The Cremation Of Sam Mcgee

In this poem, Service presents the story of Sam McGee, an inhabitant of Tennessee, who died in the cold of the north pole. It is a story about one's lust and how it has a catastrophic effect on life. The craze for gold drove the championship character so mad that he forgot about the reality around him. Eventually, he died in the prospect of gold. The speaker of the poem talks about Sam's story and his terminal wish to be cremated subsequently his death. He detested a burial nether the chilling polar ice. For this reason, he asked the speaker to cremate him.

The Cremation of Sam McGee by Robert Service

Summary

'The Cremation of Sam McGee' by Robert Service talks about a prospector, Sam McGee who froze to expiry and how his friend cremated his body on the marge of Lake Lebarge.

This poem presents a character named Sam McGee. He lived in Plumtree, near Tennessee. The speaker of the poem and McGee left their southern hometown and went to the chilling due north pole in search of gold. After spending a lot of days there, ane day McGee realized his dream was a far weep. He sensed his approaching expiry. Hence he told the speaker to cremate him as presently as he was dead. To keep the promise, the narrator took an arduous journey to the marge of Lake Lebarge. There he plant a derelict jammed in the water ice, named "Alice May". He cremated Sam McGee in the banality burn. At last, he saw the ghost of McGee who told him to shut the door when he tried to look inside the makeshift crematorium.

Construction

'The Cremation of Sam McGee' begins with a prologue. Service uses the same stanza to conclude the poem. It acts as a refrain. Apart from that, there are a total of 15 stanzas in this poem. The body of the poem contains xiii four-lined stanzas. Each stanza contains rhyming lines. The rhyme scheme of the overall poem is AABB. Whereas the prologue and epilogue comprise the ABCBDEFE rhyme scheme. In that location is an evenness in the syllable-count of the lines. Each line contains sixteen syllables and the stress falls on the second syllable of each pes. It means each line consists of eight iambs. Hence, the overall poem is composed in iambic octameter. Withal, in that location are a few variations in this verse form.

Literary Devices

In that location are several literary devices in this poem. To begin with, the prologue to the poem contains personification in the lines, "The Chill trails have their secret tales" and "The Northern Lights have seen queer sights." The line, "Just the queerest they ever did see," contains hyperbole. Thereafter, in the first stanza, the phrase, "God only knows" acts as an irony in the second line. The poet besides uses ingemination in this poem. As an example, the phrase, "the cotton fiber blooms and blows," contains an ingemination. There is a simile in the line, "but the country of gold seemed to hold him like a spell." Moreover, the remark by McGee, "he'd sooner live in hell" is an case of a paradox.

Thereafter, the third stanza begins with an anaphora. The poet uses a metaphor in the phrase, the "state of death". Information technology is a reference to the chilling atmosphere of the North Pole that makes the land barren, lifeless, and insufferable to alive in. Moreover, at that place is a palilogy in the phrase, "In the long, long dark." Thereafter, in "tranquillity dirt", the poet uses synecdoche. Autonomously from that, Service makes use of onomatopoeia in the line, "for I didn't like to hear him sizzle then." Still, the verse form ends on an ironic notation.

Themes

'The Cremation of Sam McGee' contains some of import themes such as the lust for golden, human-greed, suffering, horror, and vanity of man want. The most important theme of the poem that leads to the downfall of the titular character Sam McGee is the lust for gold. He left the comforts of his home in search of gilded in the North Pole. Information technology led to his death at the end of this poetry-tale. Moreover, the themes of greed and suffering are an integral part of the poem. They go mitt-in-hand to portray how humanity suffers for this burning desire for wealth. Apart from that, the poem begins with the theme of horror. It sets the mood of the overall poem. Lastly, another important theme of the poem is the vanity of human being desire. The catastrophic death of McGee and his cremation depict this theme sufficiently.

Detailed Analysis

The Prologue

At that place are strange things done in the midnight sun

      By the men who moil for gold;

The Arctic trails take their secret tales

      That would brand your claret run cold;

The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,

      But the queerest they ever did come across

Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge

      I cremated Sam McGee.

The prologue to 'The Cremation of Sam McGee' , gives a basic clarification of the verse form. Firstly, the speaker of the poem says there are strange things washed in the midnight sun. Information technology'southward the first image that portrays an incident that happened in the midnight sun. Hither, the poet refers to the time of early dawn. Thereafter, the speaker says the men who moil for golden did those things at that fourth dimension. After reading the poem, readers can understand why the poet gives such a description at the beginning of the poem.

