the mother gwendolyn brooks essay

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The Mother” by Gwendolyn Brooks: A Poignant Summary of Motherhood and Loss

• Gwendolyn Brooks

“The Mother” by Gwendolyn Brooks is a powerful and poignant poem that explores the complex emotions of motherhood and loss. Through the use of vivid imagery and raw emotion, Brooks captures the heartbreak and pain of a mother who has lost her children to abortion. This article will provide a summary of the poem and analyze its themes, highlighting the ways in which Brooks confronts the taboo topic of abortion and its impact on women.

Themes of the Poem

One of the main themes of “The Mother” by Gwendolyn Brooks is the pain and grief that comes with losing a child. The speaker, who is a mother, is haunted by the memories of the children she has lost through abortion. She describes the children as “little sucked-in breaths” and “little voices lost” which highlights the idea that they were never given a chance to live and grow. The poem also explores the guilt and regret that the mother feels for her decisions, as she wonders what her children would have become if she had allowed them to live. The theme of motherhood is also prominent in the poem, as the speaker reflects on the joys and responsibilities of being a mother, and the deep love that she has for her children. Overall, “The Mother” is a powerful and emotional exploration of the complexities of motherhood and loss.

The Speaker’s Emotions

In “The Mother” by Gwendolyn Brooks, the speaker’s emotions are raw and palpable. The poem is a poignant summary of motherhood and loss, and the speaker’s grief is evident throughout. The poem is written in the first person, which allows the reader to experience the speaker’s emotions firsthand. The speaker’s pain is so intense that she cannot even bring herself to say the word “abortions.” Instead, she refers to them as “the children I never had.” This choice of language emphasizes the speaker’s sense of loss and regret. The speaker’s emotions are further heightened by the repetition of the phrase “I have heard in the voices of the wind.” This repetition creates a haunting, almost ghostly effect, as if the speaker is being haunted by the memories of her lost children. Overall, the speaker’s emotions in “The Mother” are powerful and moving, and they serve to underscore the poem’s themes of motherhood and loss.

The Significance of the Title

The title of Gwendolyn Brooks’ poem, “The Mother,” holds significant weight in understanding the themes and emotions conveyed throughout the piece. The word “mother” immediately evokes images of nurturing, love, and protection. However, in this poem, Brooks explores the complex and painful experiences of a mother who has lost her children. The title serves as a stark contrast to the content of the poem, highlighting the devastating loss and grief that the speaker is grappling with. By using such a simple and universal title, Brooks draws attention to the universal experience of motherhood and the heart-wrenching reality of losing a child.

The Use of Imagery and Metaphors

In “The Mother” by Gwendolyn Brooks, the use of imagery and metaphors is prevalent throughout the poem. Brooks uses these literary devices to convey the emotions and experiences of a mother who has lost her children to abortion. The imagery of “the children who were never made” and “the damp small pulps with a little or with no hair” creates a vivid picture of the unborn children that the mother never got to hold or see. The metaphor of the “emptiness” that the mother feels after the loss of her children is powerful and relatable to anyone who has experienced loss. Brooks’ use of these literary devices adds depth and complexity to the poem, making it a poignant summary of motherhood and loss.

The Role of Motherhood

Motherhood is a role that is often romanticized and idealized in society. However, Gwendolyn Brooks’ poem “The Mother” offers a poignant and raw perspective on the complexities of motherhood, particularly in the face of loss. The speaker in the poem grapples with the pain of having had multiple abortions and the guilt and grief that come with those decisions. Brooks’ portrayal of motherhood is not one of perfection or bliss, but rather one of struggle and sacrifice. The poem highlights the emotional toll that motherhood can take on a woman, and the importance of acknowledging and supporting mothers in all of their experiences, both joyful and painful.

The Impact of Loss

The impact of loss is a theme that runs throughout Gwendolyn Brooks’ poem “The Mother.” The speaker, a mother who has had multiple abortions, grapples with the emotional toll of her decisions. She acknowledges the pain and grief that come with losing a child, even if that child was never born. The poem highlights the complex emotions that can arise from loss, including guilt, regret, and a sense of emptiness. The impact of loss is not just felt by the mother, but also by the children who were never given the chance to live. Brooks’ poem serves as a poignant reminder of the lasting impact that loss can have on individuals and families.

