Essay Questions

Why are all the female characters named "maid" by the narrator?

The term is used in almost every poem in relation to women and it is the way through which the narrator addresses the female characters. In most of the poems, "maid" does not refer to a domestic servant but rather to an unmarried woman, generally a woman who is still young enough not to be considered as spinster. The term "maid" was not seen as a negative one but rather one which transmitted the idea of purity since it was also commonly associated with religious female figures. It is also important to note that only the young unmarried women from upper class were given the name "maid" and when the narrator refereed to an unmarried woman coming from a lower social class she was generally refereed to as "the girl". Thus, we can assume the term is not used here with a negative connotation but rather to suggest purity and moral cleanliness.

Explain the last line of the poem "Epigram, 1734".

The last line of the short poem is "And, born to freedom, for our chains we vote", used by the narrator to conclude the poem. The short poem deals with the idea of slavery and presents its history in a short and succinct manner. The narrator claims mankind was born into slavery but through the modern technological advancements and through science, humanity broke free from the slavery which was subjected to when man, as it is known today, was first born. The last line of the poem presents another form of slavery, this time one which was chosen willingly by mankind. This is a reference made to the modern way of leading a country, through an elected leader. While the narrator can no longer talk of a slavery in the sense it existed a few hundred years ago, true freedom does not exist either, every person being subjected to a set of common rules and regulations which they must accept and obey.

What does the narrator criticizes through the poem "Monday, Roxana, Or The Drawing-Room"?

Themain character in the poem is a young lady, who remains unnamed and who has the good fortune of belonging to a rich and influential family. As the first stanza describes her, the young woman never suffered in her life and as a result the events which she perceives as catastrophic have no real impact on her life. The woman is recorded through this poem while she complains about her hair, her jewelry and her fine clothes while an outside voice talks about the real problems encountered by the poor such as illness, poverty and hunger. The poem is an ironic one, the author using language to transmit the idea that the young woman has no idea about how life really is. She is criticized for her shallowness and also for her disinterest in the faith of the rest of the world. Thus, through this poem, the narrator criticizes both the ruling class and the wealthy who refuse to help those who are not as blessed as them.