Woman to Child
By Judith Wright
You who were darkness warmed my flesh
where out of darkness rose the seed.
Then all a world I made in me;
all the world you hear and see
hung upon my dreaming blood.There moved the multitudinous stars,
and coloured birds and fishes moved.
There swam the sliding continents.
All time lay rolled in me, and sense,
and love that knew not its beloved.O node and focus of the world;
I hold you deep within that well
you shall escape and not escape-
that mirrors still your sleeping shape;
that nurtures still your crescent cell.I wither and you break from me;
yet though you dance in living light
I am the earth, I am the root,
I am the stem that fed the fruit,
the link that joins you to the night.
Summary of Woman to Child
- Popularity of “Woman to Child”: The poem ‘Woman to Child’ is written by Judith Wright, one of the great Australian poets and environmentalists. It first appeared in her anthology of poems published in 1949. The poem revolves around the heartfelt emotions of a pregnant woman. The speaker illustrates how a mother embraces this special time and makes her unborn child the center of her attention. The appealing depiction of mother’s love adds further to the poem’s charm.
- “Woman to Child” As a Representative of Motherhood: This beautiful poem expresses the eternal love of a mother and her emotions about motherhood and pregnancy. Pregnancy regarded as one of the trying times for women is shown as a pleasant, life-altering, and candid time in this poem. The poem begins where the mother happily addresses her unborn child and takes pride in her ability to be a mother. She believes that her ability to give birth is what makes her special. She not only enjoys this new phase of her life but also sees her child as her whole world.
This new relationship gives her confidence and a unique sense of power. She compares her creation with God’s creation, believing she has been chosen to perform this grand task. The third stanza highlights her experience as a pregnant woman as she states how a woman carries a baby in her womb with care. The last stanza, once again, captures her boundless love and affection as she celebrates her motherhood and compares herself to fertile earth that brings happiness to the world. - Major Themes in “Woman to Child”: Motherhood, maternal love, and pregnancy are the major themes of the poem. The poem also discusses the stages of pregnancy, while capturing the acceptance, happiness, and love of a mother for her unborn child. Women around the world encounter different experiences when they get pregnant; some feel delighted, but for some, it is the hardest part of their lives. The speaker considers it as a blessing and the positive tone of her attachment with her unseen child suggests that giving birth is not something usual. One should not take these blessings for granted and enjoy every moment of this time.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in “Woman to Child”
literary devices are tools used by writers to convey their ideas, feelings, and emotions to the readers. Judith Wright has also employed some literary devices in this poem to show maternal love. The analysis of some of the literary devices used in this poem is discussed below.
- Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line. For example, the sound of /i/ in “that mirrors still your sleeping shape”.
- Alliteration: Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line in quick successions. For example, the sound of /l/ in “yet though you dance in living light”.
- Anaphora: It refers to the repetition of a word or expression in the first part of some verses. The words “I am the” is repeated in the last stanza of the poem to emphasize the point. For example,
“I am the earth, I am the root,
I am the stem that fed the fruit.”
- Apostrophe: An apostrophe is a device used to call a person or something from afar. Here, the poet used an apostrophe to call her unborn child in the third stanza such as “O node and focus of the world,” expressing happiness by calling the child directly.
- Enjambment: It is defined as a thought in a verse that does not come to an end at a line break; instead, it rolls over to the next line. For example,
“You who were darkness warmed my flesh
where out of darkness rose the seed.”
- Hyperbole: Hyperbole is a device used to exaggerate a statement for the sake of emphasis. Judith exaggerates about her ability to give birth in the second stanza, where she compares her creation with God’s creation.
- Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. For example, “You who were darkness warmed my flesh”, “I am the earth, I am the root” and “There moved the multitudinous stars.”
- Metaphor: It is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between the objects that are different. The poet compares herself with various things in the last stanza of the poem. For example,
“I am the earth, I am the root,
I am the stem that fed the fruit,
the link that joins you to the night.”
&
You who were darkness warmed my flesh
where out of darkness rose the seed.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in “Woman to Child”
Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used only in poetry. Here is the analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem.
- End Rhyme: End rhyme is used to make the stanza melodious. For example, “me/see”, “well/cell” and “escape/shape.”
- Rhyme Scheme: The poem follows the ABCCB rhyme scheme and this pattern continues until the end.
- Stanza: A stanza is a poetic form of some lines. There are four stanzas in this poem with each comprising five lines, also known as a quintet.
Quotes to be Used
The lines stated below are suitable for a speech while talking about the greatness of mothers. These can also be used to talk about the status of women in the world.
“I wither and you break from me;
yet though you dance in living light
I am the earth, I am the root,
I am the stem that fed the fruit,
the link that joins you to the night.”