The Speaker’s Relationship with the Mother

In “The Mother” by Gwendolyn Brooks, the speaker’s relationship with her mother is not explicitly stated, but it is implied through the speaker’s own experiences as a mother. The speaker’s reflections on the loss of her children suggest that she may have had a close relationship with her own mother, one that was perhaps marked by love and support. The poem’s opening lines, “Abortions will not let you forget / You remember the children you got that you did not get,” suggest a deep sense of regret and longing, and it is possible that the speaker’s mother played a role in shaping these feelings. As the poem progresses, the speaker grapples with the pain of her losses, ultimately coming to the realization that “Believe me, I loved you all.” This final line suggests that the speaker’s relationship with her mother may have been one of unconditional love, a bond that transcends even the most profound losses. Overall, “The Mother” offers a poignant reflection on the complexities of motherhood and the enduring power of love.

The Symbolism of the Child’s Death

In Gwendolyn Brooks’ poem “The Mother,” the death of a child is a central theme that is explored through various symbols. The child’s death is not explicitly described, but rather alluded to through the mother’s grief and the imagery used throughout the poem. One such symbol is the “little cough or cry” that the mother imagines she hears from her child, even though the child is no longer alive. This symbolizes the mother’s longing for her child and her inability to let go of the memory of their life together. Another symbol is the “empty room” that the mother describes, which represents the void left by the child’s death. The mother’s grief is palpable in this poem, and the symbolism of the child’s death serves to emphasize the depth of her loss.

The Poem’s Structure and Form

The structure and form of Gwendolyn Brooks’ poem “The Mother” is unique and powerful. The poem is written in free verse, with no set rhyme scheme or meter. This allows Brooks to convey the raw emotions of the speaker without being constrained by traditional poetic structures.

The poem is divided into three stanzas, each with a different focus. The first stanza introduces the speaker and her situation, while the second stanza delves deeper into her feelings of guilt and regret. The final stanza offers a glimmer of hope, as the speaker imagines what her children might have become if they had lived.

Brooks also uses repetition throughout the poem, with the phrase “Abortions will not let you forget” appearing multiple times. This repetition emphasizes the speaker’s inability to move on from her past decisions and the lasting impact they have had on her life.

Overall, the structure and form of “The Mother” serve to enhance the poem’s emotional impact and convey the complex feelings of motherhood and loss.

The Poem’s Historical Context

Gwendolyn Brooks’ poem “The Mother” was written in the early 1940s, a time when the United States was still recovering from the Great Depression and World War II was raging overseas. The poem reflects the struggles and hardships faced by many women during this time, particularly African American women who were often marginalized and oppressed. Brooks herself was a black woman who grew up in Chicago and witnessed firsthand the poverty and discrimination faced by her community. “The Mother” speaks to these experiences, exploring the complex emotions of motherhood and loss in a society that often failed to recognize the humanity of black women and their children. The poem’s historical context is essential to understanding its themes and message, as it sheds light on the social and political realities that shaped Brooks’ perspective and inspired her writing.

The Poem’s Relevance Today

The poem “The Mother” by Gwendolyn Brooks is still relevant today, as it speaks to the universal experience of motherhood and loss. The emotions and struggles that the speaker goes through are still felt by many mothers who have experienced the pain of losing a child. Additionally, the poem’s themes of guilt and regret are still relevant, as many mothers may feel that they could have done more to prevent their child’s death. Overall, “The Mother” serves as a powerful reminder of the enduring impact of loss and the complex emotions that come with it.

The Poem’s Impact on Literature

“The Mother” by Gwendolyn Brooks has had a significant impact on literature, particularly in the realm of poetry. The poem’s raw and honest portrayal of the pain and grief experienced by a mother who has lost her children is both heartbreaking and powerful. Brooks’ use of language and imagery is masterful, evoking a sense of deep sorrow and despair that is palpable to the reader.

The poem has been widely anthologized and studied in classrooms around the world, and has become a touchstone for discussions of motherhood, loss, and grief in literature. Its impact can be seen in the work of countless poets who have been inspired by Brooks’ ability to capture the complexities of human emotion in verse.

Overall, “The Mother” is a testament to the power of poetry to move and inspire readers, and its impact on literature is sure to endure for generations to come.

