of Lot’s wife to explore the tension between personal desire and divine authority?
• The poem uses Lot’s wife to examine the conflict between personal longing and divine command. Lot’s wife is torn between her desire to look back at her hometown and the angel’s warning not to do so (lines 3-4). Her ultimate decision to look back results in her transformation into a pillar of salt, highlighting the consequences of disobeying divine authority. The poem raises questions about the nature of free will and the consequences of following one’s desires, even in the face of divine prohibition.
• Question 2: How does the poem’s use of imagery and symbolism reinforce its themes of nostalgia, loss, and the human condition?
• The poem’s imagery and symbolism reinforce its themes of nostalgia, loss, and the human condition. The “red towers of your native Sodom” (line 5) and the “square where once you sang” (line 6) evoke a sense of nostalgia and longing for a lost homeland. The image of Lot’s wife being turned into a “pillar of salt” (line 11) symbolizes the preservation of memory and the consequences of looking back. The “empty windows” (line 8) and “tall house” (line 9) serve as reminders of the loss and abandonment of the past. These images and symbols reinforce the poem’s exploration of the human experience and the universal themes of nostalgia, loss, and remembrance.
• Question 3: How does the poem’s speaker engage with the story of Lot’s wife, and what does this reveal about the poem’s themes and the speaker’s perspective?
• The poem’s speaker engages with the story of Lot’s wife in a personal and empathetic way, addressing her directly and reflecting on her fate (lines 13-16). The speaker’s use of rhetorical questions (“Who will grieve for this woman? / Does she not seem too insignificant for our concern?”) reveals a sense of compassion and understanding for Lot’s wife’s situation. The speaker’s perspective highlights the universal nature of human suffering and the importance of remembering and honoring those who have been lost. The speaker’s engagement with the story also raises questions about the role of the narrator in shaping our understanding of the past and the importance of empathy and compassion in human relationships.

Literary Works Similar to “Lot’s Wife” by Anna Akhmatova

1. “The Waste Land” by T.S. Eliot – Eliot’s poem, akin to “Lot’s Wife,” delves into themes of disillusionment, spiritual desolation, and societal decay. Both employ rich symbolism and vivid imagery to evoke a profound sense of despair and loss.
2. “Daddy” by Sylvia Plath – Plath’s poem shares themes of identity, trauma, and the struggle for autonomy, echoing the plight of Lot’s wife. Both delve into complex emotions and psychological turmoil, utilizing powerful language and metaphorical imagery.
3. “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock“ by T.S. Eliot – Another work by Eliot, it reflects on existential angst, alienation, and the passage of time. Like “Lot’s Wife,” it portrays longing and regret, with the protagonist wrestling with existential questions and inner conflicts.
4. “The Second Coming” by W.B. Yeats – Yeats’ poem explores chaos, destruction, and the collapse of civilization, reminiscent of the biblical narrative in “Lot’s Wife.” Both depict a world in turmoil and evoke foreboding and uncertainty about the future.
5. “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night” by Dylan Thomas – This poem shares themes of mortality, defiance, and the struggle against fate, resonating with the tragic fate of Lot’s wife. Both confront the inevitability of death and the human desire to resist or defy it.

Suggested Readings: “Lot’s Wife” by Anna Akhmatova

• Akhmatova, Anna Andreevna. My half century: selected prose. Northwestern University Press, 1997.
• Weidle, Wladimir. “Anna Akhmatova: In Memoriam.” (1969): 11-22.
• Amert, Susan. In a shattered mirror: the later poetry of Anna Akhmatova. Stanford University Press, 1992.
• Riggins, Elise. “A Single Glance: The Role of the Past in Anna Akhmatova’s “Lot’s Wife”.” The Sigma Tau Delta (2015): 65.
• Adams, Amy Singleton. “” TURNED TO STONE”: Statues and the Dynamics of Resistance in Akhmatova’s Poetry.” Russian Language Journal/Русский язык 52.171/173 (1998): 81-98.
• Muchnic, Helen. “Three Inner Emigres: Anna Akhmatova, Osip Mandelshtam, Nikolai Zabolotsky.” The Russian Review 26.1 (1967): 13-25.
• https://poets.org/poem/lots-wife

Representative Quotations “Lot’s Wife” by Anna Akhmatova

Quotation	Context	Theoretical Perspectives
“It’s not too late, you can still look back”	God’s shining agent urges Lot’s wife to heed the warning and not look back at the destruction of Sodom.	Feminist Criticism: Examining the power dynamics and agency of the woman in relation to the male authority figure.
		Psychoanalytic Criticism: Analyzing the subconscious desires and motivations behind the woman’s actions.
“A single glance: a sudden dart of pain / stitching her eyes before she made a sound . . .”	Lot’s wife defies the warning and looks back, experiencing immediate consequences as her body transforms into salt.	Formalism: Focusing on the poem’s imagery and language to explore the impact of the woman’s decision.
		Symbolism: Interpreting the transformation into salt as a symbolic representation of her fate and regret.
“Who will grieve for this woman? Does she not seem / too insignificant for our concern?”	The narrator questions the woman’s worth and whether she deserves empathy for her tragic fate.	Feminist Criticism: Analyzing the societal perception of women’s value and agency.
		Psychoanalytic Criticism: Exploring the narrator’s unconscious biases and attitudes towards the woman.
“Yet in my heart I never will deny her, / who suffered death because she chose to turn.”	Despite the woman’s perceived insignificance, the narrator expresses empathy and acknowledges her suffering resulting from her decision to turn back.	Formalism: Examining the poem’s themes of choice, consequence, and redemption.
		Psychoanalytic Criticism: Uncovering the narrator’s internal conflicts and moral judgment.