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Arms and the girl I sing - O rare

arms that are braceleted and white and bare

arms that were lovely Helen’s, in whose name

Greek slaughtered Trojan. Helen was to blame.

Scape-nanny call her; wars for turf

and profit don’t sound glamorous enough.

Mythologize your women! None escape.

Europe was named from an act of bestial rape:

Eponymous girl on bull-back, he intent

on scattering sperm across a continent.

Old Zeus refused to take the rap.

It’s not his name in big print on the map.

But let’s go back to the beginning

when sinners didn’t know that they were sinning.

He, one rib short: she lived to rue it

when Adam said to God, “She made me do it.”

Eve learned that learning was a dangerous thing

for her: no end of trouble would it bring.

An educated woman is a danger.

Lock up your mate! Keep a submissive stranger

like Darby’s Joan, content with church and Kinder,

not like that sainted Joan, burnt to a cinder.

Whether we wield a scepter or a mop

It’s clear you fear that we may get on top.

And if we do –I say it without animus–

It’s not from you we learned to be magnaminous.

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Janke Schonken 30080479
Christine de Jager 31217478
Zoë Rose Van Zeeberg 30318718
Louw-Mari Olivier 30473780

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1. Non-linear timeline (jump to “beginning of time”)

o  “But let’s go back to the beginning when sinners didn’t know that they were sinning.”

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In lines 2-4 it refers to the arms belonging to the fair Helen, who was ascribed with the Trojan War.

“arms that were lovely Helen’s, in whose name

Greek slaughtered Trojan. Helen was to blame.”

Also, in lines 6-8 it illustrates her as being a scape-goat. Someone for whom battles for land and rewards were not appealing.

“Scape-nanny call her; wars for turf

and profit don’t sound glamorous enough.”

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1. Criticize suppression of women

o   “An educated woman is a danger.

Lock up your mate! Keep a submissive stranger”

o “Whether we wield a scepter or a mop

It’s clear you fear that we may get on top.”

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1. We are reminded of the presence of the poet

o  “And if we do –I say it without animus–

It’s not from you we learned to be magnanimous.”

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1. Greek Mythology

o “Arms and the girl I sing - O rare

arms that are braceleted and white and bare

arms that were lovely Helen’s, in whose name

Greek slaughtered Trojan. Helen was to blame.”

o “Old Zeus refused to take the rap.

It’s not his name in big print on the map.”

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1. Who is the poet of the poem and how does her/his background influence the writing?

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1. Who is the poet of the poem and how does her/his background influence the writing?

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The poet is Carolyn Kizer was an American poet, who’s work mainly focused and reflected  feminism. She was raised by a prominent lawyer and highly educated mother. Kizer earned a BA from Sarah Lawrence College in 1945 and then went on to do graduate work at both Columbia University and the University of Washington. During the mid-1950s, she studied poetry at the University of Washington. Her highly educated background comes forth in her politically and  experience as a woman and poet in the male-dominated world of 1950s America. This has shaped her work in countless ways.

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2. The Bible: Adam and Eve

o  “But let’s go back to the beginning

when sinners didn’t know that they were sinning.

He, one rib short: she lived to rue it

when Adam said to God, “She made me do it.”

Eve learned that learning was a dangerous thing

for her: no end of trouble would it bring.”

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4. What rhyme scheme does the poet use and what effect does it have?

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4. What rhyme scheme does the poet use and what effect does it have?

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The poet uses couplets rhyme scheme pattern ‘a-a-b-b-c-c-d-d-e-e-f-f-g-g-h-h-i-i-j-j-k-k-l-l’ This creates a rhythmic tone and consistency because of the end-stopped line. Rhyming couplets can make poems more powerful and more memorable.

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1. The theme of war

In lines 2-4 it refers to the arms belonging to the fair Helen, who was ascribed with the Trojan War.

“arms that were lovely Helen’s, in whose name

Greek slaughtered Trojan. Helen was to blame.”

2. The theme of feminism

In lines 8-12 the poem alludes to the Rape of Europa, which is a virgin princess.

After Zeus transforms himself into a bull, he visits her.

She realizes he is a god. He then professes his love to her and rapes her.

This shows the author’s point regarding the mistreatment of women throughout history.

Europe is named after the victim, Europa, however, Zeus is free of blame.

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In lines 8-12 the poem alludes to the Rape of Europa, which is a virgin princess.

After Zeus transforms himself into a bull, he visits her.

She realizes he is a god. He then professes his love to her and rapes her.

This shows the author’s point regarding the mistreatment of women throughout history.

Europe is named after the victim, Europa, however, Zeus is free of blame.

“Europe was named from an act of bestial rape:

Eponymous girl on bull-back, he intent

on scattering sperm across a continent.

Old Zeus refused to take the rap.

It’s not his name in big print on the map.”

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The inequality of sexes between men and women has become serious issue since long time ago. Women often despised and blamed by men, starting from the sin made. At the beginning of the emergence of literary work and its glory, not many women poet are known, even women are not allowed to write and get an education.  This takes a long time until women fight for the equality of sexes which is called “Feminism”. In this poem Kizer takes Greek mythology and Christian literature to represent the status qou that supports certain gender role and ideal. How that sexism can be found I almost every genre of history.