Poetry Wednesday 01/09/08: Ample Make This Bed

In 1947, the movie’s narrator, Stingo (Peter MacNicol), a young writer from the American South, travels to post-World War II Brooklyn. He is befriended by Sophie Zawistowski (Meryl Streep), a beautiful Polish immigrant, and her lover, Nathan Landau (Kevin Kline). It is clear to Stingo from the serial number tattooed into Sophie’s forearm that she is no stranger to pain.

One evening, Stingo talks with Sophie and learns some more about her past: that she was married but her husband and her father were killed in a German work camp. When Stingo notices scars on Sophie’s wrists, Sophie explains that after being rescued from Auschwitz she was taken to a refugee camp in Sweden, but whilst there she went to a church, broke a glass, and cut her wrists. Sophie goes into another room where Nathan spends a lot of his time and finds another wine bottle. The walls are covered in images of the Holocaust, prompting Sophie to explain that it is Nathan’s obsession.

Sophie and Nathan’s relationship is endangered both by Sophie’s ghosts and Nathan’s obsession with the Holocaust, as well as his violent temper and increasingly apparent mental illness.

Sophie tenderly recalls how she and Nathan first met, and the episode is presented in a flashback. Sophie goes to a local library, where she’s berated by the librarian after getting poet Emily Dickinson’s name wrong — asking instead for works by “Emil Dickens.” Humiliated and feeling sick, Sophie faints, and a charming Nathan comes to the rescue. He takes her home and fixes dinner — introducing himself as a research biologist. It appears in the film that Sophie and Nathan have a love-hate relationship. However, they share a love for the poetry of Emily Dickenson. The poem he reads to her is, “Ample Make This Bed.”

When Stingo visits a man who knew Sophie’s father, he discovers she’s been lying to him. He learns that Sophie’s father, a Polish college professor, hated Jews. Later, when Stingo talks to Sophie about this, she explains, with more about her past emerging through a series of harrowing flashbacks.

Nathan asks Sophie to marry him and she accepts. Stingo feels betrayed, as he is falling in love with Sophie, but agrees to be Nathan’s best man. When Nathan goes into another of his violent moods, Sophie runs to Stingo. At this point, Nathan makes a threatening phone-call which ends with the sound of a gun firing, and Nathan making more threats.

Stingo and Sophie flee and check into a hotel. Stingo insists that they start a family, but Sophie has yet to tell him her final secret – her choice. She recounts the night she arrived at Auschwitz with her children, and of how a Nazi officer forced her to choose life for one child, and death for the other.

Despite her plea of “Don’t make me choose. I can’t choose”, Sophie’s words fall on deaf ears. When a young Nazi is told to take both children away, she releases her daughter, shouting “Take my little girl!”. Sophie can only watch as the screaming little girl is carried away to die, and her son is taken to a children’s camp, her guilt and despair all too clear.

Once she has told him, Sophie asks Stingo not to talk about marriage and children. They sleep together that night, but Stingo wakes up alone. Sophie has left him a note, saying she has gone back to Nathan, but that he is a great lover.

Sophie’s Choice

Stingo later goes back to the building where he met Sophie and Nathan, only to find everybody in a state of shock. Stingo is led up to Sophie and Nathan’s room where he finds they have committed suicide. Picking up Nathan’s book of Emily Dickinsonpoems, Stingo recites “Ample Make This Bed”, as if he were delivering a eulogy at a funeral.

Ample Make This Bed
by Emily Dickinson

Ample make this bed.
Make this bed with awe;
In it wait till judgment break
Excellent and fair.

Be its mattress straight,
Be its pillow round;
Let no sunrise’ yellow noise
Interrupt this ground.

Complete Poems Part Four: Time and Eternity, LXIII)
After reading Emily Dickinson and reflecting on the recent “poetry in the movies” theme that I have been doing for Poetry Wednesday, I thought of this poem, used to such great effect in “Sophie’s Choice” and especially touching to anyone who’s recently lost a loved one.

Graves are often compared to beds, and death to sleep, but Dickinson’s description seems especially poignant to me, since graves are frequently described as narrow or deep, but “ample” seems both an unusual and apt term.

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11 CommentsChronological Reverse Threaded

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starfishred wrote on Jan 8, ’08

what can one say except with tears of sadness thanks for sharing

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sanssouciblogs wrote on Jan 8, ’08

You did a great job with your theme and presentation. It was a wonderful movie and your review and synopsis did it justice. And how the poem suits it. The bed is “ample” for the 2.
I haven’t seen the movie in such a long while I forgot many details, thanks for bringing them back. Love, Sis

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lauritasita wrote on Jan 8, ’08

The poem, “Ample Make This Bed” by Emily Dickinson, is recited twice and referred to once in the film. It was used as a love poem between Natthan and Sophie, and at the end as a eulogy between Nathan and Sophie. It was very moving the way it was used.

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bostonsdandd wrote on Jan 8, ’08

Mel Streep is my favorite actress. I’ve seen just about everything she’s done. I loved this movie and had forgotten it too. Thanks for taking me on a trip down memory lane.
Favorite verse? “Make this bed with awe.” What a great picture she painted with just five words :oD!

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sweetpotatoqueen wrote on Jan 8, ’08

Sophie’s Choice is an enduring great film for me and I haven’t thought about it in years. The poem is a lovely eulogy and your presentation of the plot makes it more so..great blog!

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lauritasita wrote on Jan 9, ’08

Thanks, I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it. I wasn’t sure at first If this would be a good way to present this poem. You have to watch the video and follow the story in order to understand how it fits in. It’s not that obvious.

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asolotraveler wrote on Jan 9, ’08

YOURS IS ONE OF THE BEST PRESENTATIONS OF any TOPIC I HAVE EVER SEEN ON YAHOO 360 OR MULTIPLY OR ANYWHERE… THIS IS TERRIFIC!

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lauritasita wrote on Jan 9, ’08

Oh !!! Thank you sooooooo much, and I really mean that !

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zafreud wrote on Jan 9, ’08

The movie is a masterpiece…The poem is another one…They both consist a hymn to human tragedy! They may be sad, but they offer great views into human psychology. Thank you so much for the wonderful presentation, Laurita!!!

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lauritasita wrote on Jan 9, ’08

And thank you for your encouraging comment.

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eccentricmare wrote on Jan 9, ’08

A fantastic presentation, full context and thorough respect for such a master poet. I haven’t seen this film in ages, yet all detail was here at hand for me as I read. Such effort and care. Tremendous post.