#263-A Work of Artifice

In this poem by Marge Piercy, there is no specific speaker as the poem is told in a third person omniscient point of view. However, it is obvious that Piercy is this omniscient narrator. Many works by Piercy are about oppression of women. She is easily considered a feminist. The entire poem is a portrayal of struggles of women. The narrator relates the story of women with describing a bonsai tree being pruned so it stays small instead of growing to its full potential. Knowing the narrator has the perspective of a feminist helped the reader to understand many of the symbols used in the poem. There was no rhyme scheme or specific meter in the poem. The poem was free verse. The physical structure of the poem is important, though. Most of the lines are kept short to represent the bonsai tree and in turn women not being able to grow to their full potential. The free verse is actually used an ironic way. It is showing exactly what women cannot do; be what they want. If the poem had a structured rhyme scheme and meter, it would have added to the structured lives of what were expected in women's' lives. However, Piercy uses the free verse to represent the goal of freedom for women.

One literary device Piercy uses is diction. Many of the words she uses effect the message of the poem greatly. Perhaps the most relevant example is a word in the title-artifice. You first look at it and see the word art. This arouses beauty and picturesque images in your mind. However, the word artifice is deceiving. It in fact means dishonesty or untruthful. This is representative of the entire poem. On the surface it looks artistic with a bonsai tree as the subject of the poem. However the poem is not about bonsai trees, but women being oppressed. Because of the trickery in the superficialness of the poem. Key words such as artifice add much to the overall effectiveness of the poem. Another literary device utilized by Piercy is the use of symbols/allusions. The poem itself is one big allusion. It is telling the story of a bonsai tree, but is symbolic of women's' struggle for equality. The last five lines of the poem contain numerous allusions to negative stereotypes placed upon women. The bound feet refers to an ancient Chinese custom of women's' feet being broken to appear small and dainty. Crippled brains refers to the fact that men were believed to be stereotypically smarter than women. Hair in curlers gives the image of a housewife doing the duties of a woman. And finally, the hands you love to touch are alluding to the stereotype of women being seen as sexual beings. Other lines that stereotype women include calling the trees (representing women) small and cozy and domestic and weak. The gardener symbolizes men suppressing women. These allusions and symbols make the poem everything it is. They add incredible meaning and without them the poem would be useless.

Overall, I enjoyed this poem. It sent a clear message without being too over the top. This poem was obviously inspired by the women's' movement for equality. For ages women have been considered to be inferior to men. Piercy's poem lashes out at this belief in inferiority. She does it with a sense of grace though. The analogy of the bonsai tree was a masterful creation. The effectiveness of the poem is greatly enhanced by the fact that Piercy is not writing a full out criticism against the treatment of women. She is not accusing, demanding, or ranting. Instead, she uses imagery to persuade the audience. I have never read such a tastefully done piece of literature that made such a statement.