The emergence of the feminism of Margaret Atwood in her poems---
1. This is a photograph of me
2. The Animals in that country
3. Procedures for Underground
4. The Landlady
5. Spelling
1. This is a photograph of me
2. The Animals in that country
3. Procedures for Underground
4. The Landlady
5. Spelling
margaret atwood is one of today's leading fiction writers.Her controversial work the edible women(1969)is one of several novels focusing on women's issues.
ReplyDeleteshe is a passionate observer of canadian life and takes the feminine viewpoint deliberately.Her novels and poetry most often portray the man-woman relationship.
ReplyDeleteMargaret Atwood is a well known feminist author who often writes about the oppression of women in society.Her poems are enriched with imageries of nature and animals.In her mysterious poem,”This Is A Photograph Of Me”,Atwood utilizes several aspects of nature observed in a photograph to symbolise the dominance of men and women in our oppressive society.
ReplyDeleteShe demands society as a whole to through the stereotypes placed on women and observe the true importance and significance women have in history and our present lives.The poem is rich in symbolism in its content and structure.Atwood employs a great deal of symbolism in her poems to express the theme of female oppression.The symbolism is perceived in the blurriness of the photograph,the tree branch,the slope,the house,the lake,the reflected light o the lake, and the most essential is the dead body of a lady floating on the surface of the lake.The distortion of images in the photograph represents the negative labels put on women.
Regarding how a woman can have a voice of her own, Virginia Woolf said once
“a woman must have money and a room of
Her own if she is to write fiction.”
Atwood challenges that distinction. As a response to Woolf’s ideas she said
“as for writing,you can do it at home.”
This statement is explored in her poem “Spelling” as she wrote the lines
“and I wonder how many women
denied themselves daughters
closed themselves in rooms
drew the curtain
so they could mainline words
a child is not a poem
a poem is not a child
there is no either/or
however.”
This very second stanza brings in questions of feminism,of women denying themselves the choice to become mothers so that they could take writing as drugs which will dominate their minds.From the fourth stanza poem becomes strindent feministic. Now the poet sings
“the story
Of the woman caught in war
And in labour her thighs tied
Together by enemy
So she could not give birth.”
It is no more a woman’s choice not to give birth but something has been imposed on her. The line underlines the pain of a woman deprived of her natural desire.
In her another poem “the Landlady”, from the collection “The Animal In that Country”, women has been shown in power. She has been described as a frightening creature to the tenant. A crude personality always after collecting money with full authority. The poem opens with the line
“This is the lair of the Landlady”
Here the word lair refers to the den of a wild animal i.e., a Lady in authority is as frightening as a wild animal.
Atwood’s poetry focuses on the question of identity while she looks at the Canadian pioneers,the displaced American Indians,the animals in the forest,the savage land buffeted by adverse weather conditions,and of course at the changing roles of women. The country stands as metaphor for all of them. Atwood is most interested in the concepts of self-awareness and self consciousness,and the ways in which they are displayed through space and time. She objects to being called a feminist poet. Yet she has contributed tremendously to the position and status of women by writing constantly about them.She is a passionate observer of Canadian life and takes the feminine viewpoint deliberately.
Atwood poetry and books leave the reader with no doubt where she stands on the right of women. she often writes about the different ways that women are oppressed and how they react to their circumstances
ReplyDeleteAtwood's literature is insightful for anyone interested in feminism. she is an amazing writer, bringing to life the many trials of being a woman in a man's world.
Margaret Atwood voices strong feminist themes through her writing. In several of her books the female protagonist is a representation of "every women" who is victimized and minimized by gender and politics.
Margaret Atwood has a talent for the conscience feministic perspective, and the tone of much of her work seems to indicate her sense of political responsibility. Her poem “Spelling,” for example, is a testament to the power of words and it depicts the victimization of powerlessness of women without language. Atwood describes her daughter on the floor, learning how to spell for the first time, and then leads the reader through a history of persecuted, helpless women. For instance, Atwood depicts “the woman caught in the war and in labour, her thighs tied together by the enemy so she could not give birth”. Such disturbing portrayals of women have earned Atwood the reputation as a daring feminist.
Suffering is common for the female characters in Atwood’s poems, although they are never passive victims.
