Analysis Of Rat Song By Margret Atwood

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There has always been a power struggle between the sexes. Men and women have always had trouble accepting the idea that there may be a defined role for each sex. Through time men have constantly upheld the belief that if women gain a recognized status in society then they could jeopardize the role that men play. However, this is simply not true as can be seen in the current times. Women hold prestigious titles and do the same types of jobs men do and society still functions normally. At the time Margret Atwood wrote the poem, “Rat Song” the feminist movement in Canada as well as the United States was in full swing. Atwood uses a rat in this poem to symbolize a women and a human to serve in the place of man. The rat is constantly being thought of a inferior or vile by the human always getting in the way and having a cleverness that is thought of as dangerous. Through the strained relationship of the rat and the human Atwood is able to depict what it is like to be a women growing up in society during the 1970’s. Nonetheless, the point of view that Atwood chooses to embody in this poem can still relate to society today even though the struggle between men and women is not as prevalent as it once was.
Atwood wrote this poem in 1978 which was during the second wave of the feminist movement that sent ripples throughout the world. In comparison to the first wave of the feminist movement which concentrated specifically on suffrage that dealt with the right to vote as well as the property rights that women had. The second wave focused mainly on sexuality, family, and the workplace. In terms of workplace women wanted to be thought of as equals intellectually in comparison to men. As a society we have found out that women can accomplish the ...

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...nist waves that altered the perception of the role women play in society.
The final stanza laments the fact that men ignore the power of independence that echoes from their throats as they recognize their position in public relations and society. The fantastic and visionary nature of equal opportunity is embodied in a “greasy person voice”, as males try to justify the lower status of females and discourage them from taking part in all opportunities that life has to offer. This leads to the rats statement, “mate trapped in your throat” that could be metaphorically the approach of freedom, which women want to share and are constantly cognizant of like a subtle background tune. Atwood’s poem starts with the rat trying to sing then ends with independence wining in the voice of the human this demonstrates the inevitability of women getting the rights which they deserve.

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