Paper Example on Feminist Poetry: A Movement of Self-Realization & Social Awareness

Feminism in poetry is dated back in the 1960s, and it started with a feminist poetry movement. During this time, many poetry writers challenged conventional content and notions. Women wrote about the experiences they encountered and engaged readers. Feminism in poetry was influenced by changes in society as well as iconic poets such as Emily Dickinson. Feminism poetry has an impact on American society as a poet explores self-realization and social awareness.

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During the feminist poetry movement, the poets' impact on poetry, social, and political spheres was felt. One of the feminist poets who made an impact on American history is Maxine Kumin. She was an American poet whose work addressed feminist issues. Any other poet had not addressed the issues addressed by Kumin. Kumin's poems addressed issues such as rural life, women's life, as well as family relationships (Brown, Finch, and Kumin, 2005). In her Up Country poem, Kumin addresses rural life, and she and her positive tone are applauded by many. Such a poem is influential to American society as it makes people approach life with positivity. Maxine wrote the necessary things, which means that they were relevant to society and had a positive impact.

Kumin's poem "How It Is" also has an impact on American society. In this poem, she addresses the death of a female icon Anne Sexton who has committed suicide (Brown, Finch, and Kumin, 2005). They were close and shared their poems. They also collaborated in work, and she was the last person to see Sexton. Such a poem has an impact on American society as it addresses the significance of teamwork and mentorship in each field. By working together, people can achieve more while at the same motivating each other. This poem represents a real situation since when one loss a friend he/she grieves. Just like in any country, friendship is valued, and friends dedicate the time that they hang out with each other. Female friends spend free time chatting, and once a friend dies, the memories remain fresh. The third feminist poem that has an impact on American society is nurture. In this poem, Maxine explores the natural world and the way human beings relate to it.

Anne Sexton is a feminist poem whose work addresses issues such as abortion, masturbation, drug addiction, incest, adultery, and menstruation. The poet has had a positive impact on American society. Such poets have given women the courage to open up on issues that were conventionally viewed as taboo (Mehrpouyan, and Banehmir, 2014, 201). Women no longer have to keep quiet about their experiences, but they can easily share them. Traditionally women were not expected to share their issues, especially those related to the sexual or reproductive system.

Today a significant number of people are affected by mental illness. In her poem, Anne Sexton disclosed her struggles with mental illness. People suffer depression and other mental illness, but if they open up, they can easily be assisted. Anne Sexton's poems on controversial topics motivate people in American society to open up on issues affecting them, and they can subsequently be assisted (Mehrpouyan and Banehmir, 2014, 202). Without the courage to speak up, people would continue dying of mental illness and living miserable lives due to issues such as drug addiction. Upon speaking up, they can be rehabilitated and join other people with the same challenge. It is through acknowledging that you have a problem and seeking a solution that you can access help from organizations such as Alcoholics Anonymous.

Audre Lorde is another feminist poet whose contribution to elaborating the female identity is felt even today. Her work helps in understanding women's issues and different concepts related to feminism. Lorde highlighted the impact of issues such as age, race, class, gender, and health to the experiences that females have (Mehrpouyan and Banehmir (Mehrpouyan, and Banehmir, 2014, 204). The gender aspect has received more focus than other factors, but it does not mean they do not influence women's experiences. The differences that women have over men should be acknowledged but not judged. Lorde developed a theory that is commonly referred to as the theory of intersectionality. This theory argues that factors such as gender, race, class, and sexual orientation are sources of disadvantages. Such theories are essential in American society as they help understand issues related to groups such as LGBTQ. People in such groups experience differences and feel that they are disadvantaged as a result of factors related to their identity.

The feminism has influenced poem writers over the years, making the writers write poems that address issues that address feminism. The poets have addressed different themes in the affairs of women. Muriel Rukeyser is among the poets that have written poems with themes that talk about the affairs associated with feminism. Muriel Rukeyser participated in the feminist movement; several poems that the poet wrote remain relevant to the issues that the feminist movement wanted to be addressed (Poetry Foundation, 2018). Kathe Kollwitz is among the feminist poems that the writer wrote. The poem largely discussed on the change that the America women wanted to see.

