So, I really liked Adrienne Rich

I know I've already blogged about Rich once, but I'm really loving her poetry. My roommate says i'm on a "feminist kick" lately, so that may have something to do with it. "Snapshots of a Daughter-in-Law" intrigued me, and I read through it a couple times. I wanted to do my analysis paper on it, but there's so much going on in the poem that I didn't even know where to start.I think i would have a better grasp on the poem if i better understood the references to other literary works within the poem.  Rich takes "snapshots" of traditional/ socially acceptable womanhood and kind of mocks them. In the first two stanzas, Rich uses molding wedding cake as a comparison to the more old-fashioned expectations of women to be musically talented, beautiful, and non-thinking, more entertainment than human. The first two stanzas (is that the right term?) made me think of a scene in the move Pride and Prejudice. Mr. Darcy, Miss Bingley, and Elizabeth Bennet are discussing the skills a well-rounded young lady should have. The list was something along the lines of drawing, singing, playing piano, painting, speaking multiple languages, and sewing. Elizabeth makes some remark suggesting that such a young lady probably doesn't even exist. I don't think any of those things are bad; i think having such talents are great, but insufficient in themselves. Lines 40-49 present the struggle to integrate brain-stimulating activities into mediocrity of everyday life, full of cleaning and other "womanly duties" like canning. I thought lines 51-52 were wonderful and a little unnerving, as they compared the constant upkeep of outward beauty to something dead. Lines 60-61 present the fear to break out of the mold and make waves. I think the attitude presented in lines 70-76 is pretty accurate at times. For example, Dannika and I discussed the way the word "feminist" is almost tossed around like a swear word or, at least, an insult. I could keep going, but i feel like i'm rambling now. Those are just some of my thoughts.