Gwen Harwood's Suburban Sonnet

The well-acclaimed poem “Suburban Sonnet”, written by the talented author Gwen Harwood successfully portrays the disillusions that 1950s Australia has us to believe about their culture. Harwood addresses the past ethical issue of misogyny and patriarchy with a variety of techniques to meet her goal of sharing her experiences as an Australian mother. One instance of the text which captured this is in the poet’s dejected tone as she conveys to the reader. This has identified in the quote, “She practices a fugue, though it can matter to no one now if she plays well or not.” Lines 1-2. By using the example above, the author effectively implied to readers that in reality women faced oppression in society through a common neglect towards their role

as mother figures. As a result, audiences should feel empathetic for the disparities in the past as it tarnished the nation’s obscure image.
In addition, the use of symbolism and imagery in the concluding lines of the poem further reiterate the attitudes, values and beliefs toward women within the patriarchal community. At the time, the discourse sparked many debatable policies and ideas that many females could not argue. Gwen Harwood highlights this in the excerpt, “… a sprung mousetrap where a mouse lies dead.” Line 12. When she used the metaphor, it drew a comparison between the woman’s melancholic rigmarole of suburban life to a mouse caught in a trap. In a nutshell, this illustrates that no matter what happens, the woman cannot escape her dreary turmoil. Overall, in “Suburban Sonnet”, the poet has managed to paint an unmistakable image of what it is truly like living as an Australian woman in the 50’s suburbia.