'Conqueror Worm' Summary

The poem begins with a stage setting, a darkened theatre where a puppet show unfolds. The show depicts a man, 'a king' consumed by his pride and lust for power. The puppet represents the man's life, and the events of the play mirror the man's own downfall. The 'Conqueror Worm,' a powerful and destructive force, represents death. The worm, depicted as a creature that consumes and devours, ultimately triumphs over the puppet king, symbolizing the inevitability of death's power. The poem is filled with stark imagery of decay and the inevitable end of life. The characters of the play are puppets, emphasizing the superficiality of human endeavors in the face of death. The poem ends on a note of profound despair, with the speaker acknowledging the inevitability of death and the ultimate futility of human efforts. 'Conqueror Worm' is a powerful exploration of themes of mortality, the fleeting nature of life, and the ultimate futility of ambition and control.