‘Any Woman’ by Katherine Tynan

Katherine Tynan is an Irish born writer who enriched English literature with her novels and poetry. A short poem of six stanzas ‘Any Woman’ by Katherine Tynan is a beautiful portrayal of woman in her multifaceted role.

The poem celebrates the glory of womanhood – the spirit behind the existence and sustenance of life on earth. The speaker identifies herself with ‘the pillars of the house’, ‘keystone of the arch’, ‘fire upon the hearth’, ‘light of the sun’, ‘heat that warms the earth’, ‘light of love’, ‘twist of the sacred ring’, ‘knot of love’, ‘house from floor to roof’, ‘wall against all danger’ and ‘door against the wind and snow’. The speaker asserts that if she is taken away the whole edifice will be ruined ruining her life too. This bold assertion becomes a confession too – a revelation about the space where a woman enjoys her existence. She is confident that it is her warmth which perpetuates life on earth. The point here is that she is the source of warmth for the entire earth. Her warmth of fertility is the answer to the coldness of the barrenness of the earth. Once she becomes a mother, she spreads her hands supporting her children. She kindles the fire in the hearth and she becomes the source of love and life for the ‘precious’ children. She binds them within the tether of her love and no child can escape from that bondage. Remembering her duties and responsibilities, the speaker now equates herself to the house. She decorates the walls, spreads the board, spins the curtains and makes the bed. She defends the family in all the dangers.

The poet’s concluding note is a prayer to God with a reminder that only a woman is made instrumental in the Birth of Jesus Christ. Her appeal to God is to prolong her life till her children are grown up. The theme, the glorification of womanhood, is an oft repeated one in literature. But ‘Any Woman’ becomes remarkable with its poignant imagery which conveys the theme perfectly. This theme is all the more relevant in the modern world where womanhood is tampered and tarnished mercilessly. Katherine Tynan’s poem becomes a reminder to women also since they too forget their own worth. The poet’s message is clear. Woman becomes the axis around which the entire family revolves. Her role becomes indispensable even to the Birth of Jesus Christ.

The poem moves from emphatic assertion to an earnest appeal. The speaker in the poem elaborates on the functions of a woman and then concludes with a prayer. The magnanimity and compassion, the twin emotions related with motherhood is visible in this prayer. The tone of the poem is serious, sober and solemn.

The poem abounds with a flurry of metaphors. The speaker compares herself with ‘the pillars of the

house’, ‘the keystone of the arch’, ‘fire upon the hearth’, ‘light of the good sun’, ‘the heat that warms the earth’, ‘light of love’, ‘knot of love’, ‘house from floor to roof’, ‘wall against all danger’ and ‘door against the wind and snow’. All these metaphors are pointers to the maternal love. The metaphor of ‘sacred ring’ is deliberately used to indicate the holiness associated with marriage vows and subsequent bondage with which the children are fastened within the family. The ring is in the form of circle which means ‘forever’. It symbolizes wholeness, unity, perfection and peace. It is the gravitational pull of the mother’s love and devotion which compels her children not to go astray.

Yet another exquisite metaphor is ‘the wind and snow’ which stands for the crises affecting the family. The line ‘Their door against the wind and snow’ is adjacent to the line which alludes to the incident in which Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ. This sets the beautiful example for the ‘wind and snow’ a woman faced in the world. The final prayer becomes the most touching line which draws our tear. A woman loves her life and wants to live in order to watch her children grow and lend them her hands in support to them.

The artistic effect is achieved with the usage of ‘anaphora’, the repetition of words ‘I am’. ‘Enjambment’ is another poetic technique used to give a sense of natural motion. The line ‘Take me away, and roof and wall/Would fall to ruin me utterly’ is an instance in which the idea run into next line. As for the rhyme scheme, all the stanzas rhyme except the first stanza in a pattern in which first line rhymes with the third and the second rhymes with the fourth.

In conclusion, the poem deals with a relevant theme and conveys a powerful message. It carries an

optimistic mood and airs a serious tone. The abundant use of poetic devices reinforces the theme and message. Thus, ‘Any Woman’ is an eloquent encomium in which each line speaks volumes about ‘womanhood’.