Custom «The Entrapped Man» Essay Paper Sample

Rainer Maria Rilke wrote a classical metaphorical poem of all time of "The Panther". By looking at the poem one will notice that the writer refers to a situational analysis of a caged animal (panther).Rainer tries to show the reader how the panther is tired of being caged such that it can not see well beyond the cage bars. Never the less the panther wishes to leave the cage but it cant so it moves in circular motions in the cage. At time the panther opens its eyes faintly to see beyond the cage but as soon as it sees an image it gets so tied and closes the eyes so the image disappears.

In this poem he uses several skills and techniques. For instance he uses similes and imaginary personification to show his experiences and ideas of confinement. This is well portrayed by the way he shows the uselessness of the character he crates (the panther). He is so fond of using breaks in important points of the poem to enhance his full effort and emphasis. The tone gives a more meaningful meaning of the poem by the way it is so dark and personal.

The panther in the poem is an analog of man in life. Mankind at times finds himself trapped or confined to a situation. Although he wishes to come out of the status quo he doesn't because of incapability and weakness. Therefore man finds himself in a condition of entrapment. Conditions which may confine a man are as follows; imprisonment, family, drugs, leisure, work, love, religion, education, food, alcohol, beauty, travelling, power, internet, sex, music, movies and many others. Almost every thing that man does can confine him in one way or another. This confinement always comes in form of addition, obsession, fanaticism, and mania. Man becomes so attached to the later things listed above such that he can't get out of them unless helped. This is a good explanation of the cage situation of the panther in the Rainer poem.

It is at this point that mankind loses hope, and he or she thinks that there is no better world than the one of addiction, obsession, fanaticism or maniac. Mankind becomes afraid of the different lifestyle without the addiction. His fear grows so strong such that he doesn't wish to change at all. This explanation is seen when Rainer say the vision of the panther ha gone weary that it cannot hold and that it seems there are a thousand bar separating it to the world.

When man find that he cannot come out of the situation he boasts of his addition as the best lifestyle one can have and repeatedly does the same things as to console himself. For instance a drug addict will take more drugs and confidently say that the drugs are good since they make him high. A sex addict will do more of it while praising it every where. This is the same for all confinements' man gets into. This is well seen in the poem when Rainer says that the panther moves in circular motions over and aver in the cage. And the movement is of powerful soft strides.

In that condition man tries to change but all his efforts are ineffective since he lacks energy, will, power, or know how to do so. For instance a person who is a television addict will at times think of doing some thing else rather than watching TV. This person will even go to an extend of planning but will fail to change because of the drive in the addiction. The drive might tell him, "Let me watch only this one program" from watching the program he will continue watching the TV. This is explained by Rainer when he says that the panther tries to open it eyes to see beyond the cage and an image enters in her heart and disappears.