Interpretationf Of “Toads” Essay, Research Paper

This poem documents the mental struggle of a guy who hates his job, but does not know what to do about it. His despair is emphasized by parrallels he draws between himself and lesser members of society. Losels, loblolly(mud)-men, louts… all seem to manage to get by without starving, but the author still can t bring himself to leave his job, which in his mind is holding him back. Also holding him back, though, are his own shortcomings. He points out a toady nature within himself which keeps him from speaking to women and will continue to keep him from good fortune. The poem is meant to show that if one can not shake off the things holding one back, one cannot expect to better his or her situation.