The Poet’s Writing Style

Gwendolyn Brooks’ writing style in “The Mother” is characterized by its simplicity and directness. The poem is written in free verse, with no set rhyme or meter, allowing the words to flow freely and naturally. Brooks’ use of repetition, particularly in the opening lines, emphasizes the speaker’s grief and the weight of her loss. The poem’s structure is also notable, with each stanza beginning with the phrase “Abortions will not let you forget,” creating a haunting refrain that echoes throughout the piece. Overall, Brooks’ writing style in “The Mother” is both powerful and poignant, capturing the complex emotions of motherhood and loss with raw honesty and grace.

The Poet’s Background and Influences

Gwendolyn Brooks, the author of “The Mother,” was born in Topeka, Kansas in 1917. She grew up in Chicago and began writing poetry at a young age. Brooks was heavily influenced by the Harlem Renaissance and the Black Arts Movement, which emphasized the importance of African American culture and identity in literature. She was also influenced by the works of Langston Hughes and Richard Wright. Brooks’ poetry often explored themes of race, gender, and social justice. In “The Mother,” Brooks draws on her own experiences as a mother and the loss of her own children to create a powerful and emotional portrayal of the pain and grief that comes with motherhood.

The Poet’s Other Works

In addition to “The Mother,” Gwendolyn Brooks was a prolific poet and writer. She published over 20 books of poetry, including “A Street in Bronzeville” and “Annie Allen,” which won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1950. Brooks also wrote several works of fiction, including “Maud Martha” and “In the Mecca.” Her writing often explored themes of race, class, and gender, and she was known for her powerful and poignant use of language. Despite her many accomplishments, “The Mother” remains one of Brooks’ most enduring and beloved works, a testament to the enduring power of motherhood and the pain of loss.

The Poem’s Interpretations and Analysis

The poem “The Mother” by Gwendolyn Brooks is a powerful and emotional exploration of the pain and grief that comes with losing a child. The speaker, a mother who has had multiple abortions, reflects on the lives that could have been and the love that she could have given to her children. The poem is a poignant reminder of the complex emotions that come with motherhood, and the difficult choices that women must make when it comes to their bodies and their families.

One interpretation of the poem is that it is a commentary on the societal pressures that women face when it comes to motherhood. The speaker’s decision to have abortions may have been influenced by the expectations placed on her by society, which often views motherhood as the ultimate goal for women. The poem suggests that these expectations can be damaging, and that women should be allowed to make their own choices about their bodies and their lives.

Another interpretation of the poem is that it is a meditation on the nature of grief and loss. The speaker’s pain and regret are palpable throughout the poem, and her words are a reminder of the deep emotional wounds that can be caused by the loss of a child. The poem is a powerful reminder that grief is a universal experience, and that it can be difficult to find meaning and purpose in the face of such profound loss.

Overall, “The Mother” is a moving and thought-provoking poem that explores the complexities of motherhood and loss. Its themes of grief, regret, and societal pressure are relevant to women and mothers everywhere, and its message is one of compassion and understanding for those who have experienced the pain of losing a child.

The Poem’s Reception and Criticism

“The Mother” by Gwendolyn Brooks has been widely praised for its raw and honest portrayal of the pain and grief that comes with losing a child. However, it has also faced criticism for its controversial subject matter and the way it portrays motherhood. Some critics argue that the poem perpetuates negative stereotypes about women and motherhood, while others argue that it is a powerful and necessary exploration of a difficult topic. Despite the mixed reception, “The Mother” remains a powerful and moving work of poetry that continues to resonate with readers today.

The Poem’s Legacy and Importance

“The Mother” by Gwendolyn Brooks has left a lasting legacy in the world of poetry. The poem’s raw and honest portrayal of the pain and grief experienced by a mother who has lost her children has resonated with readers for decades. Brooks’ use of language and imagery is powerful, evoking a sense of empathy and understanding in those who read it.

The poem’s importance lies in its ability to shed light on a topic that is often taboo in society – the loss of a child. Brooks’ unflinching portrayal of the mother’s emotions and thoughts allows readers to confront their own feelings of grief and loss, and to understand the complex nature of motherhood.

Furthermore, “The Mother” has been a source of inspiration for countless poets and writers, who have drawn upon its themes and imagery in their own work. Its impact can be seen in the many poems and essays that have been written about motherhood and loss, and in the way that these topics are now more openly discussed in society.

