Poetry Explication
James Householder
Professor McGriff
Introduction to Literature
5 AUG 2013
A Call to Arms
There is little doubt that since marriage became an institution many women have realized a different reality than what they imagined and consequently became displeased with their “blessed union”. This displeasure appears at the heart of the two poems – “To the Ladies” by Mary, Lady Chudliegh and “What’s That Smell in the Kitchen?” by Marge Piercy. Comparing both poems shows that despite the two hundred and eighty years that have passed between when they were written, both speak to the subjugation and unhappiness of a woman in an unfulfilling marriage.
The two poems share a common theme; aside from time period in which they were written, it is how both authors establish tone, tempo, and image that make them unique. Throughout “To the Ladies”, Chudliegh uses strong words such “servant”, “fatal”, “fierce”, “wretched”, and “hate” to set the negative tone of the her poem. Piercy also uses the words “anger” and “despair” but the tone of her poem is established more by the use of metaphors like: “despair presses like a clinker” and telling phrases expressing: “If she wants to grill anything, it’s her husband spitted over a slow fire” and “If she wants to serve him anything it’s a dead rat with a bomb in its belly” (11,13-16). Although the more reserved choice of words and style of Chudliegh vastly differs from the colorful use of language by Piercy, the attitude of both the women in the poems appears to be one of seething disdain. The tempos of the poems differ from each other in the rate each author builds intensity and moves towards the climax. “To the Ladies” opens with the statement that there is no difference between “wife and a servant” and continues in nearly every line with reasons for the woman’s feelings, moving steadily throughout towards the narrator’s message (1). “What’s That Smell in the Kitchen?” also opens with a statement: “All over America women are burning dinners” but at this point, this statement is more informative than insightful (1). In contrast to Chudliegh’s testament, this poem builds in intensity from beginning to end. Despite sharing a similar attitude, the authors word choices and creation of setting combine to create the image of two very different characters. The use of a formal rhyme scheme and words such as: “supreme state”, “pride”, “prince”, and “haughty lord” create an image of a regal character in Chudliegh’s poem. While on the other hand, Piercy creates more of a middle-class image of women cooking in recognizable cities where barbeque, Tupperware, and spam are common. The interesting point here is that although worlds apart, the two characters still share a similar plight and attitude.
In both poems, so much of the women’s negative attitude seems to stem from expectations without due regard. Aside from feeling that there is no difference between being a wife and servant, the wife in “To the Ladies” further expresses her attitude towards marriage and the expectations of a wife by calling it a “fatal knot” and indicates that once the bride vows obedience and makes man “supreme” that everything changes; she is expected to obey and carry out the husbands will without a word (3,6,17-18). “What’s That Smell in the Kitchen?” also speaks to the expectations and the domestication of women in the line: “All over America women are burning food they’re supposed to bring with calico smile on platters glittering like wax” (6-7). The operative word here is “supposed” – it is used as if it was taken for granted that women are expected to provide a visually appealing dinner and serve it with a smile. Both poems in this manner seem to express the frustration of expectation with disregard to what they may be feeling. A very interesting coincidence to be noted is that it is within the last three lines of both poems that the women make reference to a time when they were better regarded and deliver their declaration. In “To the Ladies” the line: “And all the fawning flatterers hate” she is perhaps remembering back to a time of courtship when nice act and kind words were used to win her favor, but as the poem has shown, she now feels that all that is left of the marriage is “social position and pride” (23,8). “What’s That Smell in the Kitchen?” also expresses a thought about changing awareness and attraction in the line: “Look she says, once I was roast duck on your platter with parsley but now I am spam” (20-21). These lines underscore the idea of being once placed on a pedestal, but now taken for granted or ignored.
Both poems express the women’s unhappiness but each has their own way of expressing their feelings. In “To the Ladies” her reasons are laid out clearly, she sees herself stuck in a male dominated world with no voice and her only way of expressing her frustration is to provide an emotionally charged warning to potential readers (brides). The last two lines of the poem say it all: “Value yourselves, and men despise: You must be proud if you’ll be wise” (23-24). Likewise, it is in the last line of “What’s That Smell in the Kitchen?” that the frustration comes to a head with: “Burning dinner is not incompetence but war”(22). It is not likely that she meant to burn dinner but this line is her way of saying that she is angry and just doesn’t care anymore. Both poems end with examples of a rebellious decree.
Through the use of two very different characters, both Chudliegh and Piercy have addressed issues surrounding dominance, expectations, and recognition of a woman in marriage and the dissatisfaction that can ensue. Although lifetimes apart, the two characters share very similar feelings and show that only the women’s attitudes and reactions to the issues have changed, not the issues themselves.
Works Cited
Lady Chudliegh, Mary. “To the Ladies.” The Norton Introduction to Literature. Ed. Alison Booth and Kelly J. Mays. New York: W.W. Norton, 2010. 896-897. Print.
Piercy, Marge. “What’s That Smell in the Kitchen.” The Norton Introduction to Literature. Ed. Alison Booth and Kelly J. Mays. New York: W.W. Norton, 2010. 901. Print.
