Women In Poetry

As we know, women also give big contribution in literary works over centuries with their own perspective.  

For me, my favourite poet is Anne Bronte. She also has known as one of the famed Bronte sisters that wrote Wuthering Heights. Anne Bronte was born on January 17, 1820 in Thornton, Bradford, Yorkshire, England. Anne was the youngest from six siblings. In 1824, Anne, with her four sisters entered the Clergy Daughter’s School at Cowan Bridge, near Kirkby Lonsdale. When Anne’s mother, Maria died there a year later of tuberculosis, she and Charlotte returned home to Haworth. Their father was a quiet man and often spent his spare time alone, so, the motherless children entertained themselves reading the works of William Shakespeare, Virgil, John Milton, and the Bible and played the piano, did needlepoint, and told each other stories.

They started writing of their imaginary world ‘Angria’, Emily and Anne writing of its rival, ‘Gondal’ as companions in their isolation. Around 1831, thirteen-year old Emily and eleven-year old Anne broke from the Angrian fantasies, which Branwell and Charlotte had dominated, to create the alternate history of Gondal.

Isolation, rebellion, and freedom were most the subject that she used in her poems. Other than that, Anne’s poetry was published, along with her sisters in 1846 under the pseudonym “Action Bell”.

Shortly after the deaths of her brother Branwell and sister, Emily in the winter of 1848, Anne Bronte died at the seaside resort of Scarborough, England, where she had gone to convalesce after a prolonged illness. She was buried there at Saint Mary's Churchyard on May 28, 1849.

Here is one of her poems which gives a deep meaning to me.

A Prayer

My God (oh, let me call Thee mine,

Weak, wretched sinner though I be),

My trembling soul would fain be Thine;

My feeble faith still clings to Thee.

Not only for the Past I grieve,

The Future fills me with dismay;

Unless Thou hasten to relieve,

Thy suppliant is a castaway.                              

I cannot say my faith is strong,

I dare not hope my love is great;

But strength and love to Thee belong;

Oh, do not leave me desolate!

I know I owe my all to Thee;

Oh, TAKE the heart I cannot give!

Do Thou my strength--my Saviour be,

And MAKE me to Thy glory live.

What I understand from this poem, a prayer is an important part in religious life. The purpose of prayer is to communicate with God by asking for His forgiveness, depend on him and express one’s gratefulness towards God.