Blog Assignment #2 Washing Day

1. Are there clusters or patterns of imagery, for instance religious images, economic images, or images drawn from nature (note that this list is only examples--there may be other patterns in the poem)? If so, how do they contribute to the meaning of the poem?

In "Washing-Day" by Anna Barbauld a major comparison is made between how things are viewed from a child's perspective and how they are viewed from an adult's perspective. The poem begins with the image of women, going through the weekly chore, laundry. They come to do this without a "pleasant smile, nor quaint device of mirth," unhappy to do this tedious chore. The first scene with the women or "Muses" is one of misery, opposed to the monotonous chore while in the second scene the monotony is seen as something comforting or even amusing to a young boy. Washing gave him a chance to explore and "ponder much" his own imagination.

This poem then, could be said to be about how as we get older, we lose our sense of imagination and forget about the things we once thought were fun. The responsibilities of adults, in this case women doing the laundry, puts a damper in their day turning their sky gray, "For should the skies pour down, adieu to all/ Remains of quiet." To them, this task is all too much. For the boy however, without many other worries in life, it gives him time to think outside the box. She contrasts the more carefree nature of children to the over worked and worried women.

Along with her contrast of the attitudes of adults and children, her dark imagery also gives a good picture of the day that the women are having as they wash and in general how they feel about chores. Sentences like"But never yet did housewife notable/ Greet with a smile a rainy washing-day." or " dirt and gravel stains/ Hard to efface" paint a picture of a terribly long and hard day at the wash for the women. For the child however, phrases like " The floating bubbles" gives the wash a sense of fun and adventure. It paints a picture of happiness. Here Barbaulds use of imagery gives a good contrast from the bleak view that the women have about the laundry to the cheerful view of the children.