Im ‘Wife” ive Finished That Flashcards
When was “im wife” wrote
1862
What is the structure of “I’m wife”
- 3 stanza poem
- quatrains
- mostly in iambic trimeter
What’s the form of “I’m wife”
- dramatic monologue spoken by unknown voice.
- free verse
- slant/half rhyme to show undecided/confused state
What is the theme of “I’m wife”
Marriage
Women
Confusion
What is the tone of “I’m wife”
Tonal shifts due to the half/slant rhyme which causes ambiguity which can mimic her confusion on which is better being a wife or being a spinster?
What are some language techniques (1)
- Hyperbole of ‘czar’ to show that she believes becoming a wife bestows privilege and maturity.
- Speech marks add a sarcastic tone causing ambiguity on if the speaker likes marriage which relates us to the speaker as they are also questioning on if marriage is good.
- repetition of ‘that’ could show how the speaker views girlhood as insignificant as they don’t even address it fully causing more ambiguity and possibly resentment to girlhood
What are some language techniques (2)
- dashes (Enjambment) could mimic pauses and thought-process allowing us to see they’re really thinking on if marriage or spinsterhood is better, can also be seen as trying to convince her.
- capital G causes the word girl is become an identity by making it a ‘noun’ does she miss being a girl?
- connotation/metaphor of ‘eclipse’ causing ambiguity again. Does she believe marriage causes men to overshadow women.
Context of “I’m wife”
- This was the first poetry collection Poems (1890) published by T. W. Higginson and M. L. Todd under a different title, “Apocalypse.” This can relate to seeing marriage as an apocalypse
- Wife could refer to Emily’s closest friend Sue Gilbert who was her sister in law and sent her over 300 letters. Emily’s brother did not treat his wife well after beginning an affair with Mabel loomis Todd.
Over view of “I’m wife”
This is a metaphorical poem that compares a spinsters life to a married life. It’s a poem about a woman questioning/ trying to convince herself that marriage is better than being single. the tension in a woman’s mind. She is torn between two states womanhood and being a wife.
What are some language techniques (3)
- personification of “the earth feels so” creating a metonym for humankind.
- Return of dashes in 2nd stanza shows hesitation which can convey her trying to convince herself of the positivity of marriage
- Irony “it’s safer so-“ as she tries to state that women are safer in marriage that is based around the patriarchal world. The dash confirms this as she pauses to mimic her thinking
What are some language techniques (4)
- Internal rhyme ‘this’ ‘then’
- full rhyme “but why compare? I’m wife! Stop there!” Can relate to marriage coming full circle and consuming as marriage ends girlhood
