The Young Housewife Summary

891 Words4 Pages

Nona A Mahdi Professor Johnny Lew ENG 111 8 October 2014 The Neglected Young Housewife The concept of neglect is developed in this poem “The Young Housewife” by William Carlos Williams. The author features a man who has been observing this young housewife’s activity by watching her every move. The poem reflects the young housewife’s being neglected because she is by herself in her husband house. She also wears a negligee almost until noon and she seeks attention from other men. The poet give the images in “negligee” that also could be means as “neglect”, “wooden” that give an image/feel as she is living a dull life and stiff. The tone on this poem is unhappy, lust, and lifeless. The man seems to know so many things about the young housewife as he has been watching her for more than one time on the line “At ten AM.” he gives the impression to know the exact time when she moves and about. As if the man has been observing her constantly maybe for almost every day until he know exactly what time she will be out what she wears when she is out also how she behave when she’s outside because on this line “Then again she comes to the curb, to call the ice-man, fish-man, and stands, shy, uncorseted, tucking in stray ends of hair,” It seem this man used to be interested in her because he has been following her but now he just feels sorry I get the sorry feeling when he compare her with “a fallen leaf” falling leaf is fragile and lifeless and when he compare to falling leaf I’m assume

Open Document