'She' - Lakshmi Kannan - Poem Summary

Introduction

The “She” of the poem has no name and no distinct identity, and yet she is such a common feature of every household in India that she comes through to us without any difficulty. In a patriarchal milieu woman is regarded as a nonentity and consequently no attempt is made to give her a distinct identity. Although on the surface she has a look of well-being, she experiences great distress deep within.

In each of the three sections of the poem, Lakshmi Kannan presents elaborate description of the external attributes/circumstances of the woman’s existence against the background of which a peep into her inner life is provided.

Woman’s Lack of Self-expression in a Patriarchal Society

In the opening section, the poet delineates a woman who is elegantly and tastefully dressed, creating a vision of a modern woman who wears tight-fitting clothes that smack of western culture. There is about her an aura of confidence as she glibly pronounces “value judgements.” But beneath this suave and self-assured appearance there lurks a person who is tense and insecure (“tight and spring-tense”). Both before and after marriage, in most upper and upper middle class families, girls enjoy the luxury of expensive clothes and the benefit of liberal education, but their inner, authentic voice remains unarticulated. Lack of self-expression leads to dissatisfaction and even depression.

The “well-tailored clothes” suggest a lifestyle designed for her and into which she is fitted. The clothes constitute a mask (of what a woman should look like and be) that has obscured the real person. Even the“value judgements” are probably not her own. Rather, these are the dictates of a patriarchal society. So, while the woman appears comfortable, the repressed real self is “tight and spring-tense.”

Emotional and Psychological Sterility of the Woman at Home

In the second section, the scene shifts to the luxury and comfort in which “She” lives. The house is looked upon as a living creature gleaming “with clean health” and “breathing an air of uncluttered ease.” Every room is spick-and-span and with eye-catching decor, enough to make a woman “house-proud.” However, in this instance, the woman is not genuinely proud but is forced into being so: “She needs to be.” In the absence of any other significant or creative achievement, she needs must feel “house-proud.” Or, perhaps, it is a stereotype response that a woman in a patriarchal society is obliged to feel. In spite of all the material comforts, the woman experiences emotional sterility at the core of her being and this is suggested by the lines: “the floor swept clean/as her empty heart.” Paradoxically, while the house enjoys “clean health” and breathes “an air of uncluttered ease,” the woman is psychologically and emotionally ill at ease with her role (home maker) that denies her opportunities of a fuller and more meaningful realisation of the self.

The Woman’s Inner Chaos – Contrasted with the Orderliness of the Garden:

In the concluding section, the woman’s life is viewed against the backdrop of life outside the house. Through the open door she has a glimpse of the orderly “backgarden” and the “lengthening shadow” of her person. One gets the impression that life has quietly slipped her by and she is left with longing and loneliness. The oppressive silence of the house rings in her ears. The inner chaos is in sharp contrast to the orderliness of the life of nature as symbolised by the garden. The mango tree is in full bloom with the sudden appearance of “glossy leaves” that shine like copper on the branches. Then there is the “sweet-throated” song of the birds. In the midst of so much joy all she can feel is the “pealing stillness” and “the pain of memories” of a once pleasant past.

Growth in the Context of Woman Vs Nature:

To heighten the woman’s predicament Lakshmi Kannan suggests that while nature registers a growth and renewal, the woman has remained static – virtually living in a limbo. The only visible growth about her is the lengthening of her shadow. Apart from suggesting the process of ageing, the “lengthening shadow” implies that her real, inner self has been arrested and the false, social image that she has acquired has assumed a larger dimension, however insubstantial it may be.

Conclusion

In the concluding lines of the poem, we see the woman looking at the eagle “soaring above in circles” with its “shrill notes tearing” the vast expanse of the blue sky. This spectacle of total freedom of movement and expression serves as a painful reminder of her own social confinement. The unfettered life of the creatures of nature highlights by contrast the slavery of woman. For example, the eyes of the kite are “frankly red and angry” as it cries out at some injustice or loss, but the woman suffers silently. Even the note of protest is muted.

(Notes by Dr.P.Rajani, Retd Professor of English, MCC)