Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"It's a Woman's World" by Eavan Boland is a powerful commentary on the historical and societal roles of women, juxtaposing the mundane details of domestic life against the backdrop of significant historical events. Through vivid imagery and thoughtful reflection, Boland explores themes of invisibility, the undervaluation of women's work, and the resilience of women throughout history.

The poem opens with a statement on the unchanging nature of women's lives, drawing a line from the past to the present with the image of a wheel sharpening a knife—a metaphor for the enduring and cyclical nature of women's domestic responsibilities. The mention of flame burning "more greedily" and wheels being "steadier" hints at technological progress, yet Boland asserts that fundamentally, "we're the same," anchored in routines that mark time through "oversights" rather than grand historical deeds.

Boland uses domestic symbols—the loaf by the cash register, the wrapped washing powder, the wet laundry—as milestones in women's lives, emphasizing the significance of these overlooked and undervalued tasks in the fabric of daily existence. She suggests that women's history is characterized by absence from the official narratives, defined more by what is forgotten than by what is recorded. The claim that "we were never / on the scene of the crime" serves as both an alibi and an indictment of history's failure to acknowledge women's contributions and presence.

The poem then shifts to illustrate how women's involvement in historical moments is often relegated to the background, focusing on domestic tasks while monumental events unfold. The imagery of women "gristing bread" or exchanging soup recipes during the execution of a king underscores the disconnect between the public sphere of historical action and the private sphere of women's work.

Despite the passage of time, Boland notes that little has changed: women's lives are still primarily centered around the home ("By night our windows moth our children to the flame / of hearth not history"), and their emotional responses to the world ("the low music of our outrage") remain unrecorded and unacknowledged by mainstream historical narratives.

The poem concludes with images of women looking out into the night—one "craned to the starry mystery" for air, the other with "her mouth / a burning plume" not as a fire-eater, but as a neighbor returning home. These final scenes reinforce the theme of women's lives being misconstrued or underestimated by society. Boland suggests that the true depth of women's experiences, their inner fires, and their connections to the broader world are often overlooked or misunderstood.

"It's a Woman's World" is a critique of the historical marginalization of women and a celebration of their perseverance and the complexity of their lives. Boland's use of domestic imagery to highlight the significance of women's work and her critique of historical narratives that exclude women serve as a powerful reminder of the need to reevaluate and expand our understanding of history to include the vital roles women have always played.

POEM TEXT: https://wallenbergsplit2.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/2019-boland-ap-essay-packet.pdf