Analysing a poem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analysing a poem - Essay Example The poem falls into the anthology entitled To Be of Use published in 1973. Barbie Doll ironically presents the famous doll of Mattel Toys in to the status quo of the women in the present American society. Barbie was an icon of every American in the 1960 with its green eyes and tall and slim shape. Piercy in this poem takes the pathetic condition of the women in the world as a general. The women are attributed to socially stereotype from her childhood to death. The poet, Marge Piercy uses the various images like doll, GE stoves, lipsticks, fan belt, pink, white nightie, etc., to describe the status of women at different ages. The theme of the poem is the presentation of women as stereotyped by the other gender in the society. At childhood itself she is become stereotyped with the gifts she get. She lives a life not for her but for the needs of others. The name of her is not relevant and so the poem presents the woman without a name. Throughout the poem it can be seen that the woman li ves with the different images attributed on her. The poem is surrounded with different images. The title of the poem, Barbie Doll represents the common notion of idealizing the female body with a doll, Barbie and demands for social concept of her nature. The poet considers that she is a doll for others even from her birth. The poetic presentation of the doll attributes to the nature of a girl- to be a doll for others. The images like stove and irons tell what type of a life is presented to her in the near future. She will have to work in kitchen and do the works for the males. The lipsticks are helping her to color herself with sexual attributes. â€Å"The color of cherry candy† (4) is having an excessive sexual impulse. She is a figure of attraction in the make world. In all the layers of her growth she is presented as a consumer product. The attaining of puberty is mentioned as â€Å"the magic of puberty† (5) in the poem as this stage brings many changes