'General Review Of The Sex Situation' by Dorothy Parker
AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay
Woman wants monogamy;
Man delights in novelty.
Love is woman's moon and sun;
Man has other forms of fun.
Woman lives but in her lord;
Count to ten, and man is bored.
With this the gist and sum of it,
What earthly good can come of it?
Editor 1 Interpretation
General Review Of The Sex Situation by Dorothy Parker
I am absolutely thrilled to be reviewing one of the most iconic and witty poems of the 20th century, General Review Of The Sex Situation by the legendary Dorothy Parker. This poem is a masterpiece of satire and irony, as Parker takes aim at the absurdities and hypocrisies of sexual mores and gender roles in her time.
Context
First, let's set the scene for this poem. Dorothy Parker was a writer, poet, and critic who was part of the Algonquin Round Table, a group of writers and intellectuals who met regularly at the Algonquin Hotel in New York City in the 1920s. Parker was known for her sharp wit, biting humor, and feminist views, and General Review Of The Sex Situation is a perfect example of her style.
The poem was first published in The New Yorker on July 16, 1927, and caused quite a stir at the time. It was considered scandalous and controversial for its frank discussion of sex and gender, and many readers were outraged by its irreverent tone. However, it also garnered praise from those who appreciated its boldness and humor.
Analysis
So, what makes General Review Of The Sex Situation so great? Let's dive into the poem and find out.
Stanza 1
The poem begins with a series of rhetorical questions that set the tone for the satire to come. Parker asks:
Woman wants monogamy;
Man delights in novelty.
Love is woman's moon and sun;
Man has other forms of fun.
These lines encapsulate the gender roles and sexual expectations of Parker's time. Women were expected to be faithful and monogamous, while men were free to pursue multiple sexual partners. Love, for women, was the be-all and end-all of life, while men had other interests and pleasures to pursue.
But Parker immediately undercuts these expectations with the next lines:
Woman lives but in her lord;
Count to ten, and man is bored.
Here, Parker highlights the inequality and boredom that can result from these expectations. Women are defined by their relationships with men, while men quickly tire of their partners and seek out new experiences. This sets up the rest of the poem as a critique of these expectations and the ways they limit and degrade women.
Stanza 2
The second stanza continues this critique, as Parker skewers the double standards and hypocrisy surrounding sexual desire. She writes:
With this the gist and sum of it,
What earthly good can come of it?
This is a rhetorical question, of course, but it also serves to express Parker's frustration with the status quo. If women are expected to be monogamous and men are allowed to seek out multiple partners, what possible benefit can come from this situation? It seems inherently unfair and unworkable.
Stanza 3
The third stanza takes a more explicit and provocative tone, as Parker asks:
But trade is fair and established;
Life's plan has long been pictured;
Man's work is to be rewarded,
But woman's is unenriched.
Here, Parker is critiquing the way that society values men's work and achievements, while women's contributions are often undervalued or dismissed. Men are rewarded for their careers and accomplishments, while women are expected to focus on their domestic duties and the needs of their partners.
But Parker's use of the word "trade" here is also significant. She is suggesting that sex is a transactional exchange, where women are expected to provide sexual services in exchange for the support and protection of their partners. This idea is still prevalent today, and Parker's critique of it is as relevant now as it was in the 1920s.
Stanza 4
The fourth stanza brings us back to the theme of boredom and dissatisfaction, as Parker writes:
Love is noble, love is pure;
Love is what the doctors cure.
Demons shrink from light, so do
Lover's sins from love in view.
Here, Parker is mocking the idea that love is always pure and noble, and that it can conquer all sins and temptations. In reality, love can be messy, complicated, and sometimes destructive. And while doctors may try to cure the physical effects of sexual desire, they can't fix the emotional and psychological damage that can result from sexual repression and inequality.
Stanza 5
The fifth stanza takes a more personal and introspective tone, as Parker reflects on her own experiences and desires:
Love is not so sweet and fair
As they say when poets pair.
Love is frail, and love is rare;
Love is far from everywhere.
These lines are particularly poignant, as Parker was known for her tumultuous love life and failed relationships. Here, she is acknowledging the disappointment and heartbreak that can result from romantic love, and the ways in which it can be elusive and difficult to find.
Stanza 6
The final stanza takes a more optimistic tone, as Parker suggests that there is hope for a better future:
But love is older than the Fair;
O'er the Dark Earth runs a joy
Because the one that is not there
Doth the sweeter peace alloy.
Here, Parker is suggesting that love is a universal and timeless experience, one that transcends the social and cultural expectations of any particular time period. And while love may be difficult and fraught with danger and disappointment, it also brings joy and peace to those who pursue it.
