December 1, 1993: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 12:26, 16 February 2025

Diving into the Wreck^[a]
By: Adrienne Rich (1973)

First having read the book of myths,^[1]
and loaded the camera,^[2]
and checked the edge of the knife-blade,^[3]
I put on
the body-armor of black rubber^[4] 5
the absurd flippers^[5]
the grave and awkward mask.^[6]
I am having to do this
not like Cousteau^[7] with his
assiduous team 10
aboard the sun-flooded schooner
but here alone.

There is a ladder.
The ladder is always there
hanging innocently 15
close to the side of the schooner.
We know what it is for,
we who have used it.
Otherwise
it is a piece of maritime floss 20
some sundry equipment.

I go down.
Rung after rung and still
the oxygen immerses me
the blue light 25
the clear atoms
of our human air.
I go down.
My flippers cripple me,
I crawl like an insect down the ladder 30
and there is no one
to tell me when the ocean
will begin.

First the air is blue and then
it is bluer and then green and then 35
black I am blacking out and yet
my mask is powerful
it pumps my blood with power
the sea is another story
the sea is not a question of power 40
I have to learn alone
to turn my body without force
in the deep element.

And now: it is easy to forget
what I came for 45
among so many who have always
lived here
swaying their crenellated fans
between the reefs
and besides 50
you breathe differently down here.

I came to explore the wreck.
The words are purposes.
The words are maps.
I came to see the damage that was done 55
and the treasures that prevail.
I stroke the beam of my lamp
slowly along the flank
of something more permanent
than fish or weed 60

the thing I came for:
the wreck and not the story of the wreck
the thing itself and not the myth
the drowned face always staring
toward the sun 65
the evidence of damage
worn by salt and sway into this threadbare beauty
the ribs of the disaster
curving their assertion
among the tentative haunters. 70

This is the place.
And I am here, the mermaid whose dark hair
streams black, the merman in his armored body.
We circle silently
about the wreck 75
we dive into the hold.
I am she: I am he

whose drowned face sleeps with open eyes
whose breasts still bear the stress
whose silver, copper, vermeil cargo lies 80
obscurely inside barrels
half-wedged and left to rot
we are the half-destroyed instruments
that once held to a course
the water-eaten log 85
the fouled compass

We are, I am, you are
by cowardice or courage
the one who find our way
back to this scene 90
carrying a knife, a camera
a book of myths
in which
our names do not appear.

Notes

↑ Adrienne Rich’s “Diving into the Wreck” (1973) stands as a defining work of feminist poetry, encapsulating themes of personal transformation, historical excavation, and the search for truth beyond patriarchal narratives. Written during the height of the women’s liberation movement, the collection reflects Rich’s evolving political consciousness and her rejection of traditional literary and societal structures. As critic Alicia Ostriker (1986) notes, Rich’s poetry “charts the journey of a woman determined to find her own language, her own story, and ultimately her own self” (211).
     Born in 1929, Rich was deeply influenced by both the formalist tradition of poetry—having been encouraged by her father to adopt a structured, intellectual approach—and the radical social movements of the 1960s and 70s. Her early work adhered to conventional poetic forms, but as her political consciousness expanded, so too did her poetics. By the time “Diving into the Wreck” was published, Rich had fully embraced a feminist and political voice, moving beyond the confessional mode into a broader critique of social structures. As Gilbert & Gubar (1979) argue in The Madwoman in the Attic, Rich’s poetry “rewrites the myths of gender and power, reclaiming the lost voices of women who have been submerged by patriarchal history” (256).
     “Diving into the Wreck” serves as a metaphor for self-discovery and historical revision. The speaker embarks on a solitary descent into the ocean, armed with a book of myths, only to find that the written histories fail to capture the true experience of the wreck. This wreck—symbolizing both personal trauma and the broader oppression of women—becomes the site of excavation, where the speaker unearths hidden truths about identity, history, and resilience. The imagery of the sea, the wreck, and the ladder evokes both danger and transformation, mirroring Rich’s belief in the necessity of facing painful truths in order to move forward.
     Rich’s work in this collection also engages with broader feminist and queer themes. As Cheryl Walker (1982) observes, Rich’s poetry “challenges traditional gender binaries and explores the multiplicity of identity” (178). The speaker in “Diving into the Wreck” is notably genderless, referred to as “I” and “we,” suggesting a collective experience that transcends singular identity. This fluidity speaks to Rich’s later articulation of lesbian identity and feminist solidarity, which became central to her subsequent work.
Ultimately, “Diving into the Wreck” is not merely a personal or feminist exploration but a radical act of reimagining history. Rich’s poetic dive is an assertion that the past, though shattered and submerged, can be reclaimed and rewritten through an unflinching gaze and a willingness to challenge received narratives. As Adrienne Rich (1979) herself stated in On Lies, Secrets, and Silence, “When a woman tells the truth, she is creating the possibility for more truth around her” (187). In this collection, Rich’s truth-telling extends not only to her own journey but to the collective experience of all those silenced by history.

