Marge Piercy A Work of Artifice Essay Example

it is no surprise this type of poem is written by Marge Piercy. She has a strong view on feminism and makes her point within this poem without critically blaming or pointing a finger directly to men but as a reader the inference is made. The tone in this poem becomes evident within the first few lines and comes off very strong.

Frustration and anger is shown by the author’s tone giving the idea of a woman being denied of living up to their potential and being all they can possibly be, “it is your nature / to be small and cozy, / domestic and weak;” (12-14). Women are shown to be inferior to men and these men have always expected little success but everything else in return from them. The poet’s point of view must be taken into thought and consideration because it is her attitude that may end up influencing the reader’s opinion on feminism and the male-dominated society we live in. The tone affects the mood of the poem and reveals the attitude of the poet.

Symbolism in Marge Piercy’s poem “A Work of Artifice” is used to address her own ideas of social change. The “bonsai tree” symbolizes females and the “gardener” suggests males who perceivably command who women should be and what they become of themselves. Although the bonsai tree comes from the Chinese culture, it is of great importance to know that this problem is evident in all cultures. These symbols leave a lasting impression on the readers. The whole poem is symbolic of women’s resistance of equality and men trying to make women feel lucky and

fortunate to even have a home to live in.

Marge Piercy wrote “A Work of Artifice,” a strong piece of poetry about feminism and the struggles of women throughout time. In order to successfully appreciate and understand poetry the reader must be aware of the content and thought put into words used and how they contribute to the poem. Likewise, to analyze the poetry one must be able to understand the structure, symbols, poet’s attitude, as well as an overall understanding of poetry. Marge Piercy’s poetry comes from the heart, is very personal, sometimes angry and also emotional.