However, the speaker says the Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make ane'south blood run cold. It is a reference to something eerie and mysterious. The Northern Lights have seen queer sights. But the queerest they ever did meet, was that nighttime on the marge of Lake Lebarge. On that night, the narrator cremated the titular grapheme, Sam McGee. The following stanzas of the poem hash out what happened with McGee while he was in search of gold on the Chill trails.

Stanza 1

At present Sam McGee was from Tennessee, where the cotton wool blooms and blows.

Why he left his home in the South to roam 'round the Pole, God only knows.

He was always cold, just the land of gold seemed to hold him like a spell;

Though he'd frequently say in his homely way that "he'd sooner alive in hell."

The first stanza of the poem describes Sam McGee. He was from Tennessee where people cultivated cotton. The speaker asks why McGee left his home in the S to roam around the Northward Pole. He is not sure why he did then. Hence he says God simply knows the reason for McGee'south departure. Yet, McGee was a cold person just the land of gold seemed to hold him like a spell. It was the spell of lust that fabricated McGee restless. According to the speaker, McGee was enlightened of the fact that he'd sooner live in hell for his greed for gold.

Stanza Two

On a Christmas Day we were mushing our way over the Dawson trail.

Talk of your cold! through the parka'southward fold it stabbed similar a driven nail.

If our optics we'd shut, then the lashes froze till sometimes we couldn't see;

Information technology wasn't much fun, but the just one to whimper was Sam McGee.

In the second stanza, the speaker says on a Christmas Day they were mushing their way over the Dawson trail. It was extremely cold out in that location. The chilling air was stabbing them similar a driven nail through the parka'southward fold. If they would close their eyes, the eyelashes froze till sometimes they could not see anything. The speaker says it was not much fun but the just one to whimper was Sam McGee. It is not articulate why McGee whimpered. Whatsoever, it seems that he whimpered as he was aware of where his desire would lead him to.

Stanza Three

And that very night, every bit nosotros lay packed tight in our robes beneath the snow,

And the dogs were fed, and the stars o'erhead were dancing heel and toe,

He turned to me, and "Cap," says he, "I'll cash in this trip, I guess;

And if I do, I'm request that y'all won't turn down my last asking."

In the third stanza of 'The Cremation of Sam McGee' , the speaker says on that very dark they laid packed in their robes beneath the snow. They fed their dogs earlier going to slumber. While laying there, the speaker watched the stars overhead that were dancing heel and toe. Here, the speaker uses a metaphor. The stars seemed to him as dancers who were dancing in the dark sky. Nonetheless, when the speaker was looking at the sky, McGee turned to him. He asked him for his cap and said that he would cash in that trip anyway. And earlier going out he asked the speaker non to pass up his last request.

Stanza Four

Well, he seemed so low that I couldn't say no; and so he says with a sort of moan:

"Information technology's the cursèd common cold, and it's got right concur till I'thousand chilled clean through to the bone.

Notwithstanding 'tain't being expressionless—it's my atrocious dread of the icy grave that pains;

So I want you lot to swear that, foul or off-white, y'all'll cremate my last remains."

McGee was and so depression spirited that the speaker could not say no. Sam told him with a sort of moan that the cursed cold had a firm hold on him. He was feeling as if the chilling air had frozen him through his bone. But the fear of existence dead in the cold of the Due north Pole was not troubling him. Rather he dreaded the thoughts of the icy grave that pained him. So he wanted the speaker to swear that whatsoever foul or fair occurred, he would cremate his last remains. From this statement, information technology is clear that he was set up to comprehend the cold chest of death anytime. It seems that the lust for gold made him realize that the direction chosen by him was leading him to hell. And he was aware of that.

Stanza Five

A pal'southward last need is a matter to mind, and then I swore I would not fail;

And we started on at the streak of dawn; but God! he looked ghastly pale.

He crouched on the sleigh, and he raved all day of his home in Tennessee;

And earlier nightfall a corpse was all that was left of Sam McGee.

Thereafter, the speaker says a pal's final need is a matter to heed. So he swore to McGee that he would not fail him. Later that, they started their journey at the streak of dawn. When he looked at McGee he looked ghastly pale in the cold. He crouched on the sleigh simply he was not thinking near gold anymore. Rather he raved all 24-hour interval of his dwelling in Tennessee. Unfortunately, "before nightfall a corpse was all that was left of Sam McGee." It seems that after wandering in the North Pole for many days he lost hope in himself. So, at last, he died.

Stanza Half dozen

In that location wasn't a breath in that state of decease, and I hurried, horror-driven,

With a corpse one-half hid that I couldn't become rid, because of a promise given;

Information technology was lashed to the sleigh, and it seemed to say: "Y'all may taxation your brawn and brains,

Just you promised truthful, and information technology's up to you to cremate those last remains."

