An Ancient Gesture (Masterplots II: Poetry, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Edna St. Vincent Millay
- First Published: 1954
- Type of Work: Lyric
- Genres: Poetry, Lyric poetry
- Subjects: Women, Homemakers, Weaving or weavers, Patience
The Poem
Edna St. Vincent Millay’s “An Ancient Gesture” gives the reader a glimpse into a world of personal distress and a reflection on a tradition related to that distress. While the exact nature of the distress is never revealed, the poem’s meditation on a motif from a classical story suggests its outlines.
The “I,” or speaker, of “An Ancient Gesture” tells only one detail about the present moment of the poem: “I wiped my eyes on the corner of my apron.” On this one detail, the reader must base all understanding of the thoughts that follow and must...
[The entire page is 1593 words long]
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