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Carolynn Brunsdon 32126026
Happiness Mpopoma 30910404
Nomthandazo Hlatshwayo 30797284
Maidi Pietersen 28861795

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1 Arms and the girl I sing - O rare
2 arms that are braceleted and white and bare

Line 1 and 2 – tell us how it is rare to find these women rejoicing/singing. Braceleted symbolises the shackles put on these women as they are always watched over by men and deprived the freedom to go and do as they please.

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11 But let's go back to the beginning
12 when sinners didn't know that they were sinning.

These two lines (11-12) are effective in a way that appeal to the reader’s senses by enabling them to stay focused on the message the poet is sending out.

13 He, one rib short: she lived to rue it
14 when Adam said to God, "She made me do it."

Intertextuality. The line enforces how men would never be able to live without women and they are also not willing to protect them but would rather let them take the fall.

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3 arms that were lovely Helen's, in whose name
4 Greek slaughtered Trojan. Helen was to blame.

Intertextuality- refers to the Greek legend/myth, Helen of Troy, it is about Zeus daughter who is the cause of the Trojan war indirectly.

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5 Mythologize your women! None escape.
6 Europe was named from an act of bestial rape:

7 Eponymous girl on bull-back, he intent
8 on scattering sperm across a continent.

Sexual context.
Animals used to rape by Greek gods.

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15 Eve learned that learning was a dangerous thing
16 for her: no end of trouble would it bring.

17 An educated woman is a danger.
18 Lock up your mate! Keep a submissive stranger

Iconoclasm- These 4 lines show how men are threatened by well-educated women, it emphasises how men would rather live with a stranger as long she is obedient. It is really outrageous that there is a belief that women who are educated pose a threat to society. Women should not feel guilty when they are more intelligent.

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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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The poem makes use of intertextuality by referring to mythologies. The only exception to this is the mention of Joan of Arc who was a real woman, yet “Darby’s Joan” is still use of intertextuality as it is a proverb used in the United Kingdom to refer to a happy married couple, “Darby and Joan”.

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The poem embraces fragmentation by jumping around “space” and “time”. As the poem speaks about mythologies it can be argued that there is no linear progression of which woman is presented first as these women do not fit on a set historical timeline.

Helen of Troy’s story is around 2 700 years old.

Goddess Europa’s story is about 2 600 years old.

Eve’s story is about 2 900 years old.

Joan and Darby’s story is about 300 years old.

Joan of Arc’s story is about 600 years old.

There is no consistency in these women’s timelines, and thus their stories are fragmented.

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The poet as a woman acknowledges that the poem reflects her sex and in turn herself. She also addresses the reader and the past woman in an attempt to make the reader aware that the poet is indeed aware that she is writing a poem, and that she is also part of the poem. It can be argued that the poet feels like the poem reflects herself.

It can be furthur argued that the poet sees herself in these historical women based on one observation; they are derived from the same physical characteristics. The poet as an American woman does not refer to mythological women from African, Indian nor Asian descent.

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1. Read stanza 7-9, the poet makes use of intertextuality, identify this and explain the reference that the poet is trying to make.                     (3)

When the poet says “arms that were lovely Helen’s, in whose name Greek slaughtered Trojan. Helen was to blame” she refers to the Greek mythology and Helen of Troy, who was considered the most beautiful woman in the world. She was wanted by many kings in Greece and that is what caused the Trojan war. The society blamed Helen for causing the war.

2. The last stanza of the poem takes a different outcome compared to the rest of the poem, explain the difference                             (3)

Throughout the poem the poet speaks about how women were treated and thought of by some men, she emphasised that when women remain fearful, men will continue to abuse their power, but at the end of the poem the poet uses iconoclasm to undermine these believes and says that if women embrace their magnanimous selves, they can get on top then they can finally be in control of their lives.

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3. Imagery is regarded as part of postmodern characteristics. Quote a line from poem and explain why you think the author has used/included this in her poem?

Quote: ‘ Like Darby’s Joan, content with church and kinder, not like that sainted Joan, burnt to a Cinder’
The author outlines the difference between Darby Joan as a kind person to the sainted Joan as an unkind person. This is go give a picture to the of these differences and to make them understand how different they are. To also help depict to the reader the overall message conveyed in this poem and to provide a deeper understanding of how women were treated and though of by some men.

4. Find an example of pastiche from the poem and explain its effects of the purpose?

Pastiche is explained as authors often combine multiple elements in the postmodern genre. However, it is clear that the author has engaged historical (Trojan war) and biblical texts/fictions (Adam and Eve) this is to highlight that women remains fearful, while men will continue  to abuse their power.