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the trees

Adrienne Rich's poem 'The Trees' symbolizes the liberation and resilience of women through the imagery of trees breaking free from confinement. The poem contrasts nature with artificiality, depicting the trees' movement towards their natural habitat as a powerful act of rebellion. Rich employs various poetic devices, including personification and symbolism, to convey themes of freedom and the beauty of transformation.

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2 views3 pages

the trees

Adrienne Rich's poem 'The Trees' symbolizes the liberation and resilience of women through the imagery of trees breaking free from confinement. The poem contrasts nature with artificiality, depicting the trees' movement towards their natural habitat as a powerful act of rebellion. Rich employs various poetic devices, including personification and symbolism, to convey themes of freedom and the beauty of transformation.

Uploaded by

chriskj39
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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THE TREES

ADRIENNE RICH

Adrienne Rich’s poem “The Trees” explores important themes like liberation, feminism,
nature versus artificiality, and nature’s rebellion. The trees in the poem are not just real trees,
but symbols of people—especially women—who have been held back or silenced. The way
the trees quietly grow back shows the idea of freedom and resilience, as they slowly reclaim
their place in the world. This connects to feminism, where women fight to be free and have
their own identity. The poem also shows a conflict between nature and human-made
environments.
Stanza 1

The trees inside the house are depicted as if they are alive and are moving out into the forest
that surrounds the house. The forest had been devoid of life for a long time, where no bird
could perch, no insect could find refuge, and even the sun couldn't cast its shadow. However,
this previously barren forest is expected to be teeming with trees by next morning as the trees
are moving outside to reclaim their natural habitat. This represents nature’s rebellion and its
desire to return to its original place. It can also symbolize people or women breaking free
from confinement.

Stanza 2
The roots of the trees are seen tirelessly working to free themselves from the crevices in the
veranda floor. The larger branches, which have been cramped for a long time, resemble
patients who have just been discharged and are still in a daze. This vivid imagery conveys the
sense of gradual but determined movement and transition of the trees from their confined
space to the freedom of the outside world.
Stanza 3
The speaker is observed sitting inside the house with the doors open to the veranda, writing
long letters, yet interestingly, barely acknowledging the significant departure of the forest
from the house. The night is described as fresh and serene. The aroma of leaves and lichen
still lingers in the air like a gentle voice that permeates the rooms, creating a sense of
intimacy and connection with nature despite the extraordinary events unfolding outside.
Stanza 4
The speaker's mind is filled with whispers, which represent change and movement. The
breaking glass shows that the trees have finally escaped. The wind and moonlight welcome
them, symbolizing freedom and support. The broken moon reflects change—though it is not
whole, it is still beautiful. This ending shows nature’s triumph and the beauty of breaking
free, even if it’s not perfect.

Poetic devices
Rhyme scheme: It’s a free verse poem which means there is no fixed pattern of rhyme at the
end of the lines and the lines vary in length and rhythm, creating a natural, flowing style.

Anaphora- first stanza


Similes : in the last three stanzas (like a patient, like a voice, like a mirror)
Personification - no sun bury its feet in shadow ; small twigs stiff with exertion
long-cramped boughs shuffling under the roof ; trees are stumbling forward
into the night.
Symbolism: trees are a powerful symbol of women breaking free from patriarchal constraints
and societal expectations; the exodus of the trees into the forest is symbolises a powerful act
of liberation; symbol of growth and resilience
Repetition : the forest that was empty
Caesura: A caesura is a pause or break in the middle of a line of poetry. It is usually marked by
punctuation, such as a comma (,), full stop (.), dash (—), or semicolon (;)

The night is fresh, the whole moon shines in a sky;


I sit inside, doors open to the verandah,;
Listen. The glass is breaking.;
into the night. Winds rush to meet them.
Alliteration: leaves and lichen; long letters
Imagery
Enjambment
Question- Answers

Q. What picture do these words create in your mind: “… sun bury its feet in shadow…”?
What could the poet mean by the sun’s ‘feet’?

The phrase creates a vivid image of sunlight filtering through trees, where its rays seem to
reach the ground and are partly covered by the shade of the trees. The poet uses “feet” to
personify the sun, imagining its rays as if they are feet walking across the forest floor.
This line emphasizes how shadows depend on trees, and without trees, even the sun cannot
find a place to "rest."

Q. Where are the trees in the poem? What do their roots, leaves, and twigs
do?

In the poem, the trees are inside the house, growing in pots. Their roots work silently to break
free from the cracks in the floor, the leaves strain toward the glass window, and the twigs are
stiff from the effort to escape. This shows their desire to return to the natural world.

Q. What does the poet compare their branches to?


The poet compares the trees' cramped branches to “newly discharged patients” who are half-
dazed, slowly moving toward the clinic doors. This simile shows the trees as weak but
hopeful, slowly regaining freedom after a long period of confinement.

Q. Why does the poet not mention “the departure of the forest from the
house” in her letters?

The poet does not mention the departure of the forest in her letters because it happens silently
and symbolically. It reflects how society often ignores quiet changes or acts of rebellion. The
silence may also show her own inner conflict or hesitation to openly acknowledge this
powerful transformation.

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