PEÑAREDONDO, GENNELYN GRACE E.

BSA-4
ACTIVITY #1-MIDTERM
WORLD LITERATURE
THURSDAY (10:30-1:30)

Marriages Are Made

By Eunice deSouza

My cousin Elena
is to be married
The formalities
have been completed:
her family history examined
for T.B. and madness
her father declared solvent
her eyes examined for squints
her teeth for cavities
her stools for the possible
non-Brahmin worm.
She's not quite tall enough
and not quite full enough
(children will take care of that)
Her complexion it was decided
would compensate, being just about
the right shade
of rightness
to do justice to
Francisco X. Noronha Prabhu
good son of Mother Church.

ANALYSIS OF THE POEM

The main idea or topic of the poem is gender decides its power. The author is trying to portray
that marriage is not done out of love but rather to continue the family name and its honor. It is
more likely in Asia that men receive more power or is more superior that women. That is why it
is stated in the poem that in order for Elene to get married, she has to go series of tests and
examinations. She is treated as an asset or more likely as an investment because even her
father’s financial stability is important in the part of his suitor. One line says, “She’s not quite tall
enough and not quite full enough”, meaning that Elena is more portrayed as an asset or
bargaining chip rather than being a woman or even a human being. If you are from a western
country, your point of view may be it’s a superficial, however its only a custom/tradition in Asia
especially in the south. In this poem, we can come to a conclusion that gender plays a big role
in power in South Asia.
PEÑAREDONDO, GENNELYN GRACE E.
BSA-4
ACTIVITY #1-MIDTERM
WORLD LITERATURE
THURSDAY (10:30-1:30)