Time and change are significant factors that influence an individual's reevaluation of their identity. In the poem “At Mornington” Gwen Harwood explores the transitory nature of life contrasted with the finality of death and powerlessness through her personal experiences and memories. Even in the poem “The Mother Who Gave Me Life” Harwood portrays the memory of motherhood as a typical timeless part of the human lifestyle. By analyzing the two poems, the interviewee gains insight into Harwood's reevaluation of identity. In the poem "Mother Who Game Me Life", Harwood refers to a deeply personal experience and also reflects on human history to show the altruistic figure of motherhood. Here, the declination of a mother towards her daughter during the transition between time and change is made eternal by the typical educational role of a mother, which is universal in the human condition. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Individual experience is expressed through Harwood's individual tone of contemplation and sentimentality, in which the use of personal pronouns conveys a confidential and sincere connection between a daughter and her mother. “Mother who gave me life, wisdom I would not learn from you,” strikes unity in the audience through the use of its authentic reflection on a universal commonality. Through this personal experience, Harwood develops the concept of motherhood that endures through the person's momentary experience. The imagery used in "women who bear women" and "the wild daughters who become women", emphasizes the fact that past and future generations of women are mothers, particularly in the context of the poem. Harwood succinctly examines the memory of motherhood as an eternal and essential factor of humanity, a constant that clarifies both the present and the future, a timeless role that infuses time. This idea is reinforced through the use of weather-like imagery, “seasons burning back in time” and “innocent milk of the world,” emphasizing the infinite nature of motherhood. Harwood once again returns to a personal tone of voice, implying the tension that exists between her warm bond with her mother and her recognition and recognition of the cyclical nature of motherhood. The use of imagery resonates with the audience as Harwood highlights the sacrifices a mother undertakes as a typical characteristic of the role of a mother. Finally, Harwood expresses her dissatisfaction with the fact that, despite the sacrifices mothers endure to raise their daughters, they are still constrained by a patriarchal society that denies them property. The use of biblical allusion in “your voice calls to me as darkness falls on my father's house” clarifies the macho paradise that allows the audience to empathize with the constraints of women in the 1980s. Harwood strategically addresses time and change as factors influencing the reevaluation of one's identity in his insightful poem "The Mother Who Gave Me Life." Harwood's "At Mornington" encourages audiences to develop judgment regarding the value of memories in response to the passage of time and change. The poem begins with Harwood's memory of his early childhood, when he "jumped" from his father's arms into the sea. The alliteration to introduce this, “They told me,” highlights his lack of personal memory of the uncertainty of his childhood and the need of others to reinforce this memory. For many interviewees, the uncertainty of their childhood was not realized until adulthood, allowing them to appreciate Harwood's poetry as relevant to their lives..
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