Felicia Hemans

Felicia Hemans’ poetry from a woman’s point of view

I was taken when I first read over Felicia Hemans’ introduction. Here was a woman in the 1800s taken up for the woman’s point of view. Of course, you would have a man such as Lord Bryon who thought it was out of the ordinary for a woman to write poetry. On page 404 he stated, “…preferred women in their place, not his.” He also preferred that she knit blue stockings instead of wearing them. What do bluestockings have to do with a woman having a passion to write poetry? Whatever Bryon???

Also throughout the introduction, I could understand why some of her writings were heroic yet gruesome. She had five children, deserted by her husband, and had to go back home to mom. What woman wouldn’t be torn by such an act? I must say I am a single mother myself living with my mom and it can be upsetting. I have never been married, but it is tuff being a single mom raising children. I only have three, Felicia had five!

While reading, The Wife of Asdrubal, I felt Hemans’ rage. I felt her rage towards her husband. I could not understand how she could result to killing her children and herself. That part of the selection did not make sense to me. I guess she felt that she wanted him to hurt just as bad as she was hurting. In the reading it references her to a warrior. On page 407, “The stormy grandeur of a proud despair; … The dark profusion of her locks unbound, Waves like a warrior’s floating plumage round; ….she seems th’ avenging goddess of the scene.” Maybe she was being heroic in bringing to her husband’s attention that she was hurting; however the rage should have never been brought on the children. This is where I do not find the wife as heroic. How can one look at crying children and stab them and dump them into burning flames? I can’t fathom killing children for any reason! My heart sunk when reading on page 407, “Are those her infants, with suppliant-cry Cling round her, shrinking as the flame draws nigh, Clasp with their feeble hands her gorgeous vest….” I do not see the heroism in that.

I enjoyed Hemans’ poetry. When reading it, I had mixed emotions. Maybe this is why I found her readings interesting. Also, when viewing Hemans’ personal background, I guess she used her personal life to inspire her writings. She took her hurt, pain, rage and fears and used it to write poetry, especially in The Wife of Asdrubal. The bottom line is there is no heroism in seeking revenge in any way.