Analysis of The Socialist And The Suffragist

Charlotte Perkins Stetson Gilman 1860 ( Hartford, Connecticut) – 1935 (Pasadena, California)



Said the Socialist to the Suffragist:
'My cause is greater than yours!
You only work for a Special Class,
We work for the gain of the General Mass,
Which every good ensures!'

Said the Suffragist to the Socialist:
'You underrate my Cause!
While women remain a Subject Class,
You never can move the General Mass,
With your Economic Laws!'

Said the Socialist to the Suffragist:
'You misinterpret facts!
There is no room for doubt or schism
In Economic Determinism–
It governs all our acts!'

Said the Suffragist to the Socialist:
'You men will always find
That this old world will never move
More swiftly in its ancient groove
While women stay behind! '

'A lifted world lifts women up,'
The Socialist explained.
'You cannot lift the world at all
While half of it is kept so small,'
The Suffragist maintained.

The world awoke, and tartly spoke:
'Your work is all the same:
Work together or work apart,
Work, each of you, with all your heart–
Just get into the game!'


Scheme Abccb Dxccx Aeffe Dghhg xijji xkllk
Poetic Form Etheree  (30%)
Tetractys  (20%)
Metre 1010010100 1111011 110110101 11101101001 1100101 1010010100 100111 110010011 1101101001 110101 1010010100 100101 111111110 00100100 1101101 1010010100 11111 11111101 11001101 110101 01011101 010001 11010111 11111111 010001 01010101 111101 10101101 11111111 110101
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 959
Words 178
Sentences 11
Stanzas 6
Stanza Lengths 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
Lines Amount 30
Letters per line (avg) 25
Words per line (avg) 6
Letters per stanza (avg) 125
Words per stanza (avg) 28
Font size:
 

Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

51 sec read
33

Charlotte Perkins Stetson Gilman

Charlotte Perkins Stetson Gilman (July 3, 1860 – August 17, 1935) was an American poet, short story writer, novelist, journalist and social reformer. Best known for her short story, "The Yellow Wallpaper," an autobiographical work which told of a depressed married woman's futile struggle which ended in madness. more…

All Charlotte Perkins Stetson Gilman poems | Charlotte Perkins Stetson Gilman Books

0 fans

Discuss this Charlotte Perkins Stetson Gilman poem analysis with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this poem analysis to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "The Socialist And The Suffragist" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem-analysis/42732/the-socialist-and-the-suffragist>.

    Become a member!

    Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

    More poems by

    Charlotte Perkins Stetson Gilman

    »

    April 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    3
    days
    10
    hours
    58
    minutes

    Special Program

    Earn Rewards!

    Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

    Browse Poetry.com

    Quiz

    Are you a poetry master?

    »
    How may lines and syllables are in a Japanese Waka poem?
    A 30 syllables in every other line
    B 15 syllables in 7 lines
    C 50 syllables in 7 lines
    D 31 syllables in five lines