Comparing Millay's Poems I, Being Born A Woman And Distressed
“Men are governed by lines of intellect - women: by curves of emotion.” (Joyce) Women, when making decisions, or in this case writing poems, are more affected by emotion and events around them. The year 1923 was during an era that brought many new ways in which women were viewed due to the end of the women’s rights movement. The 19th amendment had been passed 3 years prior giving women the right to vote and more of a voice in society. Also around this time, Edna St. Vincent Millay wrote the poem “I, Being a Woman, and Distressed”. The poem and Millay’s personality have a very feminist and independent feel which was against society’s expectations at the time. Millay was impacted by contemporary events when writing her poem and uses diction,
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Vincent Millay was writing, “I, Being Born a Woman, and Distressed,” there were many contemporary and personal events influencing this specific poem like the Women’s Rights Movement, Women’s Suffrage, the roaring twenties, and being raised by her independent mother. In the year 1920, the 19th Amendment allowing women to vote was passed, causing many to believe the Women’s Rights Movement was over when in reality, it had just begun. Although women had more of a voice in society and politics, they were still expected to act a certain way because of the simple fact that they were female. Edna Millay, being a feminist, had strong views on the “...portrayal of both hetero and homosexuality and... new kinds of female experience and expression.” (ed. Poetry Foundation, 1) Millay was greatly impacted by the time of Woman Suffrage that she believed, with her work, it was a must to oppose society norms and prove men and women to be equal. Also, the roaring twenties was considered one of the crazier era where people, especially women, began drinking, smoking, and saying certain things determined to be “unladylike” during that time. The poem, “I, Being Born a Woman, and Distressed,” was most likely influenced by the roaring twenties because her want or biological need of sex takes over, “...feel a certain zest To bear your body’s weight upon my breast...” (Millay, Lines 4-5) Finally, being 8 at the time of her parents divorce, Millay grew up seeing how independent her mother was which helped influence her feminist views and eventually impact how she wrote all her
Vincent Millay was writing, “I, Being Born a Woman, and Distressed,” there were many contemporary and personal events influencing this specific poem like the Women’s Rights Movement, Women’s Suffrage, the roaring twenties, and being raised by her independent mother. In the year 1920, the 19th Amendment allowing women to vote was passed, causing many to believe the Women’s Rights Movement was over when in reality, it had just begun. Although women had more of a voice in society and politics, they were still expected to act a certain way because of the simple fact that they were female. Edna Millay, being a feminist, had strong views on the “...portrayal of both hetero and homosexuality and... new kinds of female experience and expression.” (ed. Poetry Foundation, 1) Millay was greatly impacted by the time of Woman Suffrage that she believed, with her work, it was a must to oppose society norms and prove men and women to be equal. Also, the roaring twenties was considered one of the crazier era where people, especially women, began drinking, smoking, and saying certain things determined to be “unladylike” during that time. The poem, “I, Being Born a Woman, and Distressed,” was most likely influenced by the roaring twenties because her want or biological need of sex takes over, “...feel a certain zest To bear your body’s weight upon my breast...” (Millay, Lines 4-5) Finally, being 8 at the time of her parents divorce, Millay grew up seeing how independent her mother was which helped influence her feminist views and eventually impact how she wrote all her