Symbol Analysis
Under the sea we don't find cute mermaids and talking fish. The speaker keeps things real for us by using the sea as a symbol
for the mysterious and deep world that's far removed from man's ego and pride. It's the source of our origins, after all, so it makes sense that the speaker would consider it in a way that reflects our truer selves that have no use for jewels and mirrors.
- Lines 1-2: The poem opens with the imagery of the "solitude of the sea," which immediately sets us up for some meditations on the human self that's far from vanity and pride. Out here neither cell phones nor luxurious ships can save us.
- Lines 4-6: All of the Titanic's steel chambers and fires that would've been become part of nature's aquatic world, as the sea rhythmically churns the tide. So the sea kind of churns all of man's stuff back into itself, which makes all of those things appear useless here.
- Lines 13-15: Even the fish can't make out the use of all of man's vanity and pride. Down here, it's all a bunch of metal and jewels the fish can't eat or use.