'Society Upon The Stanislaus' Summary

The poem centers around the election of a poet for the “Society upon the Stanislaus,” a group of gold miners attempting to establish a semblance of civilized life in their rough and tumble environment. The candidates for the position of Poet Laureate include a blacksmith who writes about his trade, a “tenderfoot” with romantic notions, a gambler who uses poetic rhyme for his wagering, and a school-teacher who writes on lofty and abstract themes. The election process itself is rife with absurdities, with the miners judging the candidates’ merit based on their ability to rhyme with common words, their knowledge of literary giants, and their physical appearance. The poem ultimately mocks the superficiality of social pretense and the pretentiousness of those who attempt to impose highbrow culture on a raw and unrefined frontier setting. Harte's humorous observations capture the essence of frontier life, highlighting the clash between the idealized image of a refined society and the harsh realities of gold-seeking in the Wild West.