Overall, “The Mother” is a testament to the power of poetry to capture the human experience in all its complexity. Its legacy will continue to inspire and move readers for generations to come.

The Mother by Gwendolyn Brooks: Summary and Critical Analysis

She gives a graphic description of the fetus (child in the womb) that is forced to be born dead by the mothers! She tells the mother what there would be children would have become, and what pleasures of bringing up children they will always miss.

After the first ten lines the speaker ten turns to her own ‘dim killed children’ and talks to them. She tells them how she has heard their voices in the air and how she has seen them in her dreams. She then tells them what she has said to them when she felt guilty. She has said in her mind how she has sinned against them, what she has stolen from them, and how she has taken their lives. For a few lines (24-32) she tries to make excuses, but they all fail, and she ends up by only saying that she loves ‘them all’. It seems that she can’t get rid of her guilt; she can only confess and express her love for them, for partial relief.

The poem 'The Mother' is specifically about female experience because it is based on a woman’s experience of aborting a child and then personally feeling guilty about it, as a mother. It is so typically ‘female’ in its subject, expression and theme that only a woman could have written it, and so it is. The speaker of the poem is a woman who has aborted a child, partly deliberately, and is now remembering the fetus. Like a typical ‘female’, this speaker is very sensitive, loving, tender-hearted and sentimental. Like an experienced mother who has experienced the process of bearing and bringing up a child, she knows so well the typical experiences and pleasures of having and bringing up a child. Details in the poem- like ‘winding the sucking-thumb’ or ‘scuttling off the ghost’ – are things which strikingly suggest that she at least knows every typical experience of a mother with a child.

The mother describes so perfectly the appearance of the fetus just aborted. The speaker says everything clearly. But the imaginations and poetic kinds of expression are notable. For example, the very beginning is striking. “Abortions will never let you forget. You remember the children you got that you did not get”. She brings vivid and poignant images to the mothers’ eyes: “The damp small pulps with a little or with no hair”. She reminds them what the babies would have become in the future. They would become singers or workers. When she talks about what the women will miss, she mentions some extremely typical experiences of a mother. In fact, there are suggestions in the poem that the speaker is not a single mother but the potentially mother women, who are warned not to commit the crime and sin of abortion. She could be the natural, universal and symbolic mother or the perfect form of the females. The poem is realistic. This must be what a mother feels after aborting a child. The poem’s simple language and spontaneous expression also add to its realism. Besides, the sentiment in the first and second part and the confusion in the third part are also strikingly realistic. The end is convincing, too. The images, the death and the feelings are also so real. This is the most striking feature in the poem.

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Abortions will not let you forget. You remember the children you got that you did not get, The damp small pulps with a little or with no hair, The singers and workers that never handled the air. You will never neglect or beat Them, or silence or buy with a sweet. You will never wind up the sucking-thumb Or scuttle off ghosts that come. You will never leave them, controlling your luscious sigh, Return for a snack of them, with gobbling mother-eye.

I have heard in the voices of the wind the voices of my dim killed children. I have contracted. I have eased My dim dears at the breasts they could never suck. I have said, Sweets, if I sinned, if I seized Your luck And your lives from your unfinished reach, If I stole your births and your names, Your straight baby tears and your games, Your stilted or lovely loves, your tumults, your marriages, aches, and your deaths, If I poisoned the beginnings of your breaths, Believe that even in my deliberateness I was not deliberate. Though why should I whine, Whine that the crime was other than mine?— Since anyhow you are dead. Or rather, or instead, You were never made. But that too, I am afraid, Is faulty: oh, what shall I say, how is the truth to be said? You were born, you had body, you died. It is just that you never giggled or planned or cried.

Believe me, I loved you all. Believe me, I knew you, though faintly, and I loved, I loved you All.

From A Street in Bronzeville by Gwendolyn Brooks, published by Harper & Brothers. © 1945 by Gwendolyn Brooks. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

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Upon closer examination, the deceptively obvious title reveals a deep exploration of motherhood. Since it’s unclear in the poem whether the speaker has any living children , the reader is forced to focus on her motherhood as it relates exclusively to abortion. The speaker pushes toward unequivocal true statements throughout the poem, and she still she struggles to differentiate between potential and actual motherhood, children had and not had. Evidence for birth is sprinkled throughout: the speaker “contracted” (Line 12), she moved to nurse her babes, and they were indeed born. At the same time, these children are defined by the childhoods they never had. These absences nonetheless take up space on the page. They are described, in intimate detail, and so the negative space they occupy becomes a sort of presence on its own.

