About...
The poems that you will read in this section focus on two different aspects of life. Those of Katherine Phillips are largely focused on aspects of life as a woman living in the 17th century, and these are largely written for other women or herself. They are not meant for male eyes...or even ours. Consider this as you read the poem written about the death of her first child. If she did not intend it to be read, what does it mean that we read it now? In contrast, Margaret Cavendish was a bit of an iconoclast; her husband was often critiqued by his friends for giving her such a long leash. She was actually quite a prominent writer of the late 17th century (early Restoration), though we're only reading one of her poems. Consider how this poem differs from those by Phillips. Who was meant to read it? What aspect of life does it address? What's her purpose? One thing I can tell you is that it's brazen now, and it was even more so then.
What We're Reading
This poem was written by Katherine Phillips before she married. Consider the view that it offers of marriage. What did it mean for women to marry during this period? In addition, you might consider how you understand this poem after reading the next about the loss of her first child.
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This poem by Cavendish, I must confess, is one of my favorites. There are many interpretations to be had! It is literally about the hunting of a hare by aristocratic men for sport. I want you to consider the many symbolic and metaphoric references that it has. Who is she speaking to and why? What's she trying to accomplish with this poem? What picture does she paint of men of her class?
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"On the Death of My First and Dearest Child"
It was relatively common to lose children young during this period as they did not have the same health care system that we do. What do you make of this poem? It offers a view quite different from that of Phillips previous poem. Consider why you think that I might've assigned these in addition to the fact that they were written by women (significant considering the dearth of female voices that we've had so far).
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