Marriage :: Literary Analysis, Gregory Corso

Gregory Corso’s poem â€Å"Marriage† is a beautiful, comic poem. The author is the main character and he is thinking about his future and the possibility of him getting married. He is trying to deeply think about all the possible scenarios he might face, he tries to think about the right decision to take in regard of him getting married or not getting married. So he takes a scientific approach to the dilemma, he first lays out all the possible options he has, and then he simulates every decision in his mind and tries to realize its consequences. Corso opens his poem by a question to himself â€Å"Should I get married? Should I be good?† this line suggests two possible interpretations. The first interpretation is relating being good as a result of getting married. The second interpretation is giving two options cannot go together, either being good or getting married. By only the first line Corso was able to set two perspectives on marriage. Corso talks about the girl next door and how he would astound her and go out on a date with her. Corso will not follow all the traditions while dating this girl, for example, he will take her to cemeteries instead of taking her to the movies, then he will kiss her and try to make love to her, but she refuses. He gets angry, but he does not show it, and he tries to convince her to sleep with him â€Å"You must feel! It’s beautiful to feel!† (Line 7) Corso says, but she still refuses. Then Corso starts his backup plan to ponder about the bright constellation in the sky . What a genius! When Corso meets her parents he feels so uncomfortable. He tries to look very educated gentle man, so he does not ask where the bathroom is even though he wanted to use it. He realized traditions have set these stupid rules for him to follow if he wanted her parents’ approval. Even when he gains the approval â€Å"Say All right get married, we’re losing a daughter, but we’re gaining a son† (Lines 21-22), he was not sure whether to ask for the bathroom â€Å"And should I then ask where’s the bathroom?† (Line 23). He shows his disgust from people’s actions around him when he gets married. He describes the priest’s look at him as I he was doing something bad â€Å"he is looking at me as if I masturbated†.