In the poem The Landlady,
Atwood shows that women are stronger than men. In the beginning of the story, someone is describing the landlady and we do not know who this someone is, but I think that this someone represents men his person describes the landlady as intrusive and she is everywhere. This symbolizes that women are getting stronger and will be controlling the men. The next section says that the landlady controls the man's life. Everything belongs to the landlady and nothing to the man. The next section is where the man tries to escape from the landlady, but she is always surrounding him. Even in the man's dreams the landlady will be there and there will be no way around it. The last section describes how the landlady is overpowering and will not let the man go through her. This poem is free verse, which means that there are no literary devices
Atwood has been a prominent figure throughout and has really raised the issue of suppression of women in society.
Margaret Atwood is a prolific and honoured Canadian writer who is widely acknowledged as a feminist. Atwood voices strong feminist themes through her writing.In several of her books the female protagonist is a representation of "every women" who is victimised and minimized by gender and politics. Her novels that illustrates her strong feminist views are 'LADY ORACLE','CAT'S EYE','THE HANDMAID'S TALE',etc., These novels portray the strength and proactive nature of women as they struggle with inequality in the society.
ReplyDeleteFrom Atwood's several poems 'Spelling' is one of her feministic poems. The narrator starts her poem focussing her motherhood as she gazes at the childish game of her daughter. In tis poem,she also brings in the question of feminism of women denying themselves the choice to become mother and focus only on writing. But poem and child are not alternatives to each other. They cannot be replaced with each other.
In the further lines,she becomes strictly feministic when she talks about the pain of the women who were caught in the wars and these women were restricted to give child birth by their enemies. The images that follow are even more horrifying recalling those women who were burnt at the stake for speaking truth.
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ReplyDeleteFor decades women have used literature as a way of expressing their feelings on the inequality and unfair expectations imposed on them by society. Through novels, essays, poems and other literary works, female writers were able to convey the sentiments of countless other women at a time when they were unable to voice their opinions. One such writer who found literature as an outlet to speak up for women's rights was Margaret Atwood. Atwood is a well-known novelist and poet whose writing explores women's issues as is clearly evident in her poem "Spelling. Atwood describes the silencing of women in all walks of life. Her poem depicts the victimization and vulnerability of women without language. "Spelling" begins with the speaker describing her daughter playing with letters and learning to spell. This image introduces the feminist theme and sets the tone for the remainder of the poem. Atwood then takes the reader through a history of persecution and helplessness with references to women being branded as witches and the tying of their legs to prevent childbirth. The solution she offers lies in the power of words and language. By expressing themselves through writing, women have a voice which cannot be suppressed. Atwood's "This is a photograph of me", as her novel 'The Edible Woman' deals with the oppression and marginalization of woman in male-chauvinist society. Poem revolves around a photograph of the speaker, which is symbolic of the patriarchal society. Speaker in the photo represents whole woman race. Unclear photo is symbolic of complexity and obscurity of woman's identity in male dominant society. The portion where she talks of women is put within brackets. Usually we put irrelevant and subordinate information in brackets. Poetess might have put it in the bracket so as to ironically state that she is not significant in the society. Whereas, “The Landlady” is a poem where the speaker’s landlady is not just a presence in the background, but a feral creature who ranges up and down in her “lair”. Set “loose” from civilized constraints, she is small, mean, and dangerous, a noisy predator darting like a weasel into a hen house. Her role is a “continuous” stirring up of unease, whether the loud “squabble” below, or the steady and irritating “bicker” intruding on the thoughts of those upstairs. In conclusion, Margaret Atwood's main concern is to voice her opinion and convey as clearly as possible her feminist views. Through her use of metaphors and choice of words, she gives an impression that women during her time period, there was a strong feminist uprising, allowing the women to realize that they were treated with no respect.
ReplyDeleteMargaret Atwood is a well known Canadian poet,whose writing explores women's issues.
ReplyDeleteIn the poem 'Spelling', she introduces the theme of 'Feminism'.She expresses her views on women's need for writing as medium of making their opinions heard and to be treated equally.The 'title'of the poem suggests a journalist's allegiance to the truth.
In the poem 'This is a photograph of me', she utilizes several aspects of nature observed in a photograph to symbolize the dominance of men over women in our oppressive society.she expresses the theme of 'Female oppression'.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteFeminism is a collection of movements and ideologies aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights for women.
ReplyDeleteHe is a gentleman, and I am a gentleman daughter .
So far we are equal .