The theme of the poem was equality of when in terms of their rights and how men and society were treating them. The poem had an effect on feminism in American society, where it inspired the women leaders to continue fighting for equality in society (Poetry Foundation, 2018). The feminist movement required encouragement that they could achieve their demands of an equal society where women would be given equal opportunities in a similar way the men used to get. The women got motivation from the poem that persistence in demand for equality would finally bore fruits where women would be treated equally with men.

The feminist movement in the United States saw the need to demand their rights that were being violated where they were not given equal treatment as compared to men (Poetry Foundation, 2018). The effect of the poem on feminism is that it inspired the women in the feminist movement to keep fighting for their rights. The activists that wanted the rights of women to be respected were motivated that their demands could be achieved, and they would get equal opportunities that the men get.

The other poet who has written feminist money poems includes Adrienne Rich; she has written poems that have different themes, which include sexuality, social justice, and involvement of women on political matters (Napikoski, 2019). The poem Planetarium talks about the different challenges that the women go through while trying to find their identity. Women of the nineteenth century had identity issues because there was no social justice. Many women got depressed because of how they were being treated; therefore, they ended up being depressed. The poem advocated for women demanding changes in how they were being treated by society.

The poems were written by Adrienne Rich also talked about the oppression of women and lesbians, where the poem wanted women to be respected for who they are. The society did not accept lesbians where they were seen as an outcast because of their sexual orientation (Napikoski, 2019). Women used to be marginalized when affairs concerning the community were being discussed. Feminism made the poet write many poems a way of encouragement to the feminist movement that was advocating for changes that would benefit women. The women embraced the poems and used them as a communication tool to share the challenges that women were going through.

A change of the world is among the poem written by Adrienne Rich that was very people among the people in America because it highlighted this difference that existed between men and women (Napikoski, 2019). The differences existed based on gender, and the poem advocated for the society to be transformed where all people of different genders would be treated equally with equal rights. Adrienne Rich, in her poetry, believed that society would become better if all genders were respected and treated with the dignity that they deserved. The poet recognized the challenges that the women were going through and how the state had failed to acknowledge their rights.

The poem motivated other poem writers to begin writing poems that advocated for the rights of the women. When the poem become popular among the people, other poets began to write on feminism matters (Poetry Foundation, 2018). The poets were motivated that they could transform society positively by giving directions through their poems on the changes that needed to be done in American society. Adrienne Rich inspired more women to fight for their rights and equality in the society, some women lacked the confidence to advocate for their rights, and they start to believe that it was possible to transform the society.

The American society valued poems; therefore, the feminist movement group used the poems to advocate for the rights of women that they were being denied. The feminist movement wanted women to access education, the right to make personal decisions affecting their bodies and equity when addressed by the state, including in payment (Poetry Foundation, 2018). The poems on the rights of women contributed to the achievement of women's rights in American society. Women enjoy their rights because of the feminist movement that did not lose hope in fighting for the rights of the women. Feminism changed the perceptions of the poet regarding the society and the rights of women, motivating them to participate in the fight for the rights of women through their poems.

Conclusion

In conclusion, feminist poetry has played a very significant role in American society. American female poets have addressed issues related to feminism that people could have conventionally felt shy or unconfident to address. Such women act as mentors and leaders who have freed women from social constraints of what can be discussed publicly and what cannot. Poets such as Maxine Kumin, Anne Sexton, Audre Lorde, Adrienne Rich, and Muriel Rukeyser will be always are remembered in for addressing women issues. These issues include sexism, sexuality, abortion, masturbation, drug addiction, incest, adultery, and menstruation. They helped communicate women's experiences that were traditionally perceived as taboo.

Reference List

Brown, D., Finch, A., and Kumin, M. eds., 2005. Lofty Dogmas: Poets on Poetics. University of Arkansas Press.

Mehrpouyan, A., and Banehmir, S.S.A., 2014. Feminism and feminine culture in modern women writers' works: with special reference to Anne Sexton and Audre Lorde. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 158, pp.199-205.

Napikoski, L. (2019). Adrienne Rich: Feminist and Political Poet. [online] ThoughtCo. Available at: https://www.thoughtco.com/adrienne-rich-biography-3528945 [Accessed 2 Dec. 2019].

Poetry Foundation (2018). Kathe Kollwitz by Muriel Rukeyser. [online] Poetry Foundation. Available at: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/muriel-rukeyser [Accessed 2 Dec. 2019].