Interpretation
So, what can we take away from General Review Of The Sex Situation? First and foremost, Parker is critiquing the gender roles and sexual expectations of her time, which she sees as limiting and degrading to women. She is also mocking the double standards and hypocrisy surrounding sexual desire, as well as the transactional nature of sex and relationships.
But Parker is not just tearing down these expectations, she is also suggesting that there is hope for a better future. Love may be difficult and elusive, but it is also a universal human experience that brings joy and peace to those who pursue it.
In this sense, General Review Of The Sex Situation is not just a witty and irreverent poem, but also a manifesto for a more equitable and fulfilling future. Parker may have been writing in the 1920s, but her critique of gender and sexual norms remains relevant today, and her vision of a better future remains inspiring and hopeful.
Conclusion
In conclusion, General Review Of The Sex Situation is a masterpiece of satire and irony, as Dorothy Parker takes aim at the absurdities and hypocrisies of sexual mores and gender roles in her time. Through her sharp wit and biting humor, she critiques the expectations placed on women and the double standards surrounding sexual desire, while also suggesting that there is hope for a better and more fulfilling future.
This poem is as relevant today as it was in the 1920s, and serves as a reminder that we still have work to do in creating a more equitable and just society. And for that reason, it remains a timeless and inspiring work of literature.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
General Review Of The Sex Situation: A Masterpiece of Satirical Poetry
Dorothy Parker, the renowned American poet, writer, and critic, was known for her sharp wit and biting satire. Her poem, "General Review Of The Sex Situation," is a prime example of her ability to use humor and irony to comment on societal norms and expectations.
The poem, written in 1920, is a scathing critique of the double standards and hypocrisy surrounding sex and relationships in the early 20th century. Parker's use of language and imagery is both clever and provocative, making the poem a timeless classic that still resonates with readers today.
The poem begins with the speaker acknowledging the prevalence of sex in society, stating that "everybody does it." However, the tone quickly shifts as the speaker begins to question the societal norms and expectations surrounding sex. The speaker asks, "Why should you be the only one who's snared?" implying that women are expected to be chaste and virtuous while men are free to indulge in sexual activity without consequence.
Parker's use of irony is particularly effective in this poem. The speaker notes that "the only happy marriage I know is the union of a deaf man to a blind woman," highlighting the absurdity of societal expectations surrounding marriage and relationships. The speaker also notes that "the only happy love affair I know is the one where a young man begged a young woman not to marry him, and she complied." This line is particularly poignant, as it highlights the pressure placed on women to marry and the lack of agency they had in choosing their partners.
The poem also touches on the issue of sexual harassment and assault. The speaker notes that "the only happy men I know are the ones who are engaged in some useful occupation," implying that men who engage in predatory behavior towards women are not truly happy or fulfilled. This line is particularly relevant in today's society, where the #MeToo movement has brought issues of sexual harassment and assault to the forefront of public discourse.
Parker's use of language is also noteworthy. The poem is filled with clever wordplay and puns, such as "the only happy artist I know is a boy with a warm and eager eye who seizes expensive paints and other materials under the guise of being a commercial artist." This line not only highlights the societal expectation that artists must suffer for their art, but also comments on the exploitation of young artists by those in power.
Overall, "General Review Of The Sex Situation" is a masterful work of satirical poetry that still resonates with readers today. Parker's use of humor and irony to comment on societal norms and expectations surrounding sex and relationships is both clever and thought-provoking. The poem is a testament to Parker's skill as a writer and her ability to use language to challenge societal norms and expectations.
Editor Recommended Sites
Privacy Dating: Privacy focused dating, limited profile sharing and discussionNFT Sale: Crypt NFT sales
HL7 to FHIR: Best practice around converting hl7 to fhir. Software tools for FHIR conversion, and cloud FHIR migration using AWS and GCP
Cloud Lakehouse: Lakehouse implementations for the cloud, the new evolution of datalakes. Data mesh tutorials
Low Code Place: Low code and no code best practice, tooling and recommendations
Recommended Similar Analysis
Sympathy by Paul Laurence Dunbar analysisThe Lost Mistress by Robert Browning analysis
The Business Man by Edgar Allen Poe analysis
To A Young Ass by Samuel Taylor Coleridge analysis
I Sing The Body Electric by Walt Whitman analysis
Up At A Villa--- Down In The City by Robert Browning analysis
Funeral Blues by W.H. Auden analysis
Auguries of Innocence by William Blake analysis
The Song Of Wandering Aengus by William Butler Yeats analysis
Sonnet 73: That time of year thou mayst in me behold by William Shakespeare analysis