Value
The traditional rose intended for display is pretty, carefully cultivated, and nourished. According to the speaker of the poem, the sea rose, by contrast, is battered and bears scars, but as a result of interacting with the world, emits a more special and important fragrance. The use of the words "marred," "meagre," "thin," "sparse," "caught in the drift," and "stunted" to describe the sea rose, alongside the word "precious," challenges typical notions of what makes something worth valuing. In a society based on capitalism, consumerism, and physical vanity, people tend to see objects (and human subjects) as denigrated in value if they have aged, endured hardship, or become victims of oppressive circumstances. However, the speaker is suggesting that a sea rose, likely a symbol for the female subject, only increases in value and preciousness after surviving such difficult, volatile, and tumultuous circumstances.
Objectification
"Sea Rose" makes a clear case against the traditional objectification of the female, using the symbolism of the Sea Rose to advocate for a new concept of the female as subject, not object. Drawing from the metaphor of the sea rose, the speaker admires a feminine presence that is valued and defined by its strength, idiosyncrasies, and experience, rather than the static beauty or purity found in the traditional rose. The speaker suggests that the sea rose, though sparse, has a more intense and interesting smell than the average rose, which is kept captive in a vase. This comparison implies that women should not be admired for their sweetness, mildness, and beauty, but rather, their substance, individuality, and intensity: subjects with agency and strength.
Female empowerment
Although “Sea Rose” was written during a time of great desperation and disillusionment with the traditions and conventions of the time, a tone of uplifting hope and resilience permeates the poem. The worn flower that has lost all but one leaf from its stem, having fought battles with the wind and sand, actually becomes more valuable and romantic as a symbol of femininity than the traditional rose, in surviving all odds. Perhaps, in a way only a poet and feminist pioneer like H.D. can recognize, the sea rose emerges as even more beautiful and appealing as a result of its journey. Although there may be undertones of anger and rebellion in this poem, there is also a prominent message of female grit and inspiration; that women have already and will continue to emerge exquisitely resilient in the face of adversity, tumult, and pain. Overall, the speaker suggests that traditional values should be questioned, and that the scope and rigor of female identity are far more extensive and diverse than the patriarchy has acknowledged.
