Essay on Comparison between Woman Work and Overheard in...

Comparison between Woman Work and Overheard in County Sligo Woman Work and overheard in County Sligo are both poems which give us an image of the role of woman in the past, and how she contributed to society Through reading both these poems, it is apparent that both of the poets’ backgrounds have influenced the poems. In the past, women were not considered important in society, and their efforts were not valued, not even by woman herself. Women were expected to stay at home, and become housewives. Woman lived in a society in which there was pressure to get married, wither by family pressure or societal pressure. It was not necessary for woman to conform to the beliefs and wishes of society, but many women felt compelled to†¦show more content†¦Woman Work starts with a long list of chores that she needs to do. This highlights her massive workload that she has to deal with. This verse is the largest to emphasise all the jobs that she must do. In Woman Work, I feel the atmosphere is very sad. She is very tired, and needs to rest, which shows she is unhappy. In the first verse, she repeatedly uses the word ‘I’. This emphasises that no one helps her with her chores, and she is responsible for everything. The woman in Woman work is not well off. We know this as she says ‘Star shine, Moon glow, you’re all that I can call my own.’ This implies that she does not own materialistic possessions. It could also imply that she does not even own her own time, as it is always taken up by doing the household chores. The structure of the first verse uses no punctuation. This speeds the first verse up, to reflect her life, and all she has to do. The use of concrete nouns in the first verse also suggests all she has to do. The woman in Woman Work could be angry with her situation. She says ‘Storm, blow me from here’ This could reflect her anger and aggression at her situation, as storms are ferocious. We know that she wants to get away. She says ‘Blow me from here’ This implies she wants to get away, and is unhappy. It can also imply that she feels trapped, and feels oppressed, as she can not leave. The last four verses of