Jane Austen in Pride and Prejudice
Through novels, essays, poems, and other literary works, female writers were able to convey the sentiments of countless other women at a time when they were unable to voice their opinions. One such writer who found literature as an outlet to speak up for women’s right was Margaret Atwood.
In her poem ‘Spelling’ , Atwood describes the silencing of women in all walks of life. Daughter playing with letters and learning how to spell .This image introduces the feminist theme . Then through a history of persecution and helplessness with reference to women being branded as witches and the tying of their legs to prevent childbirth and then successfully expresses her views on women’s needs for writing as a medium of making their opinions heard and to be treated equally.
In the poem ‘The Landlady’, Atwood shows that women are stronger than men. In the beginning , someone is describing the landlady and we do not know who that someone is , this someone describes the landlady as intrusive and she is everywhere .This symbolizes that women are getting stronger and will be controlling the men.
In the poem ‘ This is a photograph of me’ , though Atwood does not tell us that it is a woman who is speaking ,that seems the natural assumption to make that the poet is also a woman. It is quickly possible to give a feminist reading to the poem and consider events when women have been tortured, oppressed and put away and now someone must break that silence.
Atwood work has been regarded as a barometer of feminist thought. She is passionate observer of Canadian life. She is most interested in the concepts self-awareness and self-consciousness. She objects to be called as feminist poet.
Margaret Atwood is a well-known novelist and poet whose writing explores women's issues.Atwood was acutely aware of the double standards facing women and was prepared to use her writing to expose them.
ReplyDeleteIn her poem 'spelling', Atwood, as the speaker of the poem, successfully expresses her views on women's need for writing as a medium of making their opinions heard and to be treated equally.By giving a name to something we give it a certain individuality and distinctiveness. Similarly, a woman with her own identity means that she is not the possession of anyone. The power of her words gives her the ability to freely speak her mind. Thetheme of female empowerment through the use of words is definite in this poem.
In the poem 'This is a photograph of me' the title is in passive, the first sentence is in passive voice. The speaker says that this photograph of me is taken by others. This is a history of me which others have created. The others are males who are active to make history of females.
When others makes history of female then there comes the problem of precision and accuracy. In patriarcy males are creating women's story. Photograph was taken sometimes ago. She has not specified the time.Time is not clear, it means that when the domination started it was not clear. Women is exploited since time immemorial. Therefore the speaker does not like to historicize the time. The photograph is not clear, lines are blurred and the light of photograph has become dim. Photograph stands for her history which is not clear, light stands for the creativity of the woman. If a woman does some important work in the society, that is shadowed. patriarchy ignores the contribution of female.
In the final stanza there is a shift in tone. If you look carefully, you will be able to see me. Photograph is dim, its true but I am there. They cannot negate me completely. The last line is revolutionary. Despite all the discrimination I am there. They can destroy my photograph but cannot destroy my existence.
In the poem ' The Landlady', Atwood shows that women are stronger than men. Everything belongs to the landlady and nothing to the man. The landlady controls the man's life. The man even tries to escape the landlady, but she is always surrounding him. Even in the man's dreams the landlady will be there and there will be no way around it. The poem describes how the landlady is overpowering and will not let the man go through her. The tone of the poem is fear and entrapment by the woman's power and authority over them. This is a poem about how strong the female can be able to control the men and men will be at the mercy of the women.
Atwood's poems reflect her view on the condition of women in society and she believes that through the power of words women can uplift themselves and so promotes writing by them.
The poetry of Margaret Atwood pivots round ‘The Circle Game’,round the struggle to name and transforms this game.We can’t simply designate Atwood as a feminist. The tag could only be given when we see,with her,the circle game as a field of sexual politics and to recognize her politics of sight,touch,and speech.Her poetry is moved by the drive toward transcendence of the sexual circle game,through description of its contours,through projection of alternate consciousness,and through transformation of eye,body,and word.
ReplyDeleteThe woman as being described,is reduced to a mirror—“life of vision only”(You Are Happy),but it is not her own world she reflects.She serves as the focal point of man’s world and his position within it.
Water is the environment of the drowned from”This is a photograph of Me”,of those obliterated from history,who cannot be seen clearly.While woman is blurred—“the effect of water/on light is a distortion”(Circle Game)—man is deceptively doubled in a monstrous reflection of the “fierce god/head crested with blue flame”(Procedures for Underground) who elsewhere”would not let himself be seen”.(The Animals in that Country).
