“Narcissus and Echo” exercises a unique style of rime that echoes back to each line of the poem. This echoing helps establish and justify the theme of the poem. Chappell exercises the sound element with this unique rime style. The poem is about the Greek mythology story about a beautiful man named Narcissus who fell in love with his reflection, due to the death of his beloved twin sister, and Echo, a nymph who longs for him even though she was rejected by Narcissus. Now she echoes after him as he admire is reflection. To honor this theme the poem is written in a way where in each line Narcissus speaks Echo echoes a rime of the sound of the last word in each line.
Chappell uses Narcissus to speak in the poem. Narcissus is presumably talking to his reflection in the water. He pours his heart out to his ‘beloved’ reflection. Echo longs for Narcissus but she is rejected by him. She echoes after him. In the poem Chappell uses her to rime the last word in each line of Narcissus’ speech. This reveals another message in the poem. It is a response to Narcissus speech.
…In the water’s tone stone?
that brilliant silence, a flower Hour,
whispers my name with such slight light
moment, it seems filament of air, fare
the world become cloudswell. well.
(11-15)
This quote is the last few lines of Narcissus speech and Echo saying goodbye to Narcissus.
Chappell also uses rime in the poem to help solidify the theme of his poem. The rime comes from Echo responding or riming Narcissus’ last word’s sound. The sound (Narcissus’ Speaking) is what justifies Echo’s echo in this poem. In the previously stated quote the italics is Echo speaking. She rimes “water’S TONE” with “stone” and “SLIGHT” with “LIGHT.” This unique style of riming helps the theme, beautifully. It correlates with sound, well.
Inclosing, this poem is a mythological story being told in the form of a poem. The unique style of riming in the poem, or echoing, helps the theme. Chappell tied Narcissus’ speech with Echo’s echo to let readers know that there is a conversation. If the last rime wasn’t present the poem would not have much depth and would be void of the point the theme of the poem. Chappell’s poem uses the elements of speaker, sound, and rime effectively.
