I think that if Felicia hemans lived during our time and century, she would fit in quite well. She was independent, raising five kids and single. She would be considered a role model in today’s society. After the abandonment of her husband, she took her children to move in with her mother. She was determined to make it as a single parent to support her family with her writing. Who knew a woman from her time could get so much recognition. She had a great feministic attitude, which portrayed in her work. The abandonment of her husband and her father helped to inspire her to write great works. She portrayed women as strong leaders, and she looked down upon men. She was much more independent than the other female writer we discussed Dorothy Wordswrth. Hemans wanted her woks to be published and she had support from her own children, whereas Wordsworth was mainly dependent upon William and didn’t want her writings to be published. Her personality wasn’t as strong either. I have a lot of respect for Hemans. “Woman and Fame” caught my eye when I read it. In the lines
“A hollow sound is in thy song,
A mockery in thine eye,
To the sick heart that doth but long
For aid, for sympathy; for kindly looks to cheer it on,
For tender accents that are gone.”
I see a strong woman who has been through a lot of suffering but still continues to pull herself up and move on. I’m not sure if that’s what it really means, but it just seems like people try to take advantage of women and she’s just trying to get the point across that women can move on up and get over it.
3 comments:
Thao,
Good comments on Hemans life and personality, and I like your connection of her to Dorothy Wordsworth, but only OK discussion of one of her poems. The passage you quote seems taken out of context, and your commentary needs more depth. Also, I would have liked to see you explore the disjunction between her own life (with a disastrous marriage and poetic fame) and the poem "Women and Fame" (which asserts that fame is worth nothing for women compared to having love). Did she really think this, or was she just saying what she thought people wanted to hear?
I liked your connection of Hemans life to how it would be like in our society. I never thought to compare her to Wordsworth but now that you mentioned it I can compare the two. I like your quote to show the womans suffering but she is still independent.
I have to agree with you and say that Hemans really could've made it in today's society. Though her life was full of tragedy and sorrow it made for some great poems and I loved that she put her feelings out there for the world to see.
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