In her poem,’This is a photograph of Me’, Atwood uses photograph to explore identity,particularly the facades women adopt to conform to society.The poetess may want our attention drawn to the photograph. The fact that she claims that it is her in the photograph, verges on the fact that she looks very different in reality. However, the most plausible interpretation would be that- the general perception or outlook about her was quite different; this was her real self in the photograph. She first goes on to describe the photo in terms of time, it was not a recent photograph but taken some time ago. It appears to be smeared (out of deconstruction).There appeared to be blurred lines as though she was graphically analyzed. The blurred lines and grey flecks (aspersions) seem to be blended with the paper itself. They have now become intricately linked with her personality.. Woman has always been intellectually disregarded; she rather remains as a material commodity for commercialization.
I am in the lake, in the center
of the picture, just under the surface.
The poetess asserts that people have to look below the surface to locate her, they should not limit themselves to a superficial view of things.. The woman's identity is uncertain, in place and position. She goes on to state that the effect of water on light is a distortion. Here the Light becomes a metaphor for the woman who gives light to others through her service. Water is emblematic of the Patriarchal Society that if it wants can act as a life-giving force.
A man is actually supposed to make a woman complete. Nevertheless, far from completing her, her perfection is marred by his attitude, treatment and outlook
Anyone in love with words, the writing process, and creative birthing of a communication uniquely theirs should experience Margaret Atwood's poem "Spelling" at some point. In powerful imagery, Atwood celebrates the power of words, especially as they relate to the female writer's creative power of expression.The speaker immediately opens with the beginning of the creative process in the mind of a young child, her daughter. The little girl is playing with letters, the building blocks of words. This child who has most likely only begun to string complex sentences together in the verbal form is laying a foundation for first receiving, then transmitting, written communication. Potentially, she is preparing to be a poet like her mother, creating works that will echo through books long after either one of them is still alive. But she does not know that, now. "My daughter plays on the floor/With plastic letters,/red, blue & hard yellow". Note these are primary colors, colors that may be recombined to form all the colors, just as letters can be recombined to form all the words in the English language.
Margaret Atwood is a popular writer;as she has often said,"i write for people who like to read books,"and her novels are bestsellers over the world.One characteristic of the star image of Atwood that has aroused equal measures of praise and disaffection is her uncompromising honesty about women's achievements,including her own.She has often spoken about how,when she began to think about writing in 1950s,the predominant attitude in canada towards women and writing was one of skepticism.Writing could be thought of as a viable pursuit for women only insofar as it could be reconciled with traditional,heterosexual domestic duties.That Atwood,after she gained success,refused to play this game,and has been fairly unblushing about her own hard work and talent,both wins over feminist supporters and alienates audiences with more conservative views.
ReplyDeleteThe conflict between writing and motherhood.'Spelling' by Margaret Atwood is a poem about the travail of women in relation to her sex and profession.Atwood makes use of metaphorical context to elucidate her conviction about the struggles of a female writer,illuminates the conflict of motherhood that a women goes through as a barrier to being a focused and successful writer.From the very first word,it is obvious that the poem is about motherhood and narrator,feminine.
All through first five lines,the innocence of childhood is expressed and one feels comfortable.But the second and third stanza not only shows the travesty women go through,but shows similarity between a women torn in war,and a women torn between motherhood and success.There is a struggle between the professional desire and maternal instinct.
The fourth stanza also depicts man's power and women's vulnerability to such uneasy supremacy.Man is described as enemy,one who ensures that she does not give birth.This is ironical,since it is from man that the seed for such fruit is established.This is allegorical to the male dominating literary world which did not encourage a women to be an artist,on the contrary she was snubbed,slapped,and lectured.
The beaten, starved and abused female bodies that litter Atwood's novels and poems should therefore be seen in the context of a concern to draw attention to women's position within a culture that plays numerous dirty tricks on them.
That is why the theme of survival is integral to Atwood's poetry.With reference to her poem "This is a photograph of me",we can say that the poem does not throw any hint that this is an actual incident that took place on a particular day in a particular place.The lack of detail emphasizes the fact that it could have occurred any time,in any country or in any society.We infer from this poem a feminist reading and consider events.When women were tortured,oppressed and thrown away and now was the time of survival for women and to break the silence.
Margaret Atwood is a widely recognized literary figure,especially known for her themes of feminism .Her novels are widely known for their feminist subject matter ,and one finds the same powerful themes within her poetry.Margaret Atwood has a talent for the conscience feministic perspective ,and tone of much of her work seems to indicate her sense of political responsibility.Her poem "SPELLING "for example is a testament to the power of words and it depicts the victimization of powerlessness of woman without language.
