I Will Put Chaos Into Fourteen Lines

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1949

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Download PDF

Summary

Background

Poem Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Background

Historical Context

“I Will Put Chaos Into Fourteen Lines” appeared in publication in 1954 in Millay’s posthumous collection Mine the Harvest. While the exact date of its composition is unknown, there are numerous national and world events that could have impacted and inspired Millay’s work. The Second World War commenced in September 1939 when Nazi Germany invaded Poland; Great Britain and France declared war in retaliation. The war lasted until May 8, 1945, and pitted the Axis powers of Germany, Italy, and Japan against the Allied forces of France, Great Britain, the United States, the Soviet Union, and China (Royde-Smith, John Graham. “World War II.” Britannica, 28 Feb. 2022). Millay cast aside her pacifist beliefs to write propaganda in support of the Allies, and one of these works was the poem “The Murder of Lidice,” published in 1942. Millay wrote a number of other patriotic poems around this time as well. In fact, Millay’s support of the war and the Allied forces was frowned upon by other writers, artistic friends, and acquaintances. Merle Rubin, a renowned book critic, commented, “[Millay] seems to have caught more flak from the literary critics for supporting democracy than Ezra Pound did for championing fascism” (“Edna St. Vincent Millay.” New World Encyclopedia). While it is uncertain when exactly “I will put Chaos into fourteen lines” was initially written, its themes and tone match the questions and concerns raised by the destruction caused by World War II. Chaos, in this context, is synonymous with the war itself, and the speaker attempts to assume control over the war’s far-reaching effects. The speaker nullifies the power of the Axis countries (aka Chaos) and promotes order through the support of the Allies. Whether written before or after the conclusion of the war, the optimistic tone could serve as a retrospective reflection of all that the United States and other Allied countries have overcome or as a clarion call for them to continue their fight against Hitler for the side of “good” (Line 14). Making Order out of Chaos, in the context of the Second World War, could be an attempt to try and create a way forward through the strife toward a brighter future.

Authorial Context

Reading “I Will Put Chaos Into Fourteen Lines” through the lens of World War II is one way of understanding the text. However, personal events from Millay’s life could have also influenced this particular sonnet’s content, especially since the exact year of composition is unknown. Toward the end of Millay’s life, she (as well as her husband) faced numerous challenges. In 1936, one of Millay’s manuscripts was lost in a fire (and would be later lost a second time), and in that same year she was in a car accident that resulted in nerve damage. Because of this trauma, Millay required pain management in the form of addictive medication. Before the conclusion of World War II, Millay had a nervous breakdown in 1944, from which her husband had to help nurse her back to health and to a place where she was able to write again. Millay and her husband did have some money troubles, and in 1949 her husband died following a surgery for lung cancer. Millay had her own “Chaos” to struggle with on a daily basis in the decade leading up to her death. While World War II could have certainly compounded that and influenced her poem, this particular sonnet may also be an attempt on Millay’s part to draw some sense of purpose or even solace from the suffering she endured in her personal life. By claiming that Chaos “is nothing more or less / Than something simple not yet understood” (Lines 11-12), Millay may be attempting to find her own personal closure and assurance.