Forbidden Love
Forbidden Love
“There is a charm about the forbidden that makes it unspeakably desirable” quote by Mark Twain. Michael Ondaatje feels similarly in his poem “The Cinnamon Peeler” because he longs to be with his beloved but this is not possible. We infer that Ondaatje is in a lower caste than his love because he hypothetically states “If I were a cinnamon peeler…” (1). The idea of them being together is what sets off this love poem. He goes on a type of role-playing game in which he and his wife are such passionate lovers that their desire leaves a scent that others can notice.
In this dramatic monologue, Ondaatje explores the theme of bold love with his wife. He wishes to be free with his lover, having his ideal marriage. It was not possible for them to be together before marriage because everyone would smell the cinnamon scent off of her, “You will be known among strangers as the cinnamon peeler’s wife” (17-18). The speaker gets carried away and seduced by the idea of forbidden love. The author reveals the true situation when explaining that he could never look at her before marriage because of her brother’s and mother. The speaker longs for his beloved but knows they can never be together. Individuality and male dominance are also prominent themes in this poem. Individuality is expressed through the speaker’s description of their relationship. Their need to sneak around with each other causes them to go against their familial and cultural values which grant them independence. There is clear evidence of a male dominated society. The cinnamon peelers wife, lime burner daughter, and grass cutter wife are great examples of where a woman is defined by either her father or husband. Every woman in this poem has been directly referred to through the men in their lives. The male dominant theme is seen in every aspect of the poem, from the leaving of bark dust on pillows to “my fingers floating over you” (7-8). The female character questions his
“There is a charm about the forbidden that makes it unspeakably desirable” quote by Mark Twain. Michael Ondaatje feels similarly in his poem “The Cinnamon Peeler” because he longs to be with his beloved but this is not possible. We infer that Ondaatje is in a lower caste than his love because he hypothetically states “If I were a cinnamon peeler…” (1). The idea of them being together is what sets off this love poem. He goes on a type of role-playing game in which he and his wife are such passionate lovers that their desire leaves a scent that others can notice.
In this dramatic monologue, Ondaatje explores the theme of bold love with his wife. He wishes to be free with his lover, having his ideal marriage. It was not possible for them to be together before marriage because everyone would smell the cinnamon scent off of her, “You will be known among strangers as the cinnamon peeler’s wife” (17-18). The speaker gets carried away and seduced by the idea of forbidden love. The author reveals the true situation when explaining that he could never look at her before marriage because of her brother’s and mother. The speaker longs for his beloved but knows they can never be together. Individuality and male dominance are also prominent themes in this poem. Individuality is expressed through the speaker’s description of their relationship. Their need to sneak around with each other causes them to go against their familial and cultural values which grant them independence. There is clear evidence of a male dominated society. The cinnamon peelers wife, lime burner daughter, and grass cutter wife are great examples of where a woman is defined by either her father or husband. Every woman in this poem has been directly referred to through the men in their lives. The male dominant theme is seen in every aspect of the poem, from the leaving of bark dust on pillows to “my fingers floating over you” (7-8). The female character questions his
Cited: Ondaatje, Michael. “The Cinnamon Peeler” Elements of Literature Fiction•Poetry•Drama. 4th ed. Don Mills, Ontario: Oxford University Press, 2000. 692-693.