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — The Mother — Theme Of Life And Death In ‘The Mother’ By Gwendolyn Brooks

Theme of Life and Death in 'The Mother' by Gwendolyn Brooks

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The Mother Poem By Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks Summary, Notes And Line By Line Analysis In English

Table of Contents

Introduction

The poem “the mother” by Gwendolyn Brooks expresses the sentiments of a woman who has undergone abortions and regrets them. The speaker recalls her prior experiences and the children she will now never truly “understand” via the words of “the mother.” She speculates on the potential adults they may have been and even addresses them directly using the apostrophe literary device. The speaker of the poem declares at its conclusion that she “loved” every kid she came close to having.

About the poet

Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks was an American poet, author, and teacher. Her writing frequently focused on the hardships and joys of common people in her community. On May 1, 1950, she received the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for Annie Allen, becoming the first African American to do so.

The reader is drawn into the complex subject of abortion from the very first line. It is followed by a description of the fetuses who should have developed into adults but didn’t. These were “damp small pups with a little or with no hair.”

This line rhymes with the next, forming an unsettling couplet that thinks of the unrealized potential of these unborn children’s existence. They will no longer be raised by the non-mother mother. She won’t regard them favorably or unfavorably. All possibilities, encounters, and results are lost.

She won’t get to play the role of a guardian, chasing ghosts away from their bedrooms or “gobbling” them up with her mother’s eye. The imagery in this verse and the other stanzas is quite strong. The poet can portray motherhood—or the absence of it—in an emotional, sensitive, and extremely personal way. Brooks intended to evoke concerns about what a kid is, what life is, and the significance and worth of both throughout the poem.

This stanza’s opening line is a startling, rhymed depiction of an individual who has undergone an abortion. The speaker addresses the unborn, now-inexistent children directly using the apostrophe technique. She says that while she may have ruined their life prospects through repetition and the eleventh line, she did not do it on purpose.

The speaker wonders about reality in the following words, wondering about the appearance of these kids and whether they ever lived. They were children but they were never children; they lived but they never lived.

This poem’s concluding stanza has just three lines. It also includes an illustration of anaphora. “Believe me, I” is the first word in each of the first two lines. She claims to have “loved” and “known” each child, even if just dimly. The phrase “I loved” is repeated at the conclusion of the final verse. The way these words are put together, as well as the enjambment, commas, and repetition, successfully communicate the emotion in the speaker’s tone.

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'The Mother' By Gwendolyn Brooks Essay Examples

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An Analysis

‘The Mother’ written by Gwendolyn Brooks very poignantly conveys the emotions of a mother when she gets a fetus aborted. The poem has expressed that abortion is only a means to get rid of the body of the unborn child but cannot let the mother escape its memories and emotions. The entire poem has very movingly illuminated that how much an unborn child is linked to its mother. When an abortion is done, the child is helplessly killed and deprived of a life which it could live ("Analysis of The Mother by Gwendolyn Brooks."). And there is a great emphasis on the pain of the mother who was helpless to get her child aborted but loved it very much. The last line says- ‘Believe me, I knew you, though faintly, and I loved, I loved you All (Poetry Foundation)’. This essay is mainly aimed to elucidate if the last line of the poem is justifiable and reader finds it convincing or not. Along with that, there is a poetic analysis of the poem. It’s beyond a doubt that the poem has been written very well and successfully expresses its intended message. It considers abortion to be wrong. Most readers would agree to it. Abortion is a sin; people should go for precautions to avoid pregnancy if they don’t want a child. It could do great things in life, be successful and inspirational for others. No matter it could be a great legend or just a mediocre, at least it could have a life like we all do. It is these emotions which make a reader think that if a woman chose to abort her child, how she can love it as told in the last line of the poem. But, I find the last line convincing. The child was killed and it deserved to live. Still, it can’t be denied that the mother loved her child. For those careless women who choose abortion, I would not appreciate the decision. But for the rest, before doubting her love, a reader should try to analyze what compelled the mother to go for an abortion. Did the mother get her unborn child killed because of helplessness? There are millions of rape victims who get pregnant. It is not easy for such women to choose giving birth to a child which is a result of sexual molestation and exploitation. There are women who are facing extreme poverty and cannot nourish a child well. Still, they get pregnant due to ignorance or an insensitive husband. She is left with no choice but to get her child aborted because she cannot give it a proper life. Be it any case of helplessness, when a mother gets her child aborted, she does feel the pain for it. There are exceptions where careless and ruthless mothers feel less and no emotions for an aborted child but otherwise, mothers cannot be so heartless. In several countries, there are special laws which enable a raped or molested woman to get her pregnancy terminated. It is because the law too perceives the significance of abortion is such cases. Sadly, the people have a very wrong and conservative outlook towards children born out of rapes and premarital sex. It is not only unethical but also offensive to call a child ‘bastard’ if his/her parents are not married. Similarly, a child born due to rape is usually looked down upon. This mentality should be changed. But it exists. That’s why some mothers are bound to go for an abortion to save a life of bullying for her child and herself. Similarly, mothers who cannot feed, educate or nurture a child well enough choose to end its life. They are not cruel but compelled. It shall always be beyond a doubt that mothers love their children, born or unborn. So, in answer to the question that if I find the last line of the poem convincing, I would state- Yes, I find it convincing as I understand the emotions of a bound mother.