ReplyDeleteAtwood focuses on different literary and artistic genres in her poetry ranging from postcard to photographs to magazine depictions of love in order to explore human connections .Although much of her work may fearlessly feministic in the sense that it brings explores female condition without reserve or embarrassment ,Atwoood's poetry probes into a genderless consciousness to explore feelings of human connection and painful seperation .
Women’s rights have come a long way in the past 100 years; nonetheless, it is no secret that women are still subject to gender prejudice in society. Women are equal in intelligence to men; however, women are still shockingly paid less than men, and are often victims of physical and mental abuse from tyrannical men. Margaret Atwood is a well-known feminist author who often writes about the oppression of women in society. In her mysterious poem “This is a Photograph of Me,” Atwood utilizes several aspects of nature observed in a photograph to symbolize the dominance of men over women in our oppressive society. She demands society as a whole to see through the stereotypes placed on women and observe the true importance and significance women have in history and our present lives. Atwood also strategically places parentheses in the text to separate the poem into two halves. In the first half, she describes a landscape photograph that has been distorted for some unknown reason. The reader can assume that the photo is black and white and therefore very old, because it is described with “blurred lines and gray flecks” (4). The black and white photograph represents a time in history when prejudice against women was astoundingly prevalent. The second half of the poem is completely enclosed by parentheses. This is the section where she reveals herself as the heart and subject of the photograph. The existence of parentheses often indicates that the contents inside of them are not as important as the regular text. By using parentheses in the description of the woman’s spirit, Atwood is demonstrating how women are often viewed as insignificant. The poem is clearly divided into two halves with the description of the landscape in the first half, and the existence of the woman’s essence in the second half.Atwood’s peculiar and strongly feministic poem is full of symbolism. The poem comes across as a morbid description of a photograph taken of a dead woman hidden underneath the lake she drowned in. Knowing that Margaret Atwood is a renowned feminist writer, leads me to believe that the poem’s symbolically hidden main theme is the oppression of women in a male-dominated society. The fact that the photograph is blurred, the aspects of the landscape, and the use of parentheses to divide the poem could be interpreted in various ways; however, the underlying theme is overwhelmingly feministic in nature.
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ReplyDeleteMargaret Atwood is one who managed to realize the pathetic plight of women. She has now become a legend being a female feministic author in Canada...Margaret Atwood voices strong feminist themes through her writing. In several of her books the female protagonist is a representation of "every women" who is victimized and minimized by gender and politics. Her novels that illustrate her strong feminist views are The Edible Women (1969), Lady Oracle (1976), The Handmaid's Tale (1985), Cat's Eye (1988), and her most recent novel Alias Grace (1996). These novels portray the strength and proactive nature of women as they struggle with inequality. Awards she received that recognized her contribution to feminists issues are 1986, Ms. Magazine, Woman of the Year and 1988, YWCA Women of Distinction Award. Atwood is also a social activist...
ReplyDelete“This is a Photograph of Me,” Atwood utilizes several aspects of nature observed in a photograph to symbolize the dominance of men over women in our oppressive society. She demands society as a whole to see through the stereotypes placed on women and observe the true importance and significance women have in history and our present lives.e. The distortion of the images in the photograph represents the negative labels put on women. We have to look past this distortion to see what the images are, or to observe the real essence and importance of women. Everything in the picture, literally and symbolically, is affected by the photograph’s distortion. The small hill that “ought to be a gentle/ slope” , represents the challenges women have in overcoming female prejudice.The small frame house symbolizes women as a whole and women’s place in society. Generally, women are physically smaller than men, and they are often viewed as the weaker gender. Also, the home is commonly observed as a woman’s place in society instead of solving problems in the workforce. The lake in Atwood’s poem could also be connected with a powerful symbol of femininity. The art of symbolism portrays water as strongly feminine; in addition, water that emerges from the earth is interpreted as a gift from the womb of Mother Nature.
Her poem ‘Spelling’ is a testament to the power of words and it depicts the victimization of powerless mute women. Atwood starts it by describing her daughter on the floor, learning how to spell for the first time and then leads the reader through a history of persecuted helpless women. Atwood depicts the woman caught in a war and her thighs are tied together by the enemies, so she could not give birth. Such disturbing portrayals of women have earned Atwood the reputation of a daring feminist.
