Rita Dove’s poem “Daystar” is both strong and moving since many people can relate. It depicts a woman immensely devastated by her responsibilities as a wife and mother. She is a homemaker who has surrendered herself to tending to her husband and children first, only to be given a short period to herself. Oppression and motherhood are prominent themes evident in this creative work. The speaker clearly illustrates how the woman is fatigued by her everyday activities and wishes for some time away from her mundane existence to contemplate. Various language techniques, applied by the poetess served to shape the context and atmosphere of the poem.
Imagery, diction, and other forms of figurative language used have successfully managed to distinctly bring out a clear picture of the character. The poem has been used to portray the suffering and disaffirmation of women in society. This is because the protagonist is alluded to as “she” throughout the poem and is never given a name. She appears to have progressively lost her identity and has become irrelevant in her culture. The poem’s mood and tone are contemplative and compassionate, as the speaker states facets of the mother’s life without making them seem finer or vile than they are.
Dove employs imagery to convey the character’s tedious and boring existence, which she wishes to break free from, even if only for a few moments. She uses the phrase “a doll slumped behind the door” in the third line to emphasize how the mother’s energy level is similar to that of a limp doll (Dove 0:11). The statement enables readers to imagine the exceptionally depressing scene in detail.
The phrase “So she lugged a chair” further describes the manner in which the lady pulled a chair behind the garage to relax, giving understanding of the lady’s soul (Dove 0:15). It displays a lack of vigor, presumably due to exhaustion from the woman’s daily responsibilities, which are repetitious and interminable (Wright 549). She barely has time to herself when the kids are sleeping, and even then, she cannot escape the proof of her motherhood that is all about her. While sitting outside, her eyes focus on things like a maple leaf floating in the air or a disappearing cricket’s pinched armor.
I presume that in many ways, the mother wishes she could come alive and feel similar to these serene visions, but she could always count on seeing her own vibrant blood when closing her eyes. She feels the severity of her oppressive being, isolation, and fleeting freedom as she stares into the horizon. “The small place for pondering” has a denotation and, at the same time, a connotation (Dove 1:02). It has been used to represent not only a sense of individual liberty but also a sense of powerlessness and fatality (Wright 549). Furthermore, the author applies satire to convey the mother’s views about what her child would inquire if she discovered her mother outside with the field mice rather than indoors, where she is required to stay at all times.
The poetess describes the woman’s terrible bedtime encounter with her spouse in the fifth verse. He does not acknowledge her long day, so she has to entertain herself with her fantasies. The character thinks back to the one time she had to herself outside building a palace in her own time and place without having to be a mother or spouse (Harrison 15). The poem is written in free verse with stanzas that are not evenly spaced. There is no rhyme system because the lines have varying lengths and endings. On the other hand, the lack of rhyming makes the poem seem like a personal life story being shared, as each word has meaning and is linked to the others to further the poem’s subject matter. The diction of the poem’s lines creates empathy for the character in the poem.
The reader develops a viewpoint on what society thinks about women as a result of the physical and emotional feelings evoked. The readers are encouraged to reflect on everlasting truths and the role of a common woman in her daily life as a mother and wife. For example, they can understand and challenge how traditional interpretations of women’s duties have locked them in a preset status from which they cannot escape.
In addition, a reader may hear the voice of a woman who is dealing with motherhood’s crushing load, which prevents her from having a joyful, complete, and adventurous life (Harrison 20). The poem’s protagonist feels trapped and drowning in a life full of sagging dolls and soiled diapers. The single hour she spends behind the garage is her one period of peace during the day when she is nothing.
The writing of Rita Dove can be utilized as a leading twenty-first-century statement made by women and for women. It would create a suitable surrounding for them to fully live and develop through the periods of pregnancy and housekeeping. Additionally, the kind of life dictated by oppressive patriarchal systems globally is not suited for every female. Supporting women would grant them more control over their decisions and operations at home.
The poem, in my view, has greatly aided in highlighting the need to appreciate the beauty of being a mother as well as the crucial chores mothers and wives undertake that are often overlooked. Despite their various duties, they, like everyone else, deserve peace. By establishing striking images and clear explanations of women’s condition in society, the author’s stylistic tactics have also made the narration more vivid and tactile.
Works Cited
Dove, Rita. “Daystar.” 1986. YouTube, uploaded by J Sessions, 2022.
Harrison, Jade. An Examination of Contemporary Black Women’s writing in the Norton Anthology of African American Literature. 2019. The University of Texas, Arlington. Master’s Thesis.
Wright, LaVonna. Breaking Black Boundaries: The Poetry of Rita Dove. 2020. Honors College. Undergraduate Honors Thesis.