Week 11: Thursday, March 29th

"The Young Housewife" by William Carlos Williams

This is an interesting poem  because William Carlos Williams uses this short poem to give a descriptive story of this woman's life within one day, which really consists of her whole life because she obviously is a housewife who does the same thing everyday.  I think it is a possiblity that the narrator has a certain amount of affection for this woman because he has drawn an interest to her since he watches her in detail.  Even though she just stays at home, I think he realizes how much she does by saying, "shy, uncorseted, tucking in / stray ends of hair, and I compare her / to a fallen leaf." (Lines 7-9).  I don't think he is saying she is ugly, I see it as him saying she is tired and could be a beautiful woman when she is put together and not restless from her everyday routine of keeping the house perfect and in order.  Another reason I think he has an affection for her is because at the end of the poem he says, "...as I bow and pass smiling." (Line 12).  If he didn't care for this woman he would just pass quickly like every other person. 

No comments:

Post a Comment