Adrienne Rich Rape Essay Research Paper Expressing

Adrienne Rich, Rape Essay, Research Paper Expressing love for a woman can be done in such a way, that it causes the destruction of her soul. A very thought provoking poem, Rape , written by Adrienne Rich, provides a rich example of a world that is often hidden. Although the poet uses numerous elements, such as imagery, to disguise her true intentions, a good understanding will allow us to see it for what it truly is, a cry for help. The title of the poem doesn t leave much for the reader to uncover. Using Rape as a title shows her directness to this poem, as well as the essence of the poem. Why did she choose such a powerful word? If, in fact, this poem deals with a situation where someone has been raped, then we might assume she wanted to attract a particular audience,

possibly one who s been in their situation. A quick glance at the poem will tell you that it is a free verse poem. Words do not rhyme, nor follow a typical structure. However, you will notice there are six stanzas with five lines each. We can assume from the title of the poem that the author might have used this technique to show that she wasn t concerned with perfection, but the expression of what she wanted to say. Nevertheless, we are unknowing of what this poem is actually about. The first line begins with, There is a cop who is both prowler and father. This is a superb beginning that can be mistaken for the start of a narrative story. As you finish reading the first stanza, you get a descriptive look at this cop. We learn he is father, grew up with her family, and commonly

keeps one hand on a gun. While this information may appear irrelevant, she is building a stepping stone for the reader. From now on, we have a picture in our minds about the cop, which will guide us throughout the poem. The second stanza takes a more introspective view of the cop. This may be due to the fact that her anger and fear is unavailing. he has access to machinery that can kill you is a clear sign of fear of the cop s ability to kill with ease. Instead of using a direct word, such as a gun, she used machinery. This technique intensifies the word s meaning and helps the audience understand that she is concerned about his potential. The following line, He and his stallion clop like warlords among the trash use a string of metaphors. They re used to describe the feeling she

gets as he approaches her on his stallion horse. By saying, like warlords among the trash , she s telling the audience that the clopping of the horse isn t that of a horse carrying a man of honor, like we would have imagined. Instead, she makes it clear that she feels like trash, and he s stepping right over it. The remainder of this stanza emphasizes his stature of empowerment, and the demise of her identity. The third stanza goes into gruesome detail of the act of which the cop performed. You are seeing the event through her eyes, feeling the destruction. You have a feeling of remorse and anger. You are left helpless and in need to cry for help. The hysteria in his voice pleases him best shows explicitly that the rapist enjoyed the torture he was bringing upon her. The forth

stanza continues on but with a twist that should shock the audience. The first line has her staring into his blue eyes. And in those eyes, she talks about the family she used to know. Now, if you refer back to the first line in the first stanza, you will notice how she mentions father. Putting those two ideas together, you can make a generalization that the cop who has raped her, is indeed, her father. As we approach the second to the last stanza, she begins to read deep in the mind of the cop. Instead of talking about what he looks like, what he did, or his lifestyle, she creates assumptions about what he s thinking. This may be the initial reaction after the event. He probably spoke to her and told her some things that led to these assumptions. She feels as if he enjoyed every