Social Issues in Judith Wrights work

Social issues are displayed in many poets’ work and their beliefs on these issues are exposed intentionally through the use of various techniques. Judith Wright conveyed her view on social issues in most of her poems, and built her argument by using a variety of poetic techniques which position the reader to comprehend her beliefs. By developing a socially critical perspective through her poems, Wright’s view of the world’s social issues is presented to the reader in a way that forces them to ponder on the aspects of society mentioned. “Woman to Man” and “Remittance Man” are two poems through which Wrights beliefs on pregnancy, the relationship between man and wife, and social dissatisfaction due to context are examined. Poetic techniques or devices such as rhythm, figurative language and rhyme all position the reader not only to be aware of the social issue, but also to understand it, often through Wright’s perspective. “Woman to Man” is an example of a poem which examines a social issue through poetic techniques, based on Wright’s context at the time.

“Woman to Man” by Judith Wright expresses a woman’s thoughts on pregnancy and was written when Wright herself was pregnant. Due to this fact, one can assume that the poem explores Judith Wright’s thoughts on pregnancy as she speaks to her husband through the poem, expressing her feelings through various poetic techniques. The poem displays an unusual strength for moving the reader through the emotional tension, the development of ideas and the structure as this delicate topic is handled with precaution and disciplined craftsmanship. The steady progression of ideas seen in the well laid out structure causes a more dramatic reading on a subject which Wright felt so strongly about.

The poem “Woman to Man” has evidently been written with confidence and emotional sincerity as Wright shows she knows what she wants to say. One can see this through the easy balance of the lines, even in line three which ends, or is maintained with a dash. This is meant to be a silence for the reader to ponder on what has just been mentioned. Again, the balance is maintained in the last line by a comma, which also indicates silence and thus stresses the four last words “for I am afraid”. These words portray strong feeling of anxiety and mirror Wrights feelings about her pregnancy at the time. The poem identifies with her emotions and the issue of pregnancy affecting marriage not only through structure, but also through speed and rhythm.