Depiction of women in Deserted Village by Oliver Goldsmith Essay

Depiction of women in Deserted Village by Oliver Goldsmith - Essay Example In this poem, Goldsmith, the persona of this poem is complaining about the deeds of the government who together with the rich people of his village decided to drive away the poor. This was is because they wanted to get rid of the bad image the poor people brought to the village. He, therefore, conducts his argument by making use of an assortment of clear material that supports this argument. This includes scenery, interiors and sharp human portrayal. In his laments, the persona seems to send out the message of equal importance to anyone in the society. This is because the society benefits from the contributions of ever member no matter how much contribution he avails. Therefore, Oliver Goldsmith represents the absolute country life and happiness. He is worried about the disappearance of life that once existed in this once vibrant village. Therefore, all through the life of the speaker, he had been yearning to go back to his village after being evicted so that he could get to spend hi s last years in rest and peace. He had thus dreamt of overpowering his youthful poor friends with the knowledge and the story about the things he has achieved. However, these expectations to come and set home in the beloved village are now in vain, for they have been shattered. For him, life that follows sequestration must take that form of a blissful life. This is because it is only these conditions that will lead to graceful death and make a smooth transition from his people. To pass across this message, he has used a variety of female characters such as the solitary poor widow and the betrayed country girl in the city. In line 29 of the poem, he talks of the bashful virgins whose looks symbolized love that existed in his boyhood years. He depicts this woman as a symbol of love that normally existed during those days when love rocked his life and those of his age mates. This was mostly experienced during the dances that were organized in the village with most of them dancing in pa irs. Therefore, the persona uses the term virgin to symbolize how love used to be pure during those days, and that it formed a significant part of his life (Greenblatt, 54). However, to counter this, the persona uses the matrons as a measure of how love was a guarded value that the matrons that attended the dances kept a close eye on the virgins. This may be because they were everyone’s desire to court. In line 31, he admits that this was the charm of those days that kept their life moving (Greenblatt, 54). However, he is sad that this life is no more in line (34). The persona uses the solitary widow to depict women as pedestals that make the community strong. This is because as he brings in this character it is amidst the absence of all other things that once existed in the village but they are all gone. However, there still stands the solitary widow who continues to carry out her duties as pertains of her even though she has no strength. Another woman used in the poem is th e betrayed country girl in line (332) (Greenblatt, 54). In using this girl, he depicts women as symbols of humility. This is because the persona describes the woman as having stooped to a low position just to make both ends meet. In the village, this woman used to be a respectable person with plenty of food, clothes and the other basic needs. However, due to her sending off from the village, she is homeless and in a foreign land. However, the humility and the struggle for her survival, as it is normal for women to struggle fending for family in the absence of a father, she is capable of getting a warm place to have a nap. This depicts women as down to Earth and always wanting the best for the family. However, this