A short poetic analysis

One of the qualities of this poem is that though it conveys a very sentimental message but it also has a poetically beautiful structure. It is basically a free verse which has no fixed rhyme, meter or length specified for each line. But it does exhibit a good deal of rhyming in lines like

‘Though why should I whine,

Whine that the crime was other than mine?’

There is a very beautiful use of word music. The lines ‘Your stilted or lovely loves, your tumults, your marriages, aches, and your deaths, If I poisoned the beginnings of your breaths’ show an interesting combination of sounds ‘s’, ‘t’ and ‘l’. There is alliteration sprinkled at places with phrases like ‘I have said, Sweets, if I sinned, if I seized’, ‘dim dears’ and ‘beginnings of your breaths’. There is very subtle use of assonance and consonance is phrases like ‘damp small pulps with a little’ and ‘workers that never’. The tone and tenor of the poem adds to the essence of the poem. The phrasing is very effective. Lines like ‘scuttle off ghosts that come’, ‘And your lives from your unfinished reach,’ and ‘You were born, you had body, you died.’ are very appealing. Above everything else, the description of the actions which a born child does but now a mother would not be able to see it ever now is very heart-touching.

The very well-written poem by Gwendolyn Brooks is worth reading and analyzing. The last line is not only convincing but also very heart-wrenching as it sums up the pain of a helpless mother who chose to get her child leave the world before it could see the daylight. It’s just the reader needs to delve a little deeper into the practicality of the situation with consideration.

"Analysis of The Mother by Gwendolyn Brooks." 123HelpMe.com. 06 Mar 2013 http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=127773 The Mother by Gwendolyn Brooks. Poetry Foundation. http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/172081

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The Morning

The new great-power politics.

How an emerging alliance is shaping the world.

By David Leonhardt

The Houthis, the Iran-backed militia that controls much of Yemen, have disrupted the global economy by firing on commercial ships traveling through the Red Sea. But the Houthis have made some exceptions: Ships from China and Russia are allowed to pass without being attacked, according to Bloomberg.

This policy, formalized with a diplomatic agreement last month , is the latest sign that the world has entered a new period of great power politics. On one side is the largely democratic alliance — including the United States, Japan, South Korea and Western Europe — that has dominated global affairs since the demise of the Soviet Union. On the other side are China, Russia, Iran and North Korea as well as Iran-backed groups like the Houthis.

These authoritarian powers “are more and more aligned,” Jens Stoltenberg, the head of NATO, the Western alliance, told the BBC this week . “They support each other more and more, in very practical ways.”

In today’s newsletter, I’ll explain how the emerging alliance is shaping the world and why experts are anxious about the future.

Money, weapons and propaganda

Over the past decade, the emerging anti-democratic alliance has become bolder and more coordinated. Among the examples:

In the Ukraine war, China, Iran and North Korea have supplied crucial help to Russia. Iran and North Korea have sent weapons. And China has allowed Russia’s economy to overcome tough sanctions , as my colleague Ana Swanson has detailed. This economic aid offers military benefits, too: China is helping Russia rebuild its military-industrial base after two years of war.

