Introduction
In “Daystar” by Rita Dove and “Exchange of Hats” by Elizabeth Bishop, both poems explore the theme of traditional gender roles and their associated challenges and expectations. Although both poems explore the problems and limitations imposed by society’s expectations, they use different literary techniques and approaches. While “Daystar” takes an intimate and reflective approach, focusing on the struggles and desires of a woman in her domestic role, “Exchange of Hats” offers a more satirical and whimsical exploration of traditional roles, highlighting society’s expectations and the fear of deviating from them. These poems reveal the complexities and limitations of traditional stereotypes and the universal desire for personal identity and self-expression.
Authors’ Choice to Convey Dynamics
A poem by Rita Dove is told in the first person, and the speaker is a woman yearning for a moment of solitude. It offers an intimate look into her thoughts and emotions, creating a feeling of empathy and connection with the character. The woman’s voice reflects her frustrations in the context of her traditional role as a mother and her desire to combat them. She becomes the primary voice through which readers understand the poem’s themes.
On the other hand, Elizabeth Bishop, in her poem “Exchange of Hats,” uses more of a collective voice, perhaps representing a society or group of people watching those swapping hats. This collective voice allows for a broader commentary on society’s expectations surrounding traditional gender roles and playful exploration of different identities. The absence of a specific speaker allows the poem to examine these themes from a more general perspective.
Poems Settings
The “Daystar” situation is set in a domestic setting and focuses on a woman’s daily life as a mother. The story takes place around her home, where she faces the challenges and limitations of traditional gender roles and motherhood. The poem’s scene highlights the limitations and struggles she experiences in her domestic sphere. For example, the heroine has only an hour to be alone and relax “before Liza appeared // pouting from the top of the stairs” (Mays 762). She was tired of the woman’s role in the family, and all she did was sit behind the garage and look at “the pinched armor of a vanished cricket.”
In contrast, Elizabeth Bishop presents a more varied set of situations, including scenes on the beach and other places where people playfully exchange hats. The variety of settings gives the poem a sense of whimsy and adventure, exploring traditional gender roles and societal expectations in different contexts. However, the reader sees that the main characters are people of the older generation, “aunts” and “unfunny uncles” (Mays 752-753). At the same time, ‘diverse’ settings emphasize a satirical look at these topics.
Main Themes: Similarities and Differences
Rita Dove’s poem highlights the contradiction between society’s expectations and the individuality of a woman, a mother. The central theme of “Daystar” is a woman’s struggle with traditional gender roles and her desire for personal identity and self-expression. The poem delves into the challenges she faces in fulfilling her role as a mother and the longing for a moment of solitude. The author begins his work with “She wanted a little room for thinking,” and thus sets the central theme (Mays 762). The reader feels the character’s fatigue and doom through lines such as: “when she closed her eyes //she’d see only her vivid blood” or “she would open her eyes // and think of the place […] where she was nothing, // pure nothing, in the middle of the day” (Mays 762). A woman seeks peace and the opportunity to live for herself amid a life of responsibility and disappointment.
“Exchange of Hats,” while raising the theme of traditional gender roles, places more emphasis on societal expectations and the refusal to accept or see the change in society: “what slow changes they see under // their vast, shady, turned-down brim” (Mays 752-753). The poem addresses the rigidity and fear associated with traditional roles, using the exchange of hats as a metaphor for experimenting with different identities. The author wonders if they can understand other people or find themselves since “The headgear of the other sex //inspire us to experiment” (Mays 752-753). It encourages a more flexible and open approach to identity and self-expression.
Tone and Sound of the Poems
The main difference between the poems is the authors’ tone choice, which helps convey the mood and message of the works. For example, the tone of “Daystar” is thoughtful and thoughtful, showing a woman’s deep longing for a moment of solitude. It also notes melancholy, reflecting her daily struggles and limited opportunities for self-reflection in the context of her traditional role. Moreover, the poem’s sound is simple and quiet, without complex and ornate sound images. This simplicity enhances the contemplative and introspective nature of the poem, allowing the reader to focus on the woman’s experiences and emotions.
“Exchange of Hats” satirical tone takes on a more whimsical and light-hearted tone. The poem playfully pokes fun at society’s expectations and fear of deviating from traditional gender roles. The tone highlights the absurdity of clinging to rigid roles and encourages a more open and adaptable approach to identity and self-expression. Additionally, unlike “Daystar,” “Exchange of Hats” uses more complex sound patterns. The poem features alliteration and assonance, giving it a playful and musical quality that contributes to its light-hearted and imaginative atmosphere. Thus, while one poem conveys the heaviness of a tired woman’s struggle, the other approaches the theme of traditional roles with a sense of humor and satire.
Words as a Tool for Conveying Mood
As for the choice of vocabulary, both authors try to express the mood of the poems through their structure or rhyme and with the help of words. Dove lets language immerse readers in a woman’s world, with each word carefully chosen to evoke specific emotions and visual impressions. She uses the phrase “a doll slumped behind the door” to emphasize the mother’s condition, which is comparable to a limp doll (Mays 762). The phrase “So she lugged a chair” demonstrates a woman’s lack of energy, presumably due to fatigue from a woman’s daily duties, which are repetitive and endless (Mays 762).
Elizabeth Bishop’s lexical choice is deliberate and imaginative, characterized by various specific vocabulary. Phrases such as “perversities may aggravate,” “the tides of fashion never lag,” and “slight transvestite twist” complement the satirical tone of the poem and add depth to the exploration of social expectations and the playful exchange of roles (Mays 752-753). Both authors pay special attention to the words to enhance their tone, although different, and to emphasize the theme, which contributes to the overall impact of the poems.
Conclusion
The “Daystar” and “Exchange of Hats” are two poems that offer different perspectives on traditional gender roles and the wish for self-expression. “Daystar” is an introspective look at a woman’s desire for solitude within the constraints of her traditional role. In contrast, “Exchange of Hats” uses satire and playfulness to critique society’s expectations and encourage a more open approach to life. These poems offer valuable insight into the challenges and expectations associated with traditional roles, ultimately encouraging readers to consider the importance of self-expression in the face of social pressure.
Work Cited
Mays, Kelly J. The Norton Introduction to Literature. W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2022.