Oscar Hahn was a Chilean poet born in 1938. He was detained by the Chilean government after the US-backed coup in 1973 and his book "Love's Disease" was banned. He was eventually exiled from Chile in 1974. His poem "Triptych" uses metaphors of the Garden of Eden story to represent his experiences under the dictatorship, including his detainment, the banning of his work, and his eventual exile from Chile. It depicts his desire to speak out against the regime but being silenced, as well as his fears of being imprisoned or killed. The poem symbolizes the dictatorship as the forbidden tree and his attempts to protest it through writing as vainly trying to burn down the tree

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Presentation by Jacob Durst, Pierce College, WA

2. Triptych
By Oscar Hahn (1995)
From “Stolen Verses and Other Poems”

3. About the Author:
◦ Born in 1938 in Chile
◦ After falling in love during a childhood relationship, Hahn felt compelled to
write his first poems
◦ Awarded the degree of Master of Arts by the University of Iowa and was
named a member of the International Writers' Program there in 1972
◦ Returned to Chile in 1972
◦ Detained by Chilean government on September 11th. 1973
◦ Hahn’s book “Love’s Disease”, banned in Chile
◦ Exiled from Chile in 1974
◦ Taught at University of Iowa until 2006 when he retired
◦ Moved back to Chile in 2008 to focus on Poetry
Rodrigo Fernández, “Oscar Hahn”
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File
:Hahn,_Oscar_FILSA_20171029_fRF01.jpg

4. Historical Context:
◦ Salvador Allende from the Socialist party wins 1970 election, becoming
president of Chile
◦ Allende starts implementing socialist reforms
◦ Allende and his reforms are disliked by U.S
◦ Allende overthrown by armed forces with U.S support on September 11th,
1973
◦ Government Junta of Chile rises to power
◦ Disbanded Congress on September 13th and outlawed the parties that
had been part of the Popular Unity coalition, and all political activity was
declared "in recess“
◦ Took control of all media and banned all work that opposed the regime
◦ Regime ends in March 1990
Chile quema libros 1973
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wik
i/File:Chile_quema_libros_1973.JPG

5. Analysis:
One first reading, this poem seems to simply be a retelling of the tale of
Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve are the first two people in God's Garden of
Eden. They are permitted to eat of all the trees except one, the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil. Eve is tricked by a taking serpent into taking
from the tree and eating its fruit. She gives it to Adam, and they both eat the
Forbidden Fruit. God curses the couple, Adam to a lifetime of hard labor
followed by death, Eve to the pain of childbirth and to subordination to her
husband. God then clothes the nakedness of the man and woman, who have
become god-like in knowing good and evil, then banishes them from the
garden lest they eat the fruit of a second tree, the tree of life, and live
forever.
On the Surface:

6. Analysis
Interpretation (Part 1)
The first part of the poem, “Adam Sitting, Chin in Hand”, show’s Oscar’s want to speak up against the
regime, however; the dictatorship has made his speech “ineffable” and it’s sound “incomprehensible”.
The second stanza talks about how his thoughts have, “taken a turn into an endless black and tangled
line…”. This shows Oscars fear of being taken by the dictatorship. These ‘dark thoughts’ swell up in his mind
as the fear of being taken, murdered, and/or tortured becomes a realization.
The third stanza continues the thoughts of fear, but states that his mind also thinks of setting the trees on
fire. I believe this shows Oscar’s want to ‘burn’ down the regime. With the tress representing the
government.
Wenzel Peter, “Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden” http://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en/collezioni/musei/la-
pinacoteca/sala-xvi---secolo-xix/wenzel-peter--adamo-ed-eva-nel-paradiso-terrestre.html

7. Analysis:
Interpretation (Part 2):
The second part of the poem, “Adam Remembers the Vain Attempt to Destroy the Tree of Knowledge”, talks
of Oscar writing his famous poetry book, “Love’s Disease”, as being a vain attempt to protest the dictatorship.
The piece reiterates the idea of, “Burning the Tree of Knowledge”, as well as ideas of unification and
togetherness.
The first stanza has the line, “…we savor the Forbidden Fruit”, possibility depicting the fruit as the knowledge
of the people. In simpler terms, eating the apple will educate the people on the injustices and the atrocities
the dictatorship has committed.
The rest of the poem talks about joining hands to all join in the burning of the tree; signifying the need for
unification in stopping the regime.
Peter Paul Rubens, “The garden of Eden with the fall of man.”
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jan_Brueghel_de_Oude_en_Peter_Paul_Rubens_-
_Het_aards_paradijs_met_de_zondeval_van_Adam_en_Eva.jpg

8. Analysis
Interpretation (Part 3):
The third and final part of the poem, “Expulsion from Paradise”, is very similar to the “Expulsion from the
Garden of Eden”.
This section represents Oscar’s exile from Chile, due to his questioning of the government, represented here
by the eating of the forbidden fruit.
This part of the piece is the most elaborate and metaphor rich section of the piece. Lines such as, ”your and
flowers caressing me…” and “When I lie limp, you guide me…”, I believe refers to Oscar’s wife who inspired
him to start writing in the first place. She is what kept Oscar alive after being kidnapped and tortured. And
together, the two of them were exiled from Chile, much like how Adam and Eve were from the Garden of
Eden.
The symbolism in this portion takes a very dark turn, using the metaphor of fire and demonic rituals to give
the feeling of dread, terror, and fear, likely to relate the feeling Oscar was feeling during the time of his
imprisonment and exile; while having the juxtaposition of having his wife along side, showing that there is still
a spark of hope.
Masaccio, “Expulsion from the Garden of Eden.”
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Masaccio-TheExpulsionOfAdamAndEveFromEden-Restoration.jpg

9. Works Consulted:
◦ The Gettysburg Times, Saturday, October 22nd, 1977, “Chilean Poet in Residence.”(Pg.6)
◦ State Violence and Genocide in Latin America, “State Violence and Genocide in Latin America:
The Cold War Years (Critical Terrorism Studies)”.
◦ Time Magazine, “CHILE: The Bloody End of a Marxist Dream”, Monday, Sept. 24, 1973
◦ Peter Kornbluh, “Chile and the United States: Declassified Documents Relating to the Military
Coup”, September 11, 1973
◦ The Guardian, “From the archive: Allende 'dead' as generals seize power”, 12 September 1973