Analysis Of Gwen Harwood's Suburban Sonnet

Suburban Sonnet was written by Gwen Harwood, who is an award winning poet that often focuses her work on the role of women and in particular motherhood. Her works often also pose gender as an intriguing dimension. The title Suburban Sonnet already provokes attention form the reader, as the suburbs would already be perceived as dull or boring, which can outline the life ahead for the speaker. Suburban Sonnet is the story of women who has been trapped within the life of a suburban housewife and mother. Not only is she trapped within this life, but she also remises of her past musical passion and the possible successful career she may have had. Written in the third person, the ‘voice’ heard throughout the poem appears almost a plea from a women who is trapped within her own life. The text addresses women and is almost an urge to not be forced into the suburban life or any life not …show more content…
Suburban Sonnet is a Shakespearean sonnet, which is often based on the poet’s love for someone. This is where the sonnet differs from the expected, as the sonnet focuses on the loss of love instead. The poem’s form consists of three quatrains and four line groups. This can be used to explain the story and the progression of the storyline.
There are many ideas and messages embedded within Suburban Sonnet. This would first include, “She practises a fugue,”, as a fugue is a musical composition, it refers to her technical ability. However, this is then followed by a contradiction of “though it can matter to no one if she plays well or not”, almost as if her immense talent is now irrelevant, yet still referencing the amazing career she could’ve had. Here it could be shown that the author’s purpose was to highlight loss potential, which may be a result of a misogynistic world.