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(45) But appearances Like most historic peoples still reassure: we are defined That woman there, (20) by what we forget, craned to the starry mystery by what we never will be: is merely getting a breath star-gazers, (50) of evening air, fire-eaters. while this one here -- It’s our alibi her mouth (25) for all time a burning plume -- that as far as history goes she’s no fire-eater, we were never (55) just my frosty neighbour on the scene of the crime. coming home. - Eavan Boland (1982) Since the beginning of time, women have faced an uphill battle for equality with the patriarchal societies. However, during the nineteenth century, many reforms have occurred to raise women to equality with men. More women attend college than ever before resulting in a greater number of female executives. Men are taking up many of the former “womanly” duties such as cleaning and children rearing. Young girls are taught they can be anything they want to be. Yet, the contemporary poet Eavan Boland does not view the world with such optimism in her poem “It’s a Woman’s World.” Through the use of poetic form, allusions, and fire imagery, Boland reveals here complex view of the “woman’s world” as an oppression imposed by patriarchal society. Upon first examination of the poem, the form of the stanzas reveals the monotony of Boland’s view of female history through present-day. Each stanza, fourteen in all, is four lines with sentences split between the stanzas. This can symbolically represent the unchanging role of women throughout history. This symbolism is explained in the first stanza: “Our way of life / has hardly changed / since a wheel first / whetted a knife” (1-4). Just as the female role in society hasn’t changed, neither does the poem’s form despite split sentences. These split sentences also illustrate the speaker’s viewpoint -- as the sentences continue through several stanzas, so too does the role of women continue through differing time periods. For example, the second sentence beginning with line 5 runs through four stanzas before ending in line 17 while the scene changes from pre-historic times to the modern-day supermarket. As previously referred to, various historical time periods are represented through the allusions Boland uses to convey the perpetual role of women. The poem begins with the invention of the wheel during pre-historic times: “since a wheel first / whetted a knife” (3-4). As the poem progresses, the time period changes to more recent times: “cash register,” “washing powder” (14-15). One final allusion is that of a beheaded king (29-30). This allusion most likely refers to the execution of Louis XVI on the guillotine during the French Revolution. These allusions all demonstrate that while history was being made, the woman’s role was at home cooking, cleaning, and gossiping: we were gristing bread or getting the recipe for a good soup to appetize our gossip. (32-36) The hypocrisy is quite apparent in these allusions -- while men were fighting for social freedom and equality, they denied women the very things they were fighting for. Finally, Boland uses fire imagery to define the role of women through three key images -- constancy, perpetuation, and deprivation. In line 5, fire is seen as becoming “more greed[y]” which can be interpreted as being stronger, hotter, and larger due to improved methods of burning. While fire has improved from the small pre-historic fires, the role of women has not: “but we’re the same” (8). Similarly, the hearth fire can be seen as a perpetuation of women’s role as the children sit around the hearth and learn the role of women through the example they see -- their mother. Finally, and most importantly, Boland uses fire to convey the deprivation of women caused by their role in society. This conveyance comes through the term “fire-eater” which can be defined as “one who consumes mental and spiritual energies” (Webster’s Dictionary with interpretation). Basically, a “fire-eater” is one who is allowed to expand one’s mind. As Boland explains: we [women] are defined by what we forget, by what we never will be: star-gazers, fire-eaters. (19-23) By this statement, Borland shows the deprivation of women as it reaches far beyond such trivial matters of household duties to the very core of humanity - dreams, goals, and the ability to expand one’s mind. While Boland primarily condemns the patriarchy, she also uses the fire imagery to condemn the collaboration of many women who allow this oppression to occur. This final condemnation of collaborators presents an old woman who has resigned herself to the role society has given her. The “burning plume” (53) symbolizes how society places a blazing token of honor upon her for her acceptance of her role while through her acceptance, she betrays all of womankind. Through her use of poetic form, allusions, and fire imagery, Eavan Boland conveys her complex conception of the “woman’s world” and condemnation upon a society that allows such perpetual oppression. While it is quite apparent that strides are being made towards equality, we must all be very hesitant to accept appearances alone as Boland warns: “But appearances / still reassure” (45-46). Instead, we must look deeper into ourselves and determine what role we shall play. Will we be the honored neighbor accepting all that society gives or will we “score the low music of our outrage” (43-44)? Bibliography: Word Count: 1020
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