‘Adrienne Rich’s poetry may be controversial and provocative, but it is always compelling.’
Do you agree with this assessment of her poetry? Write a response, supporting your points with the aid of suitable reference to the poems on your course.
Paragraph Poem 1 ‘Aunt
Jennifer’s Tigers’
2
‘The Uncle Speaks in the Drawing Room’
3 ‘Our
Whole Life’
Controversial and provocative
„„The Uncle presented as violent and threatening: ‘terrified hands’, ‘ordeals she was mastered by’
„„Bleak view of marriage
„„The way he looks down upon the ‘mob’ is offensive
„„Critical of the upper-classes and their materialistic preoccupations
„„Feminist text
„„Portrays words as ‘the oppressor’s language’ and thus ‘lies’ and ‘fibs’
4
‘Trying to Talk with a Man’
5
‘Living in Sin’
„„Title is deliberately inflammatory, suggesting men are impossible to communicate with
„„Men and women are presented as being deeply different
„„The man in the poem is a simple creature content to live in chaos
„„The woman is compelled to clean and tidy - a controversial statement on the role of women
Compelling
„„Subject of the poem is intriguing
„„Interesting contrast between Aunt Jennifer and her tapestry
„„What is she trying to say?
„„Could the Uncle really be as obnoxious/materialistic as he appears?
„„It is interesting to consider the limitations of language
„„Very affecting simile of the Algerian man with terrible burns
„„An intriguing poem, autobiographical, and deeply sad, one person in this relationship has already left it
„„Lovely imagery of the piano, the Persian shawl and the ‘speulchral’ wine bottles