China and Russia also act as military allies beyond Ukraine. “China and Russia are pursuing the joint development of helicopters, conventional attack submarines, missiles and missile-launch early warning systems,” Hal Brands of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies recently wrote in Foreign Affairs.

Iran and North Korea resumed their collaboration on missile technology during the Trump administration, according to the U.N. North Korea already has nuclear weapons, and Iran seems to want them.

During the war in Gaza, Chinese and Russian groups have filled social media with posts supporting Hamas (which, like the Houthis, relies on Iranian support). Many include antisemitic tropes, such as Jewish control of the U.S. “The reason why China chose this moment to take a decisively anti-Israel position is because China regards Israel as a close ally of the West,” Miles Yu of the Hudson Institute told Congress .

The Houthis have praised Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a global turning point. Ali al-Qahoum, a Houthi leader, said that the invasion had weakened “unipolarity” — a reference to American power — and promoted “multipolarity.”

Very different values

Al-Qahoum’s line underscores the larger goal of the China-led alliance. Above all, it wants to reduce American influence and allow regional powers to assert their will. China might then be able to take over Taiwan. Russia could again dominate parts of Eastern Europe. Iran could contest Saudi Arabia, a U.S. ally, for sway over the Middle East. ( These Times maps , by Alissa Rubin and Lazaro Gamio, explain Iran’s ambitions.)

The countries in the anti-U.S. alliance, Brands wrote, aim “to reorder their regions and, thereby, reorder the world.” As Fumio Kishida, Japan’s prime minister, told Congress yesterday during a visit to Washington, “The international order that the U.S. worked for generations to build is facing new challenges, challenges from those with values and principles very different from ours.”

These other countries obviously have their differences: Iran, for instance, is an Islamic theocracy, while China and Russia have oppressed their own Muslim populations. But the countries nonetheless have overlapping worldviews.

All have authoritarian governments. All have patriarchal societies, with few women in senior roles. All restrict L.G.B.T. rights. None permit a free press. All imprison people, or worse, for criticizing the regime. The countries celebrate their hostility to liberal democracy and want to forge a world with less of it.

What’s next?

One possibility is that the world is entering a new cold war, with two broad alliances competing for power. Sometimes, this competition may lead to actual wars, in which the two alliances support opposite sides — but both take steps to avoid escalation. That describes the situation in Ukraine.

Another possibility is even more alarming: a global war. Noah Smith, writing in his Substack newsletter this week, argued that the chances of such an outcome were higher than many Americans recognized. This war could start either with a major event, such as a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, or almost accidentally.

Imagine if the Houthis killed many Americans in a Red Sea attack or a Russian missile somehow did so in Europe. Experts are especially worried about China’s harassment of Philippine ships in the South China Sea. In a White House meeting yesterday, President Biden discussed the threat with the leaders of the Philippines and Japan.

One problem, as Jim Sciutto of CNN pointed out in his new book, “The Return of Great Powers,” is that the guardrails that helped prevent a past world war seem weaker today. China and the U.S. don’t always communicate as well as Soviet and American officials once did, and proxy forces like the Houthis don’t always heed their sponsors.

The past several decades have included many agonizing problems around the world. Overall, though, it has been a remarkably peaceful period. Global deaths from armed conflicts have fallen to near their lowest levels in six centuries , and global poverty has plummeted . The future looks more frightening.

Related: The U.S. dispatched a top military commander to Israel, a reflection of concerns that Iran could soon retaliate for Israel’s killing of officials who worked with the Houthis and Hamas.

THE LATEST NEWS

O.j. simpson.

O.J. Simpson — the football star who was acquitted of murder in a trial that mesmerized the nation — died at 76. Read his Times obituary .

Though extensive evidence pointed to his guilt, Simpson ended the trial as a free man. Los Angeles residents recalled yesterday how the verdict split the city .

The trial made household names of its prosecutors, defense lawyers and witnesses — the beginning of fame for the Kardashians . Here is what’s happened to the major figures .

Simpson was an earthquake, and we’re still living with his aftershocks: Read Wesley Morris’s essay about him .

