WIFE and servant are the same,
But only differ in the name :
For when that fatal knot is ty'd,
Which nothing, nothing can divide :
When she the word obey has said,
And man by law supreme has made,
Then all that's kind is laid aside,
And nothing left but state and pride :
Fierce as an eastern prince he grows,
And all his innate rigour shows :
Then but to look, to laugh, or speak,
Will the nuptial contract break.
Like mutes, she signs alone must make,
And never any freedom take :
But still be govern'd by a nod,
And fear her husband as a God :
Him still must serve, him still obey,
And nothing act, and nothing say,
But what her haughty lord thinks fit,
Who with the power, has all the wit.
Then shun, oh ! shun that wretched state,
And all the fawning flatt'rers hate :
Value yourselves, and men despise :
You must be proud, if you'll be wise.
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Excellent
From guest Vicky (contact)
This is the kind of poem where I just want to thank the poet live , if i could, i'm a very big Aphra Behn and Margaret Cavendish fan but this tops it all. -
Wow, I loved this poem so much. It really speak to me, as I hate sexist people. Anyway, I'm so glad that I found this poem!
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Erika ~~~~~
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i liked it, to me it says that with marriage comes loss,the standers in the society of the way that women were to act in the timew of the poem.it shows that marrriage was nothing to look forward to.
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accurate for past
well, i liked the poem, i dont know how many people will read this but its true.. it reflects quite accurately the social demand for "wives" in history. its a positive that society is swaying away from this sort of semi-dictatorship in every household. the female is "re"-gaining the power they once well deserve, why is it that in cultures we accuse(such as aboriginals) that they are the ones who are one step ahead of us, they worship women and they always have, give new life, thats all people gotta see.. -
I agree with her, she was ahead of her time
She is a feamle activist she speaks for woman, In this poem she helps other woman to see.... Wife means a servant,She is not to show emotion nor to complain, no ground to stand on...Thair is no femininity left in the home, nothing but his pride and power is in the home.She is bound to the marrige by God, in this marrige she cannot look at him wrong laugh or even speak , fearing to break the nuptual contract.What she means by and never Any freedom take, is that she is silenced and she is only a servent under the name of wife, she cannot take his freedom from him, she has no rights,She fears him like a God, he has wit, so nomater what she were to say to him, he would have a smarter remark back....She says Shun the wretched state, in outherwords DAMN them woman take your freedom and your pride, despise men,be proud if your smart you'll listen... I think that is what she means by the poem lol..... -
excellent poem
it is a message to women, about the way marriage is demeaning and that with marriage comes the loss of freedom. (very briefly) -
I don`t understand this poem
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