Citations

↑ The book of myths suggests preconceived narratives, often shaped by patriarchal history. The speaker acknowledges that these myths are the traditional framework through which history is recorded and interpreted.
↑ The camera symbolizes an attempt to document the truth, but also a subjective lens—suggesting that any act of perception is mediated by personal or cultural bias.
↑ A knife implies both self-protection and the ability to cut through falsehoods. The journey requires preparedness, not just for exploration but also for potential confrontation.
↑ The scuba suit acts as a form of protection but also serves as a metaphor for the constraints placed on identity. The speaker must take on this artificial exterior to navigate an unfamiliar world.
↑ The awkwardness suggests that the journey into truth and self-discovery is not always graceful. Learning to navigate new knowledge is often clumsy at first.
↑ The mask can be read as a symbol of imposed roles or identities, as well as a tool that allows one to see in a hostile environment.
↑ Jacques Cousteau: The famed ocean explorer symbolizes an organized, well-funded, and well-documented way of approaching discovery. In contrast, the speaker’s journey is solitary.

Works Cited

Gilbert, Sandra M.; Gubar, Susan (1979). The Madwoman in the Attic: The Woman Writer and the Nineteenth-Century Literary Imagination. Yale UP.
Ostriker, Alicia (1986). Stealing the Language: The Emergence of Women’s Poetry in America. Beacon Press.
Rich, Adrienne (1979). On Lies, Secrets, and Silence: Selected Prose 1966-1978. New York: W. W. Norton.
Walker, Cheryl (1982). The Nightingale’s Burden: Women Poets and American Culture Before 1900. Indiana University Press.