2024 Election

Speaker Mike Johnson will meet with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago today. His House position is under threat from Marjorie Taylor Greene.

John Bolton, Trump’s former national security adviser, said he would not vote for Trump . He plans to write in Dick Cheney’s name.

A Times/Siena College poll asked voters to describe their feelings about the 2024 election in one word. “Anxious,” “Disappointed” and “Hopeful” topped the list.

The Biden campaign’s message on abortion? “Trump did this.”

More on Politics

Senator Robert Menendez’s corruption trial will begin next month . His wife, Nadine, will face trial later.

A liberal justice on the Wisconsin Supreme Court will not seek re-election next year, threatening the majority that liberals won last year.

Georgia’s lieutenant governor faces an investigation for serving as a fake Trump elector in 2020.

Israel-Hamas War

When Hamas attacked a music festival on Oct. 7, many attendees were high on psychedelics. That has given Israeli researchers a chance to study how drugs affect trauma .

International criticism of Israel has put a spotlight on nations that send it weapons. Read a list of the biggest suppliers .

America’s pro-Palestinian movement has grown into a powerful, if disjointed, political force. Democrats feel the pressure .

South Korea’s opposition party gained seats in elections, putting new constraints on President Yoon Suk Yeol at home.

Civil war in Myanmar has pushed half the population into poverty , CNN reports.

Mistral, a French start-up considered a promising challenger to OpenAI and Google, is getting support from European leaders .

Axios’s C.E.O. said A.I. would “eviscerate the weak, the ordinary, the unprepared in media.” He’s changed the company’s strategy to increase live events.

Other Big Stories

Three men stranded on a remote Pacific island for more than a week were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard after spelling out “HELP” on a beach using palm leaves.

Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter was charged with stealing $16 million from him to gamble.

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J.D. Vance , a Republican senator from Ohio, says that his party is not against helping Ukraine — but that Ukraine is asking for more help than the West can provide .

Here are columns by David Brooks in praise of middle managers , Michelle Goldberg on the movie “Civil War” and Maureen Dowd on O.J. Simpson and jealousy .

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Terrance: The joys and challenges of caring for a pet octopus.

Costco: The store began stocking gold bars last fall. It now sells up to $200 million in gold and silver each month.

Tracing history: In South Carolina, a community project is giving Black residents clues about their ancestry .

Lives Lived: Thomas Gumbleton clashed with fellow Catholic bishops over his support for liberal causes. He died at 94 . Half a world away, Nijole Sadunaite, a Lithuanian nun, clashed with the K.G.B. over her support for democracy and religious freedom. She died at 85 .

College basketball: Kentucky is finalizing a deal to hire Mark Pope, a former Kentucky player, from B.Y.U. as its next head coach.

Golf: Bryson DeChambeau leads the Masters after a first-round 65.

N.F.L.: Tom Brady, now 46, says he is open to playing again .

ARTS AND IDEAS

Archaeologists at Pompeii have uncovered a formal dining room that offers a glimpse of how some of the lost town’s wealthier people lived, or at least the art they looked at as they ate.

The walls were black to hide stains from candle smoke, experts said, and were divided into panels decorated with portraits of couples associated with the Trojan War. See images of the site and the paintings .

More on culture

Aleksei Navalny, the Russian opposition leader, wrote a memoir before his death. Knopf will publish it in the U.S., under the title “Patriot.”

Late night hosts joked about Trump’s criminal trial .

THE MORNING RECOMMENDS …

Make a pimento cheese sandwich in honor of the Masters.

Visit Times readers’ favorite restaurants in New York City.

Plan your Mother’s Day gift .

Use better cleaning cloths .

Play a video game set in postapocalyptic Australia.

Take our news quiz .

Here is today’s Spelling Bee . Yesterday’s pangram was brickbat .

And here are today’s Mini Crossword , Wordle , Sudoku , Connections and Strands .

Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. — David

P.S. Donald Dimmock, who died last month at 79, never appeared in pages of The Times. But he was an essential part of the paper for over three decades. His job: keeping the lights (and the giant printing presses) on. Read about his life .

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David Leonhardt runs The Morning , The Times’s flagship daily newsletter. Since joining The Times in 1999, he has been an economics columnist, opinion columnist, head of the Washington bureau and founding editor of the Upshot section, among other roles. More about David Leonhardt