Alienation and the Transience of Life: An Existential Psychological Reading of Ezra Pound’s “In a Station of the Metro”

Abstract

Ezra Pound, one of the most influential poets of the twentieth century, is regarded as the pioneer of the Imagist movement in the early modern era. His poem In a Station of the Metro stands among the earliest Imagist works, reflecting the psychological and emotional dimensions of urban life. The poem portrays the complexities of modern existence, the absurd nature of human behavior, and the alienation, isolation, and fleeting nature of human relationships in a rapidly urbanizing world. This study explores how Pound’s poetry represents the modern human struggle with meaninglessness and examines the psychological effects of alienation and transience reflected in the poem. The research is grounded in Yalom’s (1980) theory of existential concerns—death, freedom, isolation, and meaninglessness. It interprets how these existential dimensions shape the modern individual’s consciousness and emotional state, influencing their overall psyche and leading to existential anxiety. Employing a qualitative approach (Creswell, 2014), this study captures the complexity and nuance of the phenomenon under investigation. The research analyzes the poem’s psychological and symbolic layers to uncover the poet’s portrayal of urban loneliness, existential anxiety, and internal disconnection in a technologically advanced world. Ultimately, this study offers a psychological reading of In a Station of the Metro, illustrating Pound’s artistic vision of human isolation and the search for meaning within the fragmented reality of modern existence.