Summary
Summary Moving through the silent crowd IEB Poem
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In depth line by line analysis of Moving through the silent crowd by Stephen Spender for Grade 12 IEB
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Moving through the silent crowd - Stephen SpenderMoving through the silent crowd
Who stand behind dull cigarettes
Those men who idle in the road,
I have the sense of falling light.
They lounge at corners of the street
And greet friends with a shrug of shoulder
And turn their empty pockets out,
The cynical gestures of the poor.
Now they've no work, like better men
Who sit at desks and take much pay
They sleep long nights and rise at ten
To watch the hours that drain away.
I'm jealous of the weeping hours
They stare through with such hungry eyes.
I'm haunted by these images,
I'm haunted by their emptiness.
, Analysis
Published in 1933, "Moving through the silent crowd" delves into the plight of working-
class men in London during the severe global economic recession of the 1930s, commonly
referred to as the Great Depression. This crisis, initiated by the 1929 American stock
market crash, rapidly spread worldwide as banks collapsed and businesses shuttered.
Massive layoffs ensued, leading to widespread protests initially, but the authorities in
London responded harshly, dispersing the demonstrators and making arrests. The poem
commences with the speaker seemingly passing judgment or expressing criticism
toward the jobless men, branding them as 'idle' (line 3) and lazy. However, it evolves into
a subtle and poignant commentary on society's callous reaction to the men's
predicament and the cold indifference of the capitalist economic system.
Structure
"Moving through the silent crowd" consists of four stanzas, each comprising four lines,
or quatrains. With the exception of the third stanza, which employs the rhyme scheme
ABAB, there isn't a fixed rhyme scheme throughout the poem. However, there is
typically a consistent number of syllables in each line, usually eight syllables, which
establishes a steady rhythm or tempo. This regularity in rhythm may symbolize the
measured pace of someone walking along a street. In the first three stanzas, the
speaker observes and describes the individuals in the 'crowd' (line 1). However, there is a
shift in the fourth stanza, where the speaker begins to articulate the impact that the
presence of these individuals has on their own emotional state.
The poem begins with the speaker navigating
through a bustling crowd, instantly establishing a
sense of dramatic anticipation by immersing both
the speaker and us, the readers, in the heart of the
commotion. Much like the speaker, we find ourselves
envisioning our progression amidst a multitude of
1. Moving through the silent crowd individuals. The tension escalates when the crowd is
characterized as 'silent.' This silence takes on an
ominous undertone, as a typical crowd associated
with serenity, joy, or harmlessness would usually be
resonant with conversation and laughter. It
becomes evident that this particular gathering
lacks any cause for mirth or celebration.
In the following line, we discover that the crowd is
"standing" and idly smoking "dull" cigarettes. This
description strongly implies that they have been
lingering or loitering for some time, as they do not
appear to be in motion towards a specific
destination, typically halting their stride to indulge in
smoking. Moreover, the fact that they are standing
hints at their location, possibly on the street, which
is typically reserved for facilitating movement, as
there are no seating arrangements like chairs or
2. Who stand behind dull cigarettes benches for them to occupy. Interestingly, the
speaker portrays the members of the crowd as
positioned "behind" their cigarettes, creating an
unusual image that shifts the focus from the
smokers themselves to the cigarettes they hold.
Furthermore, the choice of describing the
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