Table of ContentsIntroductionThe Theme of Loneliness in "Eleanor Rigby"ConclusionWorks CitedIntroductionThe theme of loneliness permeates this poem with undeniable clarity. "Ah, look at all the lonely people! Ah, look at all the lonely people!" (1-2) are the opening lines of a song that topped the Beatles charts in 1966. The songwriters and bandleaders, John Lennon and Paul McCartney, left no room for ambiguity, conveying the central theme immediately to the reader and listener. . In this essay on the song "Eleanor Rigby" by The Beatles, we will analyze how the poem represents the theme of loneliness through the depiction of the main characters as well as through the use of literary devices. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The theme of loneliness in “Eleanor Rigby” The poem features two characters, Eleanor Rigby and Father McKenzie, who are interconnected by their association with the church. Father McKenzie delivers sermons at the church, where Eleanor Rigby is a caretaker or holds a church-related position. This connection, however, is not immediately apparent unless examined closely. The poem mentions "Eleanor Rigby/ Picks up the rice in the church where a wedding took place" (3-4), indicating her role in taking care of the church to some extent. But beyond her role as a church employee, who is Eleanor Rigby? To discover this, you have to dig deeper than the cemetery. It seems that she is a deeply lonely woman who lives in a world of dreams, longing for marriage and a happy life thereafter. This desire is further illustrated by the somewhat confusing line: “Carrying a face she keeps in a pot by the door/Who is it for?” (7). The "face" probably represents the facade she puts on to appear beautiful, and the "pot" may symbolize the makeup container in which she collects this beautiful face. It seems plausible that she waits outside her door every evening, anticipating a visitor who never arrives. Night after night, she adorns herself in vain, because no one ever comes to visit her. Simultaneously, we meet another pitiful character: Father McKenzie. Although he holds a higher position within the Church than Eleanor Rigby, he is neither more successful nor more virtuous. No one listens to his church sermons: Father McKenzie/Write the words of a sermon that no one will hear/No one comes near” (13-15). He is essentially doing precisely what a good priest should not do: pushing away the faithful, leaving the church. them who need spiritual guidance and comfort that he cannot provide. Ironically, he seems to need spiritual guidance and comfort more than anyone else. Repetition serves as a powerful device throughout this poem. The word “solitary” appears ten times in this brief ballad. I believe that John Lennon and Paul McCartney did not use this repetition randomly; rather, they used it to emphasize the deep sense of despair and doom felt by the characters. One might assume that Eleanor and Father McKenzie would find comfort in each other's company. However, upon further reflection, this notion becomes inaccessible. The Church itself presents an obstacle, because it forbids priests from marrying. Even if the Church had allowed priests to date and marry, it seems unlikely that Father McKenzie would have pursued Eleanor. . He seems preoccupied with self-improvement and crafting sermons that chastise worshipers for their perceived wrongdoings. The lines "Eleanor Rigby/ died in the church and was.