Who Is Denise Levertov's Identity?

One’s identity is what make a person a person and gives them a role and a meaning to life. Identity, however, is not permanent; it can can be changed over time due to actions done buy one, or done against them. Identity is shaped by life and its bumps , as successes and failures both nurture one’s identity into focus. The evolution of identity present with John Lennon and Colin Powell are testaments to that. Even further, they call for that same change in identity among their own peoples. Denise Levertov, too, argues of the change in identity that women of her era would endure. Identity is not something handed at birth, but rather shaped over a lifetime.
One of the most esteemed developments of life a man may possess is the evolution from rags to riches. The ascent from the bottom rung in society to a class of elite is …show more content…
Levertov tells a story of a woman of two sides -- two identities. One, is a kind, simple woman that was the common wife in Levertov’s era. The other, is loose, free, and imaginative. Although some point to this poem as an argument that nature and genetics determine your identity, this is untrue. Often times, those who believe in the overwhelming influence of science look towards the two present characters as proof that the presented identities are still present. This, however, is an opinion, rather than fact and evidence. “In Mind,” titles the simpler women as a “woman,” but the free living one as “young.” Levertov’ character changed identity as she aged, showing the effect of time and events over original genetics. Furthermore, when considering the decades in which this poem was written, wives were expected to act in a certain way, pushing away the livelihood of their youth. “In Mind” is not an argument for the science behind identity, but rather that identity changes over time, especially considering the effects of relationships and