Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

In "Portrait in Black Paint; With Very Sparing Use of Whitewash" by Elinor Wylie, the speaker paints a complex and ironic portrait of a woman whose nature is characterized by excess, contradiction, and self-deception. The poem presents the figure of this woman—someone who gives abundantly, yet in ways that are often impractical, misguided, or ultimately unsatisfying. Through vivid and humorous imagery, Wylie critiques the superficial nature of this character's actions and the confusion between appearances and reality. The poem also touches on the woman's deep internal contradictions, suggesting that she remains largely unaware of her own flaws.

The poem begins with the phrase "She gives herself;" this phrase is the central idea of the poem, yet it remains ambiguous and ironic. On the one hand, the woman offers many things—“comfort sturdy as a reed,” material gifts, and friendship. However, the gifts she offers are often described in ways that reduce their value, as if her generosity is at once excessive and inconsequential. “She gives fifty things you might have bought, / And half a hundred that you’ll never need” suggests that her generosity lacks discernment and is often impractical. In the same vein, her friendship is “such a bother / You’d fancy influenza from another,” emphasizing the idea that her attempts at connection are not only unhelpful but potentially harmful.

The woman's acts of giving continue with further absurdities: “She’d give the shirt from off her back, except that / She doesn’t wear a shirt, and most men do.” This line emphasizes her self-absorption and inability to offer something that would truly be valuable or meaningful. The paradox of giving what she doesn't possess, or giving in ways that fail to meet the needs of others, highlights the futility of her well-meaning efforts.

As the poem continues, the speaker satirizes the woman's idealistic and often misguided attempts at self-sacrifice. “She gives a false impression that she’s pretty / Because she has a soft, deceptive skin” suggests that the woman relies on her appearance—her skin—to give a false sense of beauty or worth, while her internal qualities remain lacking. This image of “deceptive skin” reinforces the idea that her beauty is superficial and hides a more complex, flawed inner self. Likewise, she often “wishes to turn back the page / And live with children in a golden age,” signifying her nostalgia for an idealized past that she cannot attain.

Her personality is described as a series of contradictions. At times, she can appear “lazy,” but when she engages in work, it is portrayed as intense and thorough—though this effort often seems disconnected from her true capabilities, as she is “self-sufficient as a Persian cat.” This comparison to a cat emphasizes her independence, yet it also suggests that her independence is aloof and somewhat detached from the realities of hard work.

The woman's emotional state and contradictions are further underscored by references to her diet and behavior: “She can live on aspirin and Scotch / Or British ginger beer and bread and butter,” suggesting a comfort in simplicity, yet also a lack of real satisfaction. The mention of her childhood stutter introduces a sense of vulnerability, reinforcing the impression that she has never fully come to terms with her own insecurities.

Despite all her contradictions, the woman’s ultimate act of giving is the presentation of herself—“she gives herself,” but this is empty, as she has little left to offer. She is described as giving her “eyes” and her “right hand”—both of which are flawed or impaired—suggesting that what she offers is never truly of value, and that her attempts at self-sacrifice are unworthy or misguided. The irony of this offering is intensified by the fact that she is unable to fully understand the impact of her actions, as she is “Careless to win, unskilled to find, / And quick—-and quick—to lose what all men seek.”

The final lines underscore the central theme of the poem: “She gives herself; what has she left to give?” The woman is caught in a cycle of self-deception, giving away what she doesn't truly possess, and ultimately, she remains unaware of her own flaws. She “says she loves the grave; but she’d be sorry / To die,” highlighting her superficial understanding of life and death. The speaker suggests that this woman is trapped in purgatory, unable to understand herself or the true nature of her actions. Her giving is ultimately empty, as she is unable to truly offer anything of value, and she never fully grasps the consequences of her actions or her lack of self-awareness.

The poem is composed of 16 quatrains (four-line stanzas), making it a relatively long and sustained narrative. The consistent quatrain form serves to create a rhythm that propels the speaker’s observations and commentary throughout the poem. The use of regular quatrains contributes to a conversational and almost singsong quality, which contrasts with the biting irony and cynicism of the content. This juxtaposition of form and tone underscores the satirical nature of the poem, as the steady rhythm works to draw the reader in before revealing the harsh truths about the character of the woman.

The rhyme scheme in the poem follows an ABAB pattern throughout the quatrains, which is a very common rhyme scheme in English poetry. This consistent rhyme scheme provides a sense of order and structure, but the predictable nature of the rhyme also heightens the effect of the poem’s ironic and sometimes absurd content. By using this conventional rhyme scheme, Wylie creates a sense of normalcy and expectation that contrasts sharply with the absurdity of the woman's actions and the contradictions inherent in her character.

In "Portrait in Black Paint; With Very Sparing Use of Whitewash," Wylie presents a complex and ironic portrayal of a woman whose efforts to give and to love are ultimately shallow and misguided. The poem critiques the superficiality of generosity and the contradictions inherent in a character who is unaware of her own flaws and the futility of her actions. Through satirical humor and vivid imagery, Wylie explores the disconnect between appearances and reality, urging a deeper reflection on the true nature of selflessness and personal growth.

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