In what way does Marge Piercy's poem 'Breaking Out' depict a tale "not of innocence lost, but of power gained"? How are the images in the poem aligned with the poet's emotions?
Born in
Detroit, Marge Piercy is known as a feminist writer. This poem, Breaking
Out was first published in 1984. The poem portrays the two
sides of oppression faced by a girl – for being a girl child and a child. The
poem depicts how the girl wants to ‘break out’ from the conventional norms of
the society which is responsible for the oppression she was suffering.
These lines describe the first
political act led by a girl who is subjected to endless humiliation and
domestic chores. She asks the readers if they want her to tell them about her
first political act. There she describes the circumstances that led her to take
her first act that is to break free from the conventional norms of a
patriarchal society. She mentions about two doors which are usually open and
leaning against each other in a way that seems like they are gossiping and
whispering secrets into each other’s ears. The two doors are of two opinions
for her- one to maintain the status quo and endure all the humiliation and
exploitation; two, to break away from the traditional rules of a biased society
where a woman is ill-treated and is put through limitless mortifications and
thankless domestic chores.
She
looks on the different household objects used for carrying out different
chores. First, there is a laundry machine used to wring out or iron damp
clothes. It is used to iron even those clothes which require no ironing like
bed sheets, towels and her father’s undergarments.
Born in Detroit, Marge Piercy is known as a feminist writer. This poem, Breaking Out was first published in 1984. The poem portrays the two sides of oppression faced by a girl – for being a girl child and a child. The poem depicts how the girl wants to ‘break out’ from the conventional norms of the society which is responsible for the oppression she was suffering.
These lines describe the first political act led by a girl who is subjected to endless humiliation and domestic chores. She asks the readers if they want her to tell them about her first political act. There she describes the circumstances that led her to take her first act that is to break free from the conventional norms of a patriarchal society. She mentions about two doors which are usually open and leaning against each other in a way that seems like they are gossiping and whispering secrets into each other’s ears. The two doors are of two opinions for her- one to maintain the status quo and endure all the humiliation and exploitation; two, to break away from the traditional rules of a biased society where a woman is ill-treated and is put through limitless mortifications and thankless domestic chores.
She looks on the different household objects used for carrying out different chores. First, there is a laundry machine used to wring out or iron damp clothes. It is used to iron even those clothes which require no ironing like bed sheets, towels and her father’s undergarments.
