The sublime, in literature, is a feeling of awe and wonder inspired by the contemplation of vast, powerful, and often dangerous forces of nature. The Yukon's cold, harsh beauty, with its vast, frozen landscapes and the silence that pervades them, evokes a sense of the sublime.
Here's how these images contribute to the theme:
* Stillness: The stillness of the Yukon landscape creates a sense of awe and wonder, emphasizing the vastness and power of nature.
* Silence: The silence of the Yukon, broken only by the occasional howl of a wolf or the creak of snow, reinforces the sense of isolation and the immense power of the natural world.
* Land: The repeated references to the land, its vastness, and its unforgiving nature, evoke a sense of both beauty and terror.
By employing these images, Service captures the overwhelming power and beauty of the Yukon, making readers experience the same sense of awe and wonder that the speaker feels. The poem's focus on the sublime emphasizes the human's smallness in comparison to the vastness of nature, highlighting the vulnerability and fragility of life against the backdrop of the Yukon's untamed wilderness.