'Washerwife' by Robert Service
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The aged Queen who passed away
Had sixty servants, so they say;
Twice sixty hands her shoes to tie:
Two soapy ones have I.
The old Queen had of beds a score;
A cot have I and ask no more.
For when the last is said and done
One can but die in one.
The old Queen rightly thought that she
Was better than the likes o' me;
And yet I'm glad despite her grace
I am not in her place.
The old Queen's gone and I am here,
To eat my tripe and drink my beer,
Athinkin' as I wash my clothes:
We must have monarchs, I suppose . . .
Well, well,--'Taint no skin off my nose!
Editor 1 Interpretation
Washerwife: An Analysis of Robert Service's Poem
Are you looking for a poem that has a story, a striking imagery, and a moral lesson? If you are, then Robert Service's poem "Washerwife" is the one for you. This classic poem has been around for over a century, and it still captures the imagination of readers today. In this literary analysis, we will delve into the poem's themes, symbols, and literary devices to unravel the meaning behind the words.
Background
Robert Service is a Canadian poet who lived from 1874 to 1958. He was known for his narrative poems that painted vivid pictures of the people and places he encountered during his travels. "Washerwife" was first published in 1907 in his collection of poems called "Ballads of a Cheechako." The term "cheechako" refers to a newcomer to the Yukon, where Service worked as a bank clerk in the early 1900s.
Summary
"Washerwife" tells the story of a washerwoman who lives by the river. She spends her days washing clothes for the miners who pass by her hut, and her nights dreaming of a better life. One day, a wealthy man stops by her hut and offers her a sum of money to wash his clothes. The washerwoman is ecstatic and agrees to do the job. However, as she washes the man's clothes, she realizes that they are stained with the blood of a murder victim. Horrified, she confronts the man, who threatens to kill her if she tells anyone. The washerwoman decides to flee and leaves behind her old life for good.
Themes
One of the main themes of "Washerwife" is the struggle between poverty and wealth. The washerwoman represents the working class who must toil every day just to survive. She dreams of a better life but has resigned herself to her fate. The wealthy man, on the other hand, represents the upper class who can afford to pay for the services of others. He has no qualms about using his wealth to his advantage, even if it means committing a crime.
Another theme in the poem is the power of conscience. The washerwoman's conscience compels her to confront the man about his crime, even though she knows it could cost her life. Her decision to flee shows that she values her moral principles more than her own safety.
Symbols
The river is a recurring symbol in the poem. It represents the passage of time and the flow of life. The washerwoman lives by the river, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for her stagnant life. She longs to escape the monotony of her daily routine and find something more meaningful. The river also represents the danger that the washerwoman faces when she confronts the wealthy man. As she crosses the river to escape, she is symbolically crossing over into a new life.
The stained clothes are another important symbol in the poem. They represent the sins and secrets of the wealthy man. The washerwoman's discovery of the blood stains is a turning point in the story, as it reveals the true character of the man. The stains also represent the washerwoman's moral dilemma. She knows that she must confront the man, but she is afraid of the consequences.
Literary Devices
Service employs several literary devices in "Washerwife" to convey the story's message. One of the most notable is the use of rhyme and meter. The poem has a consistent ABAB rhyme scheme and a rhythmic structure that reflects the washerwoman's daily routine. The use of repetition and alliteration also adds to the poem's musical quality.
Another literary device used in the poem is imagery. Service paints vivid pictures of the washerwoman's surroundings, from the "bush of the river" to the "ragged and gray" clothes she washes. The imagery of the stained clothes is particularly striking, as it creates a visual contrast between the washerwoman's clean laundry and the bloodied clothes of the wealthy man.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "Washerwife" is a powerful poem that explores themes of poverty, wealth, conscience, and morality. The story of the washerwoman is a cautionary tale about the danger of greed and the importance of standing up for one's beliefs. Service's use of symbolism, imagery, and literary devices makes the poem a memorable and thought-provoking piece of literature.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Washerwife: A Poem of Love, Loss, and Redemption
Robert Service, the renowned poet of the Yukon, is known for his vivid and evocative descriptions of life in the rugged and unforgiving wilderness of Canada's north. His poems capture the spirit of adventure, the thrill of discovery, and the harsh realities of survival in a land where nature reigns supreme. But Service's poetry is not limited to tales of gold rush fever and frontier life. In his poem "Washerwife," Service explores the themes of love, loss, and redemption in a haunting and powerful way.
At its core, "Washerwife" is a love story. The poem tells the tale of a young man who falls in love with a washerwoman, a woman who spends her days washing clothes by the river. The young man is smitten with the washerwoman's beauty and grace, and he longs to be with her. But the washerwoman is hesitant, for she has been hurt before and is wary of love. Despite her reservations, the young man persists, and eventually the two fall deeply in love.
But their happiness is short-lived. The young man is called away to war, leaving the washerwoman alone and heartbroken. She spends her days by the river, washing clothes and waiting for her lover to return. But he never does. The washerwoman is consumed by grief and despair, and she begins to lose her mind. She wanders the countryside, searching for her lost love, until she finally collapses by the river, exhausted and broken.
It is at this point in the poem that Service introduces the theme of redemption. The washerwoman is found by a group of travelers, who take her in and care for her. They nurse her back to health, and in doing so, they help her to find a new purpose in life. The washerwoman begins to see that there is more to life than just love and loss. She discovers that there is joy to be found in helping others, in giving of oneself to those in need.
Service's use of imagery in "Washerwife" is particularly striking. The poem is filled with vivid descriptions of the natural world, from the "rippling river" to the "scent of pine." These descriptions serve to create a sense of place, to transport the reader to the rugged and beautiful landscape of the Yukon. But the imagery also serves a deeper purpose. The river, for example, is a symbol of the passage of time, of the relentless flow of life. The washerwoman's life is tied to the river, just as our own lives are tied to the inexorable march of time.
Similarly, the washerwoman's washing of clothes is a metaphor for the cleansing of the soul. She spends her days washing away the dirt and grime of the world, just as we must wash away the stains of our own lives. And just as the washerwoman finds redemption through her work, so too can we find redemption through our own acts of kindness and service.
But perhaps the most powerful aspect of "Washerwife" is its exploration of the human heart. Service captures the complex and often contradictory nature of love, from the heady rush of infatuation to the crushing weight of loss. He shows us that love can be both a source of great joy and great pain, and that it is often the latter that teaches us the most about ourselves and the world around us.
In the end, "Washerwife" is a poem about the resilience of the human spirit. It is a testament to the power of love, and to the transformative nature of loss. It reminds us that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope for redemption, and that the human heart is capable of great things.
As we read "Washerwife," we are transported to a world of beauty and pain, of love and loss. We are reminded of the fragility of life, and of the importance of cherishing every moment we have. But we are also reminded of the strength of the human spirit, and of the power of redemption. For in the end, it is not the hardships we face that define us, but how we respond to them. And in "Washerwife," Robert Service shows us that even in the face of great adversity, we can find hope, love, and redemption.
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