The bird and the arras

Anne Finch (1713)

It is a poem written by a woman what was very strange. In this case she could write it
because she had free time because she was a housewife. Women were supposed to write
about house problems or classics or classic love not a society critic.
It is a metaphysic poem. The entire poem is written in couplets except from the some
sporadic verses that rhyme in three. It is written in assonant rhyme, iambic pentameter
and half-rhyme.
The whole poem can be interpreted in two ways:
1) Literally: it represents a dramatic moment of a bird.
2) Metaphorically: the bird represents a girl (metaphor). She may be imprisoned in
something and can’t go out. She tries to go out through an illusion (as the arras
is an illusion for the bird because it’s unreal, freedom [happiness] is her illusion
because she can see the world through it but she can’t reach it). The arras
represents that there are free people flying free. It can be seen that God helps her
to scape by killing the bird (her) to let her be free. The room represents the
oppression of the house, children…
The theme of the poem is that women are trapped in a men world and they need to scape
and the only possible exit is dying.

1. - By neer resemblance see that Bird betray'd

Who takes the well wrought Arras for a shade
There hopes to pearch and with a chearfull Tune
O're-passe the scortchings of the sultry Noon.
But soon repuls'd by the obdurate scean
How swift she turns but turns alas in vain
That piece a Grove, this shews an ambient sky
Where immitated Fowl their pinnions ply
Seeming to mount in flight and aiming still more high.
All she outstrip's and with a moments pride
Their understation silent does deride
Till the dash'd Cealing strikes her to the ground
No intercepting shrub to break the fall is found
Recovering breath the window next she gaines
Nor fears a stop from the transparent Panes.
It addresses the reader. The bird mistakes the arras with a real landscape, this coud be
seen as a hyperbole because it has to be really good for someone mistakes it with a
landscape. Birds try to get a shade to protect themselves from the sun The arras repulsed
the bird. It refers to the bird. It turns again and again towards the arras, but everything is
in vein. That piece of the arras. That other piece of the arras. He sees birds going higher
and he would like to go with them. The bird makes fun of the ones that are lower than
him. The bird smashes the ceiling because he tries to fly very high and she falls to the
ground. There are no obstacles. She reaches the window that is at the other part of the
room but she smashes with it.
2. - But we degresse and leaue th' imprison'd wretch
Now sinking low now on a loftyer stretch
Flutt'ring in endless cercles of dismay
Till some kind hand directs the certain way
Which through the casement an escape affoards
And leads to ample space the only Heav'n of Birds
It is a synecdoche because it is referring to people. It refers to the window. He chose
this words except for sky for some reason. Leaving the bird flying desperate and with
no destiny wanting to reach the outside where she would be happy.