To Brooklyn Bridge Questions
Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- Despite its soaring tone, there is a lot in the poem that is negative: suicides, the drudgery of office work, the emptiness of religions. Overall, would you say that "To Brooklyn Bridge" is optimistic or pessimistic in tone?
- Some critics think the poem lacks unity – the pieces don't all fit together. Do the pieces fit, and if so, what is the central idea of the poem?
- What do you think is the most beautiful bridge in the world? What about the most beautiful man-made structure overall? If a contemporary poet were to write an ode to a bridge or building, what would be a good choice for a subject?
- How hard did you find this poem to read? What makes a poem "hard" or "easy"?
- How might the idea of the Brooklyn Bridge bring people together? Aside from the obvious point that a bridge connects one place with another, what makes this particular bridge such a powerful symbol?
- Check out Walt Whitman's poem "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry." How are these two poem similar? How are they different?
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