From the Antique

• What theme does From the antique link to?

  Gender and power
• the poem is almost nihilistic
• From the antique is from a female perspective and relates to Nora as she is always on stage with all the responsibilities
• "Doubly blank" means she is non-educated and wants a blank slate as she has no career, bible presents women that they can't be prophets
• "grain of dust" biblical reference to plagues of Egypt as Abraham would have as many followers as grains of dust
• This poem links to aging and how Nora gets older Helmer doesn't love her
• "None would miss me in all the world" commutes her loneliness and meaningless of life for women
• The woman in the poem doesn't have a name, does she not deserve a name?
• What if Rosetti isn't the speaker, would would she be saying about faith, without spirituality what is life?
• A03: in the 19th century, whether in Norway or England, the patriarchy held a tight grip on woman's lives, this was shown through marriage, domesticity, law, work, education and maternity
• This poem is about the weariness and feelings of powerlessness for women living under a patriarchy