Eunice de Souza (1940-2017) was a prominent
Indian English poet, critic, and novelist. Her poetry is known for its sharp,
witty, and often caustic tone, focusing on themes of feminine identity, social
criticism, and the constraints of patriarchy within the Goan Catholic community
she often wrote about. "Advice to Women" is a perfect example of this
style—it's short, punchy, and subversive.
"Advice to Women" by Eunice de
Souza
Keep cats.
Feed them on milk and fish.
Let them sleep on your lap.
Adore your husband,
make him believe
he's a stallion,
then nag him a bit
till he quite believes
he's a worm.
If you are a woman
don't
smell of fish
or milk.
Adore only God.
Leave the men
to the women
who have failed.
A Little Context
Summary of "Advice to Women"
The poem is structured as a two-part
instruction manual.
Part I: The Traditional Role (Stanzas 1-4)
The first part mimics traditional,
restrictive "advice" often given to women. It suggests a life
centered on domesticity and manipulating the men in their lives. The speaker
advises keeping cats and feeding them—a subtle hint at domestic taming. Next,
the advice turns to men: a woman should "adore her husband" and build
up his ego ("make him believe / he's a stallion"), only to then
subtly undermine it ("nag him a bit / till he quite believes / he's a
worm"). This section is cynical, portraying marriage as a power struggle
based on manipulation and artifice.
Part II: The Subversive Mandate (Stanzas
5-8)
The second part abruptly breaks away from
the first. The advice pivots from the satirical to the fiercely serious. The
speaker now directly warns the ideal woman against smelling of the very things
she was meant to nurture (fish or milk), symbols of her domestic role and
feminine subservience. The final, powerful command is a rejection of patriarchy
and a call for independence: "Adore only God." The poet dismisses men
entirely, suggesting that chasing after them is the lot of "the women /
who have failed." This is a definitive rejection of the traditional path
outlined earlier.
Analysis of the Poem
Theme: Subversion of Domesticity and
Patriarchy
The core theme is the rejection of the
restrictive roles imposed on women in a patriarchal society. De Souza uses a
satirical tone to mock the cycle of domestic manipulation, where women are
expected to nurture male egos while simultaneously being denied their own. The
poem's shift from domestic advice (cats, milk, fish) to spiritual devotion
("Adore only God") represents a move from earthly, male-centered
constraints to spiritual and personal freedom.
Tone and Voice: Wry and Direct
De Souza's signature wry, deadpan, and
caustic voice is evident throughout. The poem reads like a set of cutting,
no-nonsense instructions. The simple, declarative sentences ("Keep
cats," "Adore only God") give the advice a forceful, universal
quality.
Key Imagery and Symbolism
Imagery |Symbolic Meaning
| Cats, Milk, and Fish | Symbols of
domesticity, nurturing, and feminine subservience. Cats are dependents, while
milk and fish are the smells of the kitchen and the domestic woman.
Stallion and Worm The dual, manipulated nature of the male ego.
The "stallion" is the inflated masculine pride the woman must create;
the "worm" is the reality she subtly enforces, showing the absurdity
of the male role. |
"Adore only God" the ultimate demand for independence. By
replacing the husband with God, the woman is choosing an abstract, non-physical
devotion over a concrete, human dependency—choosing self-sovereignty.
"The women who have failed" This phrase cuts deepest, implying that a
woman's true failure is not being unmarried or childless, but rather failing to
achieve independence by dedicating her life to men.
Structure and Technique: The Volta
The poem's power comes from its structure,
specifically the volta (or turn) that occurs in the second half.
*
Initial Structure: Follows a simple, rhythmic list of instructions, creating a
false sense of expectation that the advice will continue to be domestic.
*
The Turn (Volta): The poem dramatically shifts with the phrase "If you are
a woman / don't / smell of fish / or milk." This reversal invalidates
everything that came before. The use of the word "don't" is a
forceful rejection of the previous instructions and, by extension, the conventional
feminine role.
The poem is a miniature manifesto for the
independent woman, urging her to find value and devotion beyond the confines of
a traditional marriage.
“Advice to Women” is generally written in
straightforward language, but there are a few words and phrases that carry
significant weight or may be considered slightly “difficult” in the context of
the poem’s theme.
Meaning of Key Words and Phrases
*
Adore: This word is used in two ways. Initially, "Adore your husband"
means to worship or flatter him, but ironically, as a step in a manipulative
game. Later, "Adore only God" shifts the meaning to sincere,
exclusive devotion, representing a woman's commitment to self-sovereignty
rather than human dependency.
