In the Park - Gwen Harwood
Message: poem presents a less than ideal image of motherhood. Shows the all encompassing task of raising a child and the impact this can have on a woman.
Context
Published in 1961
Second wave of feminist movement
Australian poet, frequently wrote about the frustrations and costs of women lives
Many poems of the time portrayed motherhood as the turning point of women’s lives, and a very fulfilling role, a stereotype which Harwood completely contradicts
Title- it is interesting that although the poem is set in the park, it has nothing to do with the park. Perhaps this is a further demonstration of the unacceptability for this topic to be discussed publicly, and therefore she must conceal the real meaning until the reader finds it themselves.
Form, structure and rhyme
Modern SONNET
Iambic pentameter (traditional, but the form is modern)
3 stanzas
Cinematic
Same rhyme throughout - A,B,B,A - demonstrates the monotype of her life.
Rhyme gives a sing-song tone, like a nursery rhyme
Voice/tone: narrated by a third person speaker who has a close connection to the mother portrayed (perhaps has experienced this herself) - the speaker has access to the mothers thoughts and is able to interpret what she thinks of her ex.
Language: the language used throughout is very simple, but with a deep message, this reflects the woman’s life as she uses and speaks in baby language the whole time which covers her inner turmoil.
Enjambment at the end of first stanza captures the woman’s dismay at seeing ex. Her surprise is mirrored by jump from one stanza to the next. Enjambment in the final verse shows how her days, interactions and conversations all fade into each other as her life goes through the same cycles.
The language of their conversation conveys the scripted interaction that she must carry out, it further emphasizes her isolation and the lack of real care the society has to fully understand and learn the fatigue of mothers: et cetera/rehearsing/how nice. The topic of their conversation demonstrates how unacceptable it is for mothers to talk about their struggles.
The caesura used throughout gives a disjointed structure, demonstrating the mental state of the mother and also shows how the mother’s own life has stopped suddenly once she had children. She is no longer a woman in her own right, but rather a societal figure, whose only value will come from raising the next generation.
The semantic field of ugliness and despair prevails throughout the poem. ‘Her clothes are out of date’/‘neat head’/‘but for the grace of God’ - this reverses the glorified image of motherhood. The description of the ex lover juxtaposes hers, subtly demonstrating that men cannot understand her, as they will never have to experience fully, the all consuming role of motherhood.
The final line is the most telling of the realities of motherhood: “they have eaten me alive”. This is the painful reality that refuses to be acknowledged. She has lost her identity, her own personality and life have been completely eradicated in favor of her children’s. This resonates as she is only allowed to admit this to the wind and to herself, to admit this publicly would be unthinkable, this reinforces the tone of resentment that has been building, the woman must bear her grief alone and she hates the world that has made this so.
Symbols
Clothes: the woman’s clothes are out of date, suggests she has no time or energy to do anything for herself. Clothes serve as a public symbol of the woman’s current state.
Nursing: embodies the metaphorical concept of her children ‘eating’ her. Entire identity has been absorbed by the needs of her children.
Flickering light: ominous connotations conveying discomfort of their conversation. Also a symbol for the passing of time?
Themes
Motherhood: Harwood portrays the harsh reality of motherhood. Shows how all encompassing it can be and the sacrifice mothers make by putting their own lives on hold.
Identity: motherhood is a full time job. They spend their lives using infantile language and infantile actions, which means they often start to feel disconnected with the real world and isolated.
Social portrayal of mothers: society glorifies motherhood and doesn’t acknowledge their struggles or offer any help for them.
The poem
She sits in the park. Her clothes are out of date.
Two children whine and bicker, tug her skirt.
A third draws aimless patterns in the dirt
Someone she loved once passed by – too late
to feign indifference to that casual nod.
“How nice” et cetera. “Time holds great surprises.”
From his neat head unquestionably rises
a small balloon…”but for the grace of God…”
They stand a while in flickering light, rehearsing
the children’s names and birthdays. “It’s so sweet
to hear their chatter, watch them grow and thrive, ”
she says to his departing smile. Then, nursing
the youngest child, sits staring at her feet.
To the wind she says, “They have eaten me alive.”