Professor McGriff
Introduction to Literature
5 AUG 2013
A Call to Arms
There is little doubt that since marriage became an institution many women have realized a different reality than what they imagined and consequently became displeased with their “blessed union”. This displeasure appears at the heart of the two poems – “To the Ladies” by Mary, Lady Chudliegh and “What’s That Smell in the Kitchen?” by Marge Piercy. Comparing both poems shows that despite the two hundred and eighty years that have passed between when they were written, both speak to the subjugation and unhappiness of a woman in an unfulfilling marriage.
The two poems share a common theme; aside from time period in which they were written, it is how both authors establish tone, tempo, and image that make them unique. Throughout “To the Ladies”, Chudliegh uses strong words such “servant”, “fatal”, “fierce”, “wretched”, and “hate” to set the negative tone of the her poem. Piercy also uses the words “anger” and “despair” but the tone of her poem is established more by the use of metaphors like: “despair presses like a clinker” and telling phrases expressing: “If she wants to grill anything, it’s her husband spitted over a slow fire” and “If she wants to serve him anything it’s a dead rat with a bomb in its belly” (11,13-16). Although the more reserved choice of words and style of Chudliegh vastly differs from the colorful use of language by Piercy, the attitude of both the women in the poems appears to be one of seething disdain. The tempos of the poems differ from each other in the rate each author builds intensity and moves towards the climax. “To the Ladies” opens with the statement that there is no difference between “wife and a servant” and continues in nearly every line with reasons for the woman’s feelings, moving steadily throughout towards the narrator’s message (1). “What’s That Smell in the Kitchen?” also opens with a statement: “All over America women are burning dinners” but at this point, this statement is more informative than insightful (1). In contrast to Chudliegh’s testament, this poem builds in intensity from beginning to end. Despite sharing a similar attitude, the authors word choices and creation of setting combine to create the image of two very different characters. The use of a formal rhyme scheme and words such as: “supreme state”, “pride”, “prince”, and “haughty lord” create an image of a regal character in Chudliegh’s poem. While on the other hand, Piercy creates more of a middle-class image of women cooking in recognizable cities where barbeque, Tupperware, and spam are common. The interesting point here is that although worlds apart, the two characters still share a similar plight and attitude.
In both poems, so much of the women’s negative attitude seems to stem from expectations without due regard. Aside from feeling that there is no difference between being a wife and servant, the wife in “To the Ladies” further expresses her attitude towards marriage and the expectations of a wife by calling it a “fatal knot” and indicates that once the bride vows obedience and makes man “supreme” that everything changes; she is expected to obey and carry out the husbands will without a word (3,6,17-18). “What’s That Smell in the Kitchen?” also speaks to the expectations and the domestication of women in the line: “All over America women are burning food they’re supposed to bring with calico smile on platters glittering like wax” (6-7). The operative word here is “supposed” – it is used as if it was taken for granted that women are expected to provide a visually appealing dinner and serve it with a smile. Both poems in this manner seem to express the frustration of expectation with disregard to what they may be feeling. A very interesting coincidence to be noted is that it is within the last three lines of both poems that the women make reference to a time when they were better regarded and deliver their declaration. In “To the Ladies” the line: “And all the fawning flatterers hate” she is perhaps remembering back to a time of courtship when nice act and kind words were used to win her favor, but as the poem has shown, she now feels that all that is left of the marriage is “social position and pride” (23,8). “What’s That Smell in the Kitchen?” also expresses a thought about changing awareness and attraction in the line: “Look she says, once I was roast duck on your platter with parsley but now I am spam” (20-21). These lines underscore the idea of being once placed on a pedestal, but now taken for granted or ignored.
Both poems express the women’s unhappiness but each has their own way of expressing their feelings. In “To the Ladies” her reasons are laid out clearly, she sees herself stuck in a male dominated world with no voice and her only way of expressing her frustration is to provide an emotionally charged warning to potential readers (brides). The last two lines of the poem say it all: “Value yourselves, and men despise: You must be proud if you’ll be wise” (23-24). Likewise, it is in the last line of “What’s That Smell in the Kitchen?” that the frustration comes to a head with: “Burning dinner is not incompetence but war”(22). It is not likely that she meant to burn dinner but this line is her way of saying that she is angry and just doesn’t care anymore. Both poems end with examples of a rebellious decree.
Through the use of two very different characters, both Chudliegh and Piercy have addressed issues surrounding dominance, expectations, and recognition of a woman in marriage and the dissatisfaction that can ensue. Although lifetimes apart, the two characters share very similar feelings and show that only the women’s attitudes and reactions to the issues have changed, not the issues themselves.
Works Cited
Lady Chudliegh, Mary. “To the Ladies.” The Norton Introduction to Literature. Ed. Alison Booth and Kelly J. Mays. New York: W.W. Norton, 2010. 896-897. Print.
Piercy, Marge. “What’s That Smell in the Kitchen.” The Norton Introduction to Literature. Ed. Alison Booth and Kelly J. Mays. New York: W.W. Norton, 2010. 901. Print.