|
Poet: Edna St. Vincent Millay (Edna St. Vincent Millay Art)
Poem: An Ancient Gesture
Comment 28 of 28, added on April 26th, 2009 at 9:35 PM.
I think the last stanza has the most meaning, and shows what the poem is about. The poet is stating that a women crying is a gesture to a man to tell them that they are sad. The men only sees it as that, but then in the last 2 lines.. it states that penelope is the only one actually crying, and she is the one feeling the pain
ry from United States
Comment 27 of 28, added on December 2nd, 2008 at 1:47 PM.
i love this poem (please no one correct my writing, i do it on purpose) its open to so many interpretations you know? likeit can be taken literally, and it could be a woman waiting faithfully for her husband just like penelope did, or it could also be a sort of justification of crying, a way to make it known that there is nothing wrong with shedding a tear now and then because it does not make us weak, that's why she stresses that penelope cried too, because penelope was a strong, spartan and eternaly faithful and determined woman whom anyone could take as an example and even she cried... also there are different little messages throughout the poem, like the apron, is it saying that a woman's place is in the kitchen or is it critizing that ideal? or the lines about bursting into tears because there is nothing else to do... is she saying that women are useless without men or again criticizing that idea that we have as a society? she also criticizes men and the way that they are basically emotionless especially in contrast with women
or at least thats how i interpret the poem
Zoe from United States
Comment 26 of 28, added on April 3rd, 2008 at 8:37 PM.
In the story odysseus has been gone for about 20 years and penelope is being pestered to choose a new king and she tells her people that as soon as she finishes the quilt she will choose a king so by day she quilts and at night she undo's it. Thought id throw that in
brad from United States
Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, An Ancient Gesture, has received 28 comments. Click here to read them, and perhaps post a comment of your own. Of course you can also always discuss poems by Edna St. Vincent Millay with others on the American Poems poetry forum!
|
Comments
I think the last stanza has the most meaning, and shows what the poem is about. The poet is stating that a women crying is a gesture to a man to tell them that they are sad. The men only sees it as that, but then in the last 2 lines.. it states that penelope is the only one actually crying, and she is the one feeling the pain
ry from United States