Atwood is aware of the challenges that women face and she is not living in a fool’s paradise with a belief that women have decisively reached the goal of equality with men or they have asserted their identity at a level where they can claim it to be the affirmation of their distinct self. Many authors have been similarly urging and appearing against the violence on women through their writings. Therefore, it is very important to consider those cotemporary authors along with the intense study of Margaret Atwood’s feministic approach in her universally acclaimed novels.
Margaret Atwood’s exploration of the world of men and women is through feminist paradigm of opression and transformation. In her literary works she suggests how patriarchal operations refuses women’s initiative, creativity , autonomy and eventually deny her existence entirely. In the circle game of power politics, man is violence, women is violated. “Man determines woman’s universe, measures and fixes the topography of her being”{The Circle Game}. Atwood’s poetry places women as an agent of transformation, she moves beyond her function as mute and mirroring object, and assumes her historical identity as women.
ReplyDeleteIn the poem “This is a photograph of me” Atwood reiterates her indomitable identity, subsumed under patriarchal superstructues. The photograph is representative of outer appearance of her personality as society fashions out it to be. But her own creative self lies beyond sensory vision since it is superimposed by the ones in power and authority as the line says”the effect of water/ on light is a distortion. ” here light is enblematic of her creative self and water representive of the power structures. Likewise Atwood champions women empowerment through literacy. Her poem “Spellings” depicts the victimization and vulnerability of women without language. Atwood takes the reader through a history of persecution and helplessness with references to women being branded as witches and the tying of their legs to prevent childbirth hence ceasing there inherent creativity. The solution she offers lies in the power of words and language. By expressing themselves through writing, women have a voice which cannot be suppressed. In the lines"A child is not a poem / a poem is not a child / there is no either/or." She claims that a woman who desires to write should not have to choose between her traditional role as a mother and that of a writer. She should be allowed to assume both roles. Historically, women have been forced into the roles of mother and wife and silenced by their male counterparts. In the last three lines of "Spelling" Atwood writes, "Your own name first / your first naming, your first name / your first word." Repetition was used once again to emphasize the importance for women, whom she is speaking to, to have their own identities. By giving a name to something we give it a certain individuality and distinctiveness. Similarly, a woman with her own identity means that she is not the possession of anyone. The power of her words gives her the ability to freely speak her mind. In the poem “ The Landlady” Atwood breaks the stereotypical notion of women being fragile, emotionaly and physically. Here she depicts a landlady as symbol of authority and power who is of formidable strength, undermining the prevailing patriarchal structure and power.
Hence, the theme of feminism is all pervasive in Atwood’s poetry. She asserts female identity and individuality through resilent spirit of a fighter amidst patriarchal power structure. She emphasizes on the power of writing as means of upholding once distinctiveness. Atwood not only voices women oppression but continues to empower them through her works. She believed “men and women do not exist seprately as independent beings but only arm in arm, neither joined nor separate”.{The Circle Game}
Margaret Atwood is one of the noted feminist poetess as most of her works concerns women's issues.Her poem 'spelling' begins with the image of a child,playing with letters and learning to spell.This image itself introduces the feminist theme.Further she takes the reader through a history of persecution and helplessness with references to women being branded as witches and tying of legs to prevent childbirth.such disturbing portrayls describes the silencing of women in all works of life.The solution she offers lies in the power of words and language,to empower women.Moreover 'your own name first','your first naming','your first word',this repeation emphasizes her message for women to have their own identities so,that they donot become possession of anyone.They can use writing to speak their mind freely.Atwood further adds that woman who desires to write shouldnot have to choose between her traditional role as a mother and that of a writer.she should be allowed to assume both roles.
ReplyDeleteIn another poem 'This is a photograph of me'the speaker is depicted by means of logical analysis and in terms of material in first stanza.woman has always been intectually disregarded because of which she could never introspect and could understand her real self.'The blurred lines,grey flecks' symbolizes female oppression in the society.This poem is for search of identity and selfawareness.
while in 'The landlady' female is portraited with an upper hand,she has power.she controls men physically and mentally.hence the typical notions of male and female gets reversed here.Through her poems Atwood has contributed to the position and status of women in the society.she has raised her voice for freedom of speech.
