tion lowers the wife to no more than a means to an end for the husband, as a mere utility, not a lover or a life long companion.If Chudleigh hasnt shown her readers her disdain for marriage by now, she seals it with her tone when she talks about this not so blessed union. In the beginning of the poem "that fatal knot is tied" (3), "that fatal knot" being marriage. The tone of this phrase is quite negative; "fatal" is the key word here. In terms of marriage it has a double meaning. "Fatal" means till the end, till death do us part. This side of fatal shows an unending love, one that will last for an eternity, but it connotes a much more ghastly meaning. The fatality that occurs is the marriage; a womans independence and her womanhood will be confiscated and cannot be regained after the "knot is tied" (3).Chudleigh says, "And never any freedom take" (14) re-affirming the loss of independence from this "fatal knot". Freedom is a word strongly associated with slavery, fortunately the end of an era. But we can see that there will be no freedom, no end to this life long servitude of a wife. The lack of freedom connects servitude and being a wife together in a disheartening way, but puts Chudleighs message simply in her poem. A wife will lose her freedom if you commit to marriage.Chudleigh offers a very plain and simple warning to women. She says, "Value yourself, and me despise:/ You must be proud, if youll be wise" (23-4). The claim is that the only way to be a wise woman is to be a proud woman, and the only way to do that is to avoid marriage. A woman is warned not to place herself in the position of servant, when she should value herself and be proud and wise.Even though Chudleigh eloquently forewarns women about the consequences of marriage, she neglects to address the aftereffects of not getting married. Chudleigh discounts how difficult it is to be an unwed woman in 1703. For the amount she detests marriage, it is ironic ...
