The poem explores gender stereotypes about women through a man's changing perspective. It depicts traditional views of women as weak, delicate objects meant to please men. However, the persona comes to realize these are just subjective social constructs. Women are actually oppressed by patriarchal ideologies that confine them, but they fight back to attain freedom and equality. As feminism helps women assert themselves, the man understands his chauvinistic beliefs were unfounded and patriarchal dominance diminishes. The structure of the poem reflects this development through expanding line lengths that capture women's empowerment against the dismay of men.
The poem explores gender stereotypes about women through a man's changing perspective. It depicts traditional views of women as weak, delicate objects meant to please men. However, the persona comes to realize these are just subjective social constructs. Women are actually oppressed by patriarchal ideologies that confine them, but they fight back to attain freedom and equality. As feminism helps women assert themselves, the man understands his chauvinistic beliefs were unfounded and patriarchal dominance diminishes. The structure of the poem reflects this development through expanding line lengths that capture women's empowerment against the dismay of men.
The poem explores gender stereotypes about women through a man's changing perspective. It depicts traditional views of women as weak, delicate objects meant to please men. However, the persona comes to realize these are just subjective social constructs. Women are actually oppressed by patriarchal ideologies that confine them, but they fight back to attain freedom and equality. As feminism helps women assert themselves, the man understands his chauvinistic beliefs were unfounded and patriarchal dominance diminishes. The structure of the poem reflects this development through expanding line lengths that capture women's empowerment against the dismay of men.
The poem explores gender stereotypes about women through a man's changing perspective. It depicts traditional views of women as weak, delicate objects meant to please men. However, the persona comes to realize these are just subjective social constructs. Women are actually oppressed by patriarchal ideologies that confine them, but they fight back to attain freedom and equality. As feminism helps women assert themselves, the man understands his chauvinistic beliefs were unfounded and patriarchal dominance diminishes. The structure of the poem reflects this development through expanding line lengths that capture women's empowerment against the dismay of men.
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*DREAMS ABOUT WOMEN*
“DREAMS ABOUT WOMEN” FROM THE ANTHOLOGY “BEFORE THE NEXT SONG AND OTHER POEMS” BY CLEMENT CHIHOTA
Posted: 08 Jul 2019 01:21 PM PDT
The poem Dreams About Women is a statement about feminism as a response to gender stereotype. The persona, a man, is jolted from his intellectual slumber upon realising that the traditional beliefs he holds about women are nothing but subjective social constructs. The word “dreams” suggests that the views that men have about women are no more than mere ideologies premised on unfounded notions.
Women are portrayed as objects of pleasure, created to bring sensual joy to men. The words “fruity”, “flora”, and “papaya” convey the idea of delicacy and fragility. Both physical and mental weakness are regarded as attributes of women. Women are thus presented as existing only to satisfy the desires of men. Flowers wilt over a short period of time and the “papaya” fruit perishes easily. This brings out the idea that women lack confidence and determination to pursue meaningful endeavours.
The metaphor of a “flowerpot” underpins the notion of confinement and oppression. Women are shackled by patriarchal ideologies and as such, they do not have the liberty to enjoy the freedoms and benefits bestowed upon men by the society. Eventually, women react forcefully, “bursting out” of their bondage to seek freedom. The “native earth” is the original state of equality between men and women which women struggle to attain. The poet depicts women as fighters who fight for recognition and abolishment of gender based marginalisation and discrimination.
Feminism, as a tool of achieving gender parity, is not always embraced hence the persona describes the fighting woman as “dour” and “sour”. The word “sour” creates a gustatory image of an unpleasant strong taste. The quasi-rebellious stance taken by the wife indicates that women have to go through a struggle in order to attain recognition and ultimate equality with men. Women’s assertiveness is compared to the effect of fermentation which causes expansion. This suggests the broadening of the worldview of women as they “wield” their power through reaching their God given potential.
The poem can be classified under concrete or shape poetry as the structure of the last two stanzas reflect the idea conveyed. Beginning with a monosyllabic line, stanza three grows in size to multisyllabic lines towards the end of the stanza. This hints at the development of women as they assert themselves at the dismay of men. Similarly, as the man takes “one searing sip” of the woman, his haughtiness diminishes. The decrease of the number of syllables in the lines towards the end of stanza four captures the notion of dwindling patriarchal dominance as the man realises that his chauvinistic beliefs are baseless. You are subscribed to email updates from cosmoenglishhub. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. Email delivery power