*
Stallion: A term for an uncastrated male horse, symbolizing virility, strength,
and inflated male pride. The woman is advised to manipulate her husband into
believing he possesses this exaggerated power.
*
Nag: To harass or persistently complain to someone, usually about their
behavior or duties. The advice to "nag him a bit" suggests a subtle,
persistent psychological tactic used to chip away at the man's ego.
*
Worm: A small, weak invertebrate. It symbolizes insignificance, degradation,
and loss of dignity. The desired end of the manipulation is to reduce the man's
ego from a "stallion" to a "worm."
*
Smell of fish or milk: These are literal scents of the domestic sphere. Milk
symbolizes nurturing and motherhood; fish symbolizes food preparation and the
kitchen. To "smell of fish or milk" means to be defined by and
confined to domestic duties. The command "don't smell of..." is a
call to escape this restrictive role.
*
Failed: When referring to "the women who have failed," the poet
subverts the traditional meaning. Here, "failed" does not mean being
unmarried or childless. Instead, it refers to women who have failed to achieve
independence and self-worth, choosing instead to dedicate their lives to
seeking, pursuing, or serving men.
"Advice to Women" by Eunice de
Souza is a short poem that uses several key literary devices to achieve its
sharp, satirical effect.
Literary Terms in "Advice to
Women"
1. Tone
*
Definition: The attitude of the writer toward the subject or audience.
*
Example/Application: The poem has a distinct wry, satirical, and caustic tone.
It presents seemingly serious advice, but the underlying attitude is one of
mockery towards traditional gender roles and the expected behavior of women.
2. Imagery
*
Definition: The use of descriptive language that appeals to the five senses.
*
Example/Application: The poem uses vivid domestic and animal imagery:
*
"Keep cats," "Feed them on milk and fish."
(Domesticity/Nurturing)
*
"smell of fish or milk." (Sensory image appealing to smell,
symbolizing the woman's confinement to the kitchen).
*
"stallion" and "worm." (Animal imagery representing the
inflated and deflated male ego).
3. Symbolism
*
Definition: The use of an object or idea to represent something else.
*
Example/Application:
*
Milk and Fish: Symbolize the domestic sphere, nurturing, and the expected
traditional female role.
*
Stallion and Worm: Symbolize the manipulated states of male pride and
vulnerability.
*
"Adore only God": Symbolizes spiritual and personal freedom—a choice
for sovereignty over dependency on a man.
4. Juxtaposition (and Contrast)
*
Definition: Placing two elements close together or side-by-side to highlight a
contrast or comparison.
*
Example/Application: The entire poem is built on contrasts:
*
The contrast between the two sections of advice (the manipulative domestic role
vs. the independent, spiritual role).
*
The sharp contrast between the "stallion" and the "worm" to
show the absurdity of the manipulated male ego.
5. Irony (specifically Satirical Irony)
*
Definition: A literary technique where the full meaning is concealed or
contradicted by the words used. Satire uses irony to critique or mock human
vices or folly.
*
Example/Application: The title and the opening stanzas use irony. The
"advice" to adore the husband only to immediately nag him into a
"worm" is ironic, exposing the hypocrisy and manipulation inherent in
traditional gender relations.
6. Volta (or Turn)
*
Definition: A rhetorical shift or dramatic change in thought or emotion. (Often
associated with sonnets, but applicable to any poem).
*
Example/Application: The poem has a strong volta starting in the fifth stanza:
"If you are a woman / don't..." This marks a dramatic shift from the
satirical, manipulative advice to the sincere, fierce demand for independence.
7. Repetition
*
Definition: The intentional re-use of a word or phrase for emphasis.
*
Example/Application: The word "Adore" is repeated, first ironically
("Adore your husband"), and then seriously as a mandate for freedom
("Adore only God"), highlighting the poem's central theme of devotion
and self-determination.
8. Enjambment
*
Definition: The continuation of a sentence or clause across a line break
without a pause.
*
Example/Application: De Souza frequently uses enjambment to give the poem a
quick, conversational, and often breathless pace, driving the instructions
forward:
*
"...make him believe / he's a stallion, / then nag him a bit / till he
quite believes / he's a worm."
Here are short, medium, and long answer
questions with answers for Eunice de Souza's "Advice to Women,"
suitable for exam preparation.
I. Short Answer Questions (Approx. 1-2
Sentences)
Q1. What is the central message of the
poem?
A. The central message is the rejection of
the restrictive, traditional female role and the strong assertion of a woman's
spiritual and personal autonomy over reliance on men.