To fulfill his commitment to McGee, the narrator hurried, horror-driven, with the corpse of his friend. He was out of breath in that "land of expiry". McGee'south body was lashed to the sleigh and it seemed to say to the speaker, "You lot may revenue enhancement your brawn (muscles) and brains." Moreover the corpse seemed to say, "But you promised true, and it's upwardly to you to cremate those last remains." Here, the poet introduces the first element of horror. However, in the following sections, information technology becomes clear what the "queerest thing" was mentioned in the prologue to the poem.

Stanza Seven

Now a hope made is a debt unpaid, and the trail has its own stern lawmaking.

In the days to come, though my lips were dumb, in my heart how I cursed that load.

In the long, long night, by the solitary firelight, while the huskies, round in a band,

Howled out their woes to the homeless snows— O God! how I loathed the affair.

In the seventh stanza of 'The Cremation of Sam McGee' , the speaker says a promise made is a debt unpaid. Here, the poet uses a metaphor. He compares a hope to unpaid debt. All the same, the trail to fulfill that promise was a stern lawmaking. In the days to come, the speaker cursed that load off the corpse though his lips were dumb in the cold. In the long night by the lone firelight, while the huskies, round in a band, howled out their woes, he loathed the things that he was about to cremate. This department portrays a mixed emotional state of the speaker's mind. He was firstly mournful for the death of his friend. At the same time, he detested the dead-body of McGee.

Stanza 8

And every day that quiet clay seemed to heavy and heavier grow;

And on I went, though the dogs were spent and the chow was getting depression;

The trail was bad, and I felt half mad, but I swore I would not give in;

And I'd often sing to the hateful thing, and information technology hearkened with a smiling.

Moreover, the speaker says that every solar day that "tranquillity clay", a metaphorical reference to McGee'due south corpse, seemed heavier than the previous day. Just he went on, though the dogs were spent and the grub was getting low. The trail was bad and he felt half-mad. Merely he swore he would not give in, no matter what happened with him. While he was in search of a place to cremate his torso, he often sang to the "hateful affair". It seemed to him, the lifeless body of McGee replied to him with a smile.

Stanza Nine

Till I came to the marge of Lake Lebarge, and a derelict in that location lay;

It was jammed in the ice, but I saw in a trice it was called the "Alice May."

And I looked at information technology, and I thought a bit, and I looked at my frozen chum;

Then "Here," said I, with a sudden cry, "is my cre-ma-tor-eum."

At last, he came to the marge of Lake Lebarge. In that location he found a derelict that was jammed in the ice. He saw that it was named the "Alice May". Thereafter, he looked at information technology and thought a flake. And looked at his "frozen chum". Without thinking more, he decided that he would cremate his friend at that place. Hither the speaker ironically pronounces the word "crematorium" according to its syllable division. After wandering in the bitter cold, it was a moment of achievement for him. He had establish a place to cremate his friend at last.

Stanza Ten

Some planks I tore from the cabin flooring, and I lit the boiler burn down;

Some coal I found that was lying around, and I heaped the fuel higher;

The flames just soared, and the furnace roared—such a blaze you seldom come across;

And I burrowed a hole in the glowing coal, and I stuffed in Sam McGee.

He tore some planks from the cabin door of "Alice May" and lit the boiler burn down. Thereafter he establish some coal that was lying around the boiler. After collecting those dress-down he heaped the fuel higher. And so he lit the boiler and the flames soared. It seemed to the speaker every bit if the furnace roared. Here, the poet uses a personification. Moreover, the speaker looked at the furnace and thought such a blaze was uncommon. All the same, he burrowed a hole in the glowing coal and stuffed Sam McGee inside the fire. The description of the preparation of burning his friend's body is no dubiousness horrific and disturbing. Information technology seems the speaker tried to become rid of the decomposing torso somehow.

Stanza Eleven

Then I made a hike, for I didn't similar to hear him sizzle and so;

And the heavens scowled, and the huskies howled, and the current of air began to blow.

Information technology was icy cold, just the hot sweat rolled down my cheeks, and I don't know why;

And the greasy smoke in an inky cloak went streaking downwards the sky.

In the eleventh stanza of 'The Cremation of Sam McGee' , the speaker says that after stuffing the body in the furnace he made a hike. He did not like to hear the sizzling sound fabricated during the cremation of Sam McGee. Here, the poet depicts the scene as if the ambiance during the cremation was turned mournful. Information technology seems as if nature was mourning the loss of Sam McGee. Whatsoever the speaker says at that fourth dimension "heavens scowled and the huskies howled." The current of air began to blow swiftly. Information technology was icy common cold outside but the hot sweat rolled downward the speaker's cheeks. He did not know why he was feeling that way. Moreover, he saw the greasy fume rise in the sky like an inky cloak.