[1] Adrienne Rich’s “Diving into the Wreck” (1973) stands as a defining work of feminist poetry, encapsulating themes of personal transformation, historical excavation, and the search for truth beyond patriarchal narratives. Written during the height of the women’s liberation movement, the collection reflects Rich’s evolving political consciousness and her rejection of traditional literary and societal structures. As critic Alicia Ostriker (1986) notes, Rich’s poetry “charts the journey of a woman determined to find her own language, her own story, and ultimately her own self” (211).
Born in 1929, Rich was deeply influenced by both the formalist tradition of poetry—having been encouraged by her father to adopt a structured, intellectual approach—and the radical social movements of the 1960s and 70s. Her early work adhered to conventional poetic forms, but as her political consciousness expanded, so too did her poetics. By the time “Diving into the Wreck” was published, Rich had fully embraced a feminist and political voice, moving beyond the confessional mode into a broader critique of social structures. As Gilbert & Gubar (1979) argue in The Madwoman in the Attic, Rich’s poetry “rewrites the myths of gender and power, reclaiming the lost voices of women who have been submerged by patriarchal history” (256).
“Diving into the Wreck” serves as a metaphor for self-discovery and historical revision. The speaker embarks on a solitary descent into the ocean, armed with a book of myths, only to find that the written histories fail to capture the true experience of the wreck. This wreck—symbolizing both personal trauma and the broader oppression of women—becomes the site of excavation, where the speaker unearths hidden truths about identity, history, and resilience. The imagery of the sea, the wreck, and the ladder evokes both danger and transformation, mirroring Rich’s belief in the necessity of facing painful truths in order to move forward.
Rich’s work in this collection also engages with broader feminist and queer themes. As Cheryl Walker (1982) observes, Rich’s poetry “challenges traditional gender binaries and explores the multiplicity of identity” (178). The speaker in “Diving into the Wreck” is notably genderless, referred to as “I” and “we,” suggesting a collective experience that transcends singular identity. This fluidity speaks to Rich’s later articulation of lesbian identity and feminist solidarity, which became central to her subsequent work.
Ultimately, “Diving into the Wreck” is not merely a personal or feminist exploration but a radical act of reimagining history. Rich’s poetic dive is an assertion that the past, though shattered and submerged, can be reclaimed and rewritten through an unflinching gaze and a willingness to challenge received narratives. As Adrienne Rich (1979) herself stated in On Lies, Secrets, and Silence, “When a woman tells the truth, she is creating the possibility for more truth around her” (187). In this collection, Rich’s truth-telling extends not only to her own journey but to the collective experience of all those silenced by history.

[2] The book of myths suggests preconceived narratives, often shaped by patriarchal history. The speaker acknowledges that these myths are the traditional framework through which history is recorded and interpreted.

[3] The camera symbolizes an attempt to document the truth, but also a subjective lens—suggesting that any act of perception is mediated by personal or cultural bias.

[4] A knife implies both self-protection and the ability to cut through falsehoods. The journey requires preparedness, not just for exploration but also for potential confrontation.

[5] The scuba suit acts as a form of protection but also serves as a metaphor for the constraints placed on identity. The speaker must take on this artificial exterior to navigate an unfamiliar world.

[6] The awkwardness suggests that the journey into truth and self-discovery is not always graceful. Learning to navigate new knowledge is often clumsy at first.

[7] The mask can be read as a symbol of imposed roles or identities, as well as a tool that allows one to see in a hostile environment.

[8] Jacques Cousteau: The famed ocean explorer symbolizes an organized, well-funded, and well-documented way of approaching discovery. In contrast, the speaker’s journey is solitary.

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[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