Q2. What do the images of "fish"
and "milk" symbolize in the poem?
A. They symbolize domesticity, nurturing,
and confinement to the kitchen and the home. The command not to "smell of
fish or milk" is a call to escape this restrictive life.
Q3. How does the poet use the words
"stallion" and "worm"?
A. They are used to juxtapose the
manipulated extremes of the male ego: the "stallion" represents
inflated male pride that must be created, and the "worm" represents
the degraded insignificance to which it should be reduced.
Q4. What literary device is most evident in
the poem's shift in tone?
A. The most evident device is the Volta (or
turn), which occurs when the poem shifts from satirical domestic advice to the
serious, uncompromising mandate for independence in the second half.
Q5. What does the poet mean by "the
women who have failed"?
A. She refers to women who have failed to
achieve independence and self-worth, instead choosing to dedicate their lives
to seeking or serving men.
II. Medium Answer Questions (Approx. 3-4
Sentences)
Q6. Discuss the use of irony in the poem.
A. Irony is central to the poem's satirical
tone. The initial "advice" is ironic: it suggests a woman should
"adore" her husband, but only as a manipulative step to undercut his
ego (making a stallion into a worm). This exposes the absurdity and emotional
manipulation inherent in traditional gender dynamics.
Q7. Explain the significance of the
repetition of the word "Adore."
A. The repetition of "Adore"
highlights the poem's theme of devotion. First, "Adore your husband"
is ironic (leading to his degradation). Second, "Adore only God" is a
sincere mandate, replacing human dependency with spiritual/personal
sovereignty, thus serving as a declaration of independence.
Q8. How does the structure of the poem
enhance its message?
A. The structure is divided into two
contrasting parts. The first part is a series of short, cynical instructions;
the second part contains the Volta (the "turn") which forcefully
rejects the first. This structure effectively contrasts the manipulative,
traditional female role with the fiercely independent alternative the poet
advocates.
Q9. Comment on the domestic imagery present
in the poem.
A. The poem uses common domestic
images—cats, milk, fish—to ground the poem in the familiar world of household
routine. The advice to keep cats and feed them establishes a tone of taming and
nurturing, which is then subversively connected to the manipulation of the
husband, exposing the domestic sphere as a site of quiet conflict.
III. Long Answer Questions (Approx. 8-10
Sentences)
Q10. Analyze "Advice to Women" as
a feminist poem, focusing on how De Souza subverts traditional expectations.
A. "Advice to Women" is a
powerful piece of feminist poetry because it uses a caustic and direct voice to
dismantle patriarchal expectations. It subverts the traditional female role in
two major ways. First, it critiques the expected role of the wife as an
ego-booster by exposing it as a cycle of manipulation ("make him believe
he's a stallion, then nag him... till he quite believes he's a worm").
Second, it offers a radical alternative by commanding the woman to reject the
markers of domestic servitude ("don’t smell of fish or milk") and to
choose a devotion higher than men ("Adore only God"). The final line,
dismissing women who chase men as "failed," is a fierce redefinition
of success, establishing autonomy as the ultimate feminine achievement.
Q11. Discuss the tone and literary devices
De Souza employs to deliver her message effectively.
A. De Souza uses a signature wry, deadpan,
and caustic tone delivered through a series of simple, declarative sentences
("Keep cats," "Adore only God"). This straightforwardness
gives the poem a cutting, no-nonsense authority. The most critical device is
Irony, which pervades the first half, mocking the very "advice" it
offers. Juxtaposition (stallion/worm; husband/God) is used to create sharp
contrasts that highlight the absurdity of the status quo. Finally, the
strategic placement of the Volta ensures that the poem's forceful command for
independence is delivered with maximum dramatic effect, driving home the
rejection of subservience with unforgettable brevity.
Q12. How does the poem reflect the
socio-cultural context of Indian English poetry regarding women's roles?
A. The poem reflects a common concern in
modern Indian English poetry: the examination of women's identities constrained
by tradition and patriarchy, often within specific religious or cultural
settings. De Souza, writing from a Goan Catholic background, critiques the
domestic expectations placed on women—represented by the smells of "fish
or milk" and the duties of a wife. The poem rejects the social pressure to
define a woman's success through her marriage and her ability to manage a man's
ego. It advocates for an internal, personal, and spiritual liberation
("Adore only God"), moving beyond the immediate socio-cultural
pressures to assert a universal demand for self-sovereignty, making it a
definitive statement against cultural and familial expectations of submission.
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