Stanza Twelve

I practise not know how long in the snow I wrestled with grisly fear;

But the stars came out and they danced about ere again I ventured almost;

I was sick with dread, but I bravely said: "I'll just take a peep inside.

I guess he's cooked, and information technology's time I looked"; … then the door I opened wide.

Thereafter, in the 12th stanza of the poem, the speaker says he does non know how long he wrestled with grisly fright in the snow. After some moments, the stars came out in the sky. They danced nigh in the night sky when he ventured near the banality room. He was ill with dread simply he bravely said that he would take a peep inside. Thereafter, he ironically says, "I guess he's cooked and information technology's fourth dimension I looked." Here, the poet metaphorically compares cremation to cooking. Such a comparison is undoubtedly disturbing. At last, he opened the door wide to await at whether the cremation was finished or not.

Stanza Thirteen

And there saturday Sam, looking cool and calm, in the centre of the furnace roar;

And he wore a smile you could run across a mile, and he said: "Please shut that door.

It's fine in here, but I greatly fear y'all'll let in the cold and storm—

Since I left Plumtree, down in Tennessee, information technology's the showtime time I've been warm."

In the last stanza of the poem, the poet depicts a horrific scene. When the speaker looked within the room, he saw Sam sitting there. He looked cool and calm similar before. Inside the middle of the roaring furnace, the ghost of Sam somehow made the speaker dreadful. Moreover, the ghost wore a smile and requested him to shut that door. It was fine there. What the ghost feared were the cold air and chilling storm. At last, the speaker says since he left Plumtree, in Tennessee, it was the showtime time he had been feeling and so warm.

Such a paradoxical emotion might be confusing to the readers. Information technology seems the speaker was feeling satisfied later seeing Sam in his calm and cold appearance. Even though he was staring at the ghost of his friend, he was feeling happy for him. As he was looking calm and warm afterwards his death. The speaker felt warm as his friend looked comfortable in the fire of the furnace.

The Epilogue

There are foreign things done in the midnight lord's day

      Past the men who moil for gold;

The Arctic trails have their hugger-mugger tales

      That would brand your blood run cold;

The Northern Lights take seen queer sights,

      Merely the queerest they e'er did see

Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge

      I cremated Sam McGee.

The epilogue to the verse form, 'The Cremation of Sam McGee' is a repetition of the prologue. The last section acts as a refrain. After reading the whole verse form, it becomes articulate what were the strange things that happened with them who moiled for golden. Readers can empathize why the poet writes, "The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,/ Simply the queerest they ever did see." Here, the queerest sight was that of the ghost of Sam McGee sitting in the furnace fire. On that night, when the speaker cremated McGee, he saw his ghost who talked with him. Information technology was an incident that the imaginary speaker of the poem tin can't ever forget in his life.

Historical Context

'The Cremation of Sam McGee' , one of the famous poems of Robert Service, was published in 1907 in "Songs of a Sourdough". The poet based the poem on the experience of his roommate, Dr. Leonard S. E. Sugden. One time, he cremated a corpse in the firebox of the steamer named "Olive May". Although the poem is a fictional tale of Sam McGee, information technology was based on real people and things that Service saw in the Yukon, Canada. Lake Lebarge or the Lake Laberge is formed by a widening of the Yukon River. Moreover, the "Alice May" was based on the derelict "Olive May" that belonged to the Bennett Lake & Klondike Navigation Company. Dr. Sugden used its firebox to cremate the body of Cornelius Curtin who had died of pneumonia.

In 1904, when Service was working in the Canadian Banking company of Commerce branch in Whitehorse, he saw the proper name of William Samuel McGee on a form and used it in his poem. The name, Sam McGee rhymes with the word, "Tennessee". For this reason, he chose this proper noun. Nevertheless, William Samuel McGee was a road builder and indulged in prospecting later. Simply he died in 1940 of a heart attack.

Similar Poetry

Here is a list of a few poems that are like to Service'due south 'The Cremation of Sam McGee' .

A Fable of the Northland by Phoebe Cary – In this poem, the poet talks about an old lady who was cursed due to her greed.
The Telephone Call by Fleur Adcock – Here, in this poem, Adcock presents an ironical telephone chat. This poem as well features the theme of human greed.
Going Wrong past Jack Gilbert – This verse form focuses on a man who wants to live his life amid nature. That person becomes insane due to his greed.
The Vanity of Wealth by Samuel Johnson – This is a simple, yet impactful poem that talks about what is important and what'southward not in one's life.

You lot tin read about x of the Scariest Poems and 10 of the All-time Gothic Poems here .