LEC052008-Anaswara T.H

             They Shut Me Up In Prose-Cultural and Social Oppression of Women


They Shut Me Up In Prose authored by Emily Dickinson celebrates the feminine spirit and its invincibility that break all shackles and always manage to rise above. Dickinson documents how the patriarchal society is orchestrated to silence women's voice throughout the history.

Dickinson went into a reclusive isolation in her early twenties,the reasons of which were ambiguous and obscure.Her solitary life might have been voluntary or forced.In the poem Dickinson adopts a persona locked up by external forces to stunt her social and creative growth.The narrator is a small girl child whose voice is neglected.The reference to 'they'  implies the strong forces of patriarchy.The advocates of patriarchy leave no stone unturned to mute the voice of women since day one.As Marion Reid in her work A Plea For Women  states "any symptom of independent thought[by women] is quickly repressed.......the majority of girls are subdued into mere automations".

The narrator emphasizes that she was 'still' liked by 'them'.The adoration by the patriarchal society ironically owes to her gender.Despite the prevalent misogyny and gynophobia the society  knows well that women are 'essential' and comes up with their archaic tools of benevolent sexism,flattery. Margaret Walters in her work Feminism,A Very Short Introduction rightly argues that "Musculine gallantry and flattery are simply seen as attempts to keep women in their places and the most 'feminine' woman is the one who best fulfills male fantasies."

The creative freedom of women has always disturbed the patriarchal psyche , which explains the wide censorship the female writers had been subjected to.In the poem the narrator's creative zest is immune to the captivation and instead it outbursts.She might be a " caged bird" but despite everything she still"sings".She can't help but laugh at the weak force of patriarchy desperately trying to tame her strong feminine voice.

Emily Dickinson depicts the society that strives not to disturb the apple cart of patriarchy by means of physical,psychological and social oppression of women.The poet vocalises the instinctual feminine energy that rips of all shackles and emerges victoriously.


References

Walters,Margaret.Feminism,A Very Short Introduction.New York,Oxford University Press,2005.



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