The Sea of History: Close Reading

It is often said that history is written by the victors, but is that really the case? In the “Sea is History,” Derek Walcott explores where history truly exists beyond “monuments, battles, and martyrs.” That is to say, where history hides beyond its physical forms and where to find it. Ultimately, Walcott tells us that history is more than the memorials and records we keep. It is also within the experiences and memories of those who endure it.

 “Sir, it is locked in them sea sands

out there past the reef’s moiling shelf,

where the men-o’-war floated down;

strop on these goggles, I’ll guide you there myself.”

Walcott uses allusion to call back to a time when African slaves and warriors died at sea at the hands of the colonists. He implies that history resides under the sands of the sea where these slaves and warriors finally rest. Walcott also uses voice to tell the reader that he will show them the sea’s history. By speaking in the first person, Walcott can directly and personally address the reader indicating that he also has a personal stake in the subject matter. Interestingly enough, Walcott doesn’t only want to indicate to the reader that history exists within the “depths of the sea,” or the memoirs of the African slaves, but also that if the reader has the commitment to dig deeper to uncover it, he will assist them.