Casabianca

Kevin Stromfeld

Each stanza in Heman’s “Casabianca” provides the reader with mind-engaging, jaw dropping images. The poem begins with “The boy standing on a burning deck” which proves to be Casabianca’s most prominent reoccurring image. Another image that caught my eye was the “burning flags, like banners in the sky”. When the flags burned, it showed that the war no longer mattered. The boy’s sole focus was adhering to his father’s command. Another image, alluded to in almost every stanza, was the flames moving across the ship. Heman’s states “The flames roll’d on-he would not go without his father’s word”. This is the most powerful image of the poem, not because the flames are about to claim this young boy’s life, but rather because of the boy’s mere presence and faithfulness to his father. A young boy, standing on a burning ship about to die, holds such a love and loyalty to his father that he is willing to risk his life.
The young boy, standing relentlessly on the burning deck, set the stage for the rest of the poem. In the beginning, Heman’s describes him as just a boy, however as the poem progresses he becomes a “creature of heroic blood” and a “proud childlike form”, who has a “young faithful heart”. This young boy, probably no older than 15, is the central figure throughout the poem. The boy seemed to have the control while the flames surrounded him. Although flames are rolling in on the ship, he seems to overpower them with his simple presence and calmness. Even though the flames eventually claim the boy’s life, his loyalty to his father and “gallant” behavior almost make the flames insignificant.
Towards the end of the poem the boy’s voice disappears, however his presence remains stronger than ever. It is almost as though, Casabianca is a man trapped inside of a boy’s body. Although Casabianca is just a boy, he is more of a man than the ones that fled. As the “thunder sounds” and “wreathing fires made way” the boy does not make a sound and remains loyal and somewhat proud. The boy dies with a “young faithful heart” staying true to his father’s words. In the end, the boy’s death was not a result of the flames, but rather because of his heroic and honorable behavior.

Picture Links:
1)http://www.virginmedia.com/images/1robots-gal-tin.jpg
2)http://artofmanliness.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/gladiator-crowe.png
3)http://www2a.cdc.gov/ecards/cards/Parenting/FatherAndSon.jpg