According to Wikipedia, Feminism is a collection of movements and ideologies aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights for women. Margaret Atwood, a famous Canadian poet voices strong feminist themes through her work. In several of her writings the female protagonist is a representation of "every women" who is victimized and minimized by gender and politics. Her poem “Spelling,” for example, is a testament to the power of words and it depicts the victimization of powerlessness of women without language. Atwood describes her daughter on the floor, learning how to spell for the first time, and then leads the reader through a history of persecuted, helpless women. In the eight stanzas of "Spelling," Atwood, successfully expresses her views on women's need for writing as a medium of making their opinions heard and to be treated equally.
ReplyDeleteAlso In her work Atwood combine fantasy and social realism, myth and parody and poetry, and also uses postmodernist devices to unsettle the certainties of traditional realism. In the poem The Landlady, Atwood shows that women are stronger than men. In the beginning of the story, a person is describing the landlady as intrusive and she is everywhere. This symbolizes that women are getting stronger and will be controlling the men. The next section says that the landlady controls the man's life. Everything belongs to the landlady and nothing to the man. Man tries to escape from the landlady, but she is always surrounding him. Even in the man's dreams the landlady will be there and there will be no way around it. The last section describes how the landlady is overpowering and will not let the man go through her. The tone of the story is fear and entrapment of the male because of the woman's power and authority over them. I think that this is a poem about how strong the female can be over the men. The woman will be able to control the men, and men will be at the mercy of the women. This is a strong feminist view that Atwood supports and shows through her writing.
Margaret Atwood is a well-known feminist author who often writes about the oppression of women in society.Best known for her novels, Margaret Atwood is recognized as one of Canada’s most prominent and prolific contemporary writers. Internationally acclaimed as a novelist, poet, and short story writer, Atwood has emerged as a major figure in contemporary feminist writing. Through female protagonists and narrators who often journey from victimization to self-actualization, Atwood explores women's issues using elements of science fiction, historical fact, fairy tale, and dystopian vision. Atwood's poems reveal a raw sense of feminism and wit. She writes freely yet craftily addresses the issues she wishes to broadcast. Internationally, Atwood is celebrated for the blunt feminism of her books.
ReplyDeleteFor decades women have used literature as a way of expressing their feelings on the inequality and unfair expectations imposed on them by society. Through novels, essays, poems and other literary works, female writers were able to convey the sentiments of countless other women at a time when they were unable to voice their opinions. One such writer who found literature as an outlet to speak up for women's rights was Margaret Atwood. Atwood is a well-known novelist and poet whose writing explores women's issues as is clearly evident in her poem "Spelling." In "Spelling," Atwood describes the silencing of women in all walks of life. Her poem depicts the victimization and vulnerability of women without language. The poem "Spelling" begins with the speaker describing her daughter playing with letters and learning to spell. This image introduces the feminist theme and sets the tone for the remainder of the poem. Atwood then takes the reader through a history of persecution and helplessness with references to women being branded as witches and the tying of their legs to prevent childbirth. The solution she offers lies in the power of words and language. By expressing themselves through writing, women have a voice which cannot be suppressed. In the eight stanzas of "Spelling," Atwood, as the speaker of the poem, successfully expresses her views on women's need for writing as a medium of making their opinions heard and to be treated equally. Atwood's "Spelling" may seem simple and insignificant in appearance, but her feminist message is of great importance. It is a message than transcends time and travels beyond the man-made barriers of race, religion and even gender.
In her mysterious poem “This is a Photograph of Me,” Atwood utilizes several aspects of nature observed in a photograph to symbolize the dominance of men over women in our oppressive society. She demands society as a whole to see through the stereotypes placed on women and observe the true importance and significance women have in history and our present lives. Atwood employs a great deal of symbolism in her poem to express the theme of female oppression. This symbolism is perceived in the blurriness of the photograph, the tree branch, the slope, the house, the lake, and the reflected light off of the lake. The lake in Atwood’s poem could also be connected with a powerful symbol of femininity. The art of symbolism portrays water as strongly feminine; in addition, water that emerges from the earth is interpreted as a gift from the womb of Mother Nature. This is reminiscent of Atwood’s image of the lake; generally, natural lakes are born from flowing springs that are from the earth. The beginning of all life occurs within the “water” of the female womb. Therefore, the lake may represent the female womb or birth of life, and the submerged woman may symbolize women’s strong voice and true nature that is eagerly prepared to be born into a male-dominated world.In Atwood’s poem, feminine power is ready to be born into a world of gender equality.