For the poem "Down,
Wanton, Down!" Robert Graves distinguishes an antiquated idealization of the physical aspect of man as
sublimated to well developed intellectual and emotional qualities for the measure of a true man. For his dramatic monologue, the
speaker admonishes "wonton", the personification of his own male member, for his wonton behavior. The didactic speech is presented as a humourous lyric which ironically simplifies its condemnation of the
nature of carefree, lustful manners. Man is the master and his penis is his dog.
The speaker is an intellectual man contemplating the nature within himself. The diction of his monologue portrays a more formal English style. The diction then affects the way the man is perceived as being superior. He is above being vulnerable to shameful urges of carnal lust. That the poem is a dramatic monologue is ironical in that the speaker is addressing wanton, a secondary persona who is in fact himself. There is no other apparent audience to the speech. The man is speaking only to wanton, his penis. The man talks down to wanton, who is the representation of his own physical self. He is also the animal of his own nature. The speaker is basically having a conversation with himself about his own behavior. Further, the conversation in the speaker’s head is happening during the despicable behavior being commented upon. That the voice portrays the speaker as the owner of the dog points that the man, is himself, responsible for wanton’s behavior. The speaker is viewing his own nature in distinct contrast to his ideals.
"Down, Wanton, Down!" is composed in a more Romantic tradition. For this poem Graves exploits the ideals of emotional expression and assertion of the intellectualized and independent self over any laws of nature. The poems is stylized of the Romantic genre to best express the theme that the intellect of man is in constant opposition to yet must coexist with the more debased nature of man. The speaker is determined to be superior to the animal. Literally, the speaker is portrayed as the owner of the animal, wonton. Figuratively, the speaker’s monologue intends to assert his control over wonton.
The speaker establishes a tone of ownership and superiority over wonton. In the first stanza he addresses wonton as a dog. The animal should be ashamed of himself to be so easily aroused at the slightest hint of sex. The subject of sexual desire here is immediately distinguished as animalistic and aggressive. "Love" and "Beauty" are also distinguished early. Such ideals are signified as being special in contrast to wonton, as they are named throughout beginning with capitol letters. Wonton is the name of the man’s male member. It is signified throughout the poem beginning with a lower case letter, which places it at a lower status to Love and Beauty. For the second stanza wonton is compared to a foolish officer whose only objective is penetration of the fortification, regardless of who the fortified women may be. For this, wonton deserves to die of a sexually transmitted disease. Stanza three re-visits idealized love as a higher emotion. Love may be "blind" but can see the difference between the better man and the "beast". It is the expertise of man, foregoing animal lust, which enables such relations with the older,
"Beauty wayward" woman who requires more delicacy. In stanza four, the speaker asks the "witless" wanton what one great conquest lead to such conceit as his. Wonton disregards a life spent working at higher education "to think fine and profess the arts" with his offensive and foolish behavior.
The speaker intensifies the tone of superiority to include sarcasm in the last stanza. The contrast between idealized "Love" and "Beauty" is sharper so close to the imagery of wonton’s "bald rule of thumb". Wonton is not a gifted ruler of women that he may expect encounters with many beautiful women or one devoted lover for his future. "Be gone, have done! Down, wanton, down!" Here in the last line the speaker dismisses wonton to finish his business and be gone.
There is a subtle change in the voice of the speaker from the first stanza to throughout to the last. Such changes parallel possible changes in the man’s mind during the act of the encounter. The tone of the admonishments by the master to wonton begin with playful embarrassment. Then the voice moves to consider wonton as accepting an apathetic mission, and the man aids wonton’s efforts with his sensibilities. Wonton may now continue in the physical act separate from the man. Upon completion, wonton is feeling rather egotistical as he is dismissed by the man. Wonton evolved from a debased animal to being the superior "man of parts" , both literally and figuratively, who is the speaker. And though the well-bred intellectual man may have high ideals of beauty and love, he will still consider his wonton with the affection as being man’s best friend.