Adrienne Rich - Our whole life

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English Poem
Image:AdrienneRichPoems.jpg
Adrienne Rich - Our whole life
Subject	English
Section	Poetry
Paper	2
Poet	Adrienne Rich
On syllabus	2008 , 2009 , 2010 , 2011 , 2012 , 2013
Note

This poem conveys the poet's frustration with the language she is destined to use. She believes that women speak a language that is designed to reinforce the dominance of male values in the world. This world legitimizes male values and subjugates females. According to Rich speaking as a woman in this world involves a process of translation, suggesting that female expression is rendered in terms that reinforces this patriarchal culture which denies the true values and desires of women. Rich describes female communication as 'permissible fibs' This has gone on for so long that a knot of lies has been created. Women have been obliged to understand themselves and speak in this manner over a considerable course of time. A complex knot of lies had formed which is impossible to untie. Women are caught up in a vicious struggle to free themselves from a long established culture dominated by males. Rich ultimately feels their is a communication barrier between men and women and likens this to trying to tell the doctor where it hurts. She then writes about a villager burned in the war and his suffering is impossible to communicate: 'there are no words for this' He stands as a symbol for barriers to communication.

This poem is short and blunt and the poet's frustration is seen throughout. It is aggressive and violent.

Themes

• Violence
• Barriers to communication
• Oppression of women