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-{{Center|{{Large|Diving into the Wreck}}{{refn|Adrienne Rich’s “Diving into the Wreck” (1973) stands as a defining work of feminist poetry, encapsulating themes of personal transformation, historical excavation, and the search for truth beyond patriarchal narratives. Written during the height of the women’s liberation movement, the collection reflects Rich’s evolving political consciousness and her rejection of traditional literary and societal structures. As critic Alicia {{harvtxt|Ostriker|1986}} notes, Rich’s poetry “charts the journey of a woman determined to find her own language, her own story, and ultimately her own self” (211).<br />{{sp}}Born in 1929, Rich was deeply influenced by both the formalist tradition of poetry—having been encouraged by her father to adopt a structured, intellectual approach—and the radical social movements of the 1960s and 70s. Her early work adhered to conventional poetic forms, but as her political consciousness expanded, so too did her poetics. By the time “Diving into the Wreck” was published, Rich had fully embraced a feminist and political voice, moving beyond the confessional mode into a broader critique of social structures. As {{harvtxt|Gilbert|Gubar|1979}} argue in ''The Madwoman in the Attic'', Rich’s poetry “rewrites the myths of gender and power, reclaiming the lost voices of women who have been submerged by patriarchal history” (256).<br />{{Sp}}“Diving into the Wreck” serves as a metaphor for self-discovery and historical revision. The speaker embarks on a solitary descent into the ocean, armed with a book of myths, only to find that the written histories fail to capture the true experience of the wreck. This wreck—symbolizing both personal trauma and the broader oppression of women—becomes the site of excavation, where the speaker unearths hidden truths about identity, history, and resilience. The imagery of the sea, the wreck, and the ladder evokes both danger and transformation, mirroring Rich’s belief in the necessity of facing painful truths in order to move forward.<br />{{Sp}}Rich’s work in this collection also engages with broader feminist and queer themes. As Cheryl {{harvtxt|Walker|1982}} observes, Rich’s poetry “challenges traditional gender binaries and explores the multiplicity of identity” (178). The speaker in “Diving into the Wreck” is notably genderless, referred to as “I” and “we,” suggesting a collective experience that transcends singular identity. This fluidity speaks to Rich’s later articulation of lesbian identity and feminist solidarity, which became central to her subsequent work.<br />Ultimately, “Diving into the Wreck” is not merely a personal or feminist exploration but a radical act of reimagining history. Rich’s poetic dive is an assertion that the past, though shattered and submerged, can be reclaimed and rewritten through an unflinching gaze and a willingness to challenge received narratives. As Adrienne {{harvtxt|Rich|1979}} herself stated in ''On Lies, Secrets, and Silence'', “When a woman tells the truth, she is creating the possibility for more truth around her” (187). In this collection, Rich’s truth-telling extends not only to her own journey but to the collective experience of all those silenced by history.}}<br />
+{{Center|{{Large|Diving into the Wreck}}{{efn|Adrienne Rich’s “Diving into the Wreck” (1973) stands as a defining work of feminist poetry, encapsulating themes of personal transformation, historical excavation, and the search for truth beyond patriarchal narratives. Written during the height of the women’s liberation movement, the collection reflects Rich’s evolving political consciousness and her rejection of traditional literary and societal structures. As critic Alicia {{harvtxt|Ostriker|1986}} notes, Rich’s poetry “charts the journey of a woman determined to find her own language, her own story, and ultimately her own self” (211).<br />{{sp}}Born in 1929, Rich was deeply influenced by both the formalist tradition of poetry—having been encouraged by her father to adopt a structured, intellectual approach—and the radical social movements of the 1960s and 70s. Her early work adhered to conventional poetic forms, but as her political consciousness expanded, so too did her poetics. By the time “Diving into the Wreck” was published, Rich had fully embraced a feminist and political voice, moving beyond the confessional mode into a broader critique of social structures. As {{harvtxt|Gilbert|Gubar|1979}} argue in ''The Madwoman in the Attic'', Rich’s poetry “rewrites the myths of gender and power, reclaiming the lost voices of women who have been submerged by patriarchal history” (256).<br />{{Sp}}“Diving into the Wreck” serves as a metaphor for self-discovery and historical revision. The speaker embarks on a solitary descent into the ocean, armed with a book of myths, only to find that the written histories fail to capture the true experience of the wreck. This wreck—symbolizing both personal trauma and the broader oppression of women—becomes the site of excavation, where the speaker unearths hidden truths about identity, history, and resilience. The imagery of the sea, the wreck, and the ladder evokes both danger and transformation, mirroring Rich’s belief in the necessity of facing painful truths in order to move forward.<br />{{Sp}}Rich’s work in this collection also engages with broader feminist and queer themes. As Cheryl {{harvtxt|Walker|1982}} observes, Rich’s poetry “challenges traditional gender binaries and explores the multiplicity of identity” (178). The speaker in “Diving into the Wreck” is notably genderless, referred to as “I” and “we,” suggesting a collective experience that transcends singular identity. This fluidity speaks to Rich’s later articulation of lesbian identity and feminist solidarity, which became central to her subsequent work.<br />Ultimately, “Diving into the Wreck” is not merely a personal or feminist exploration but a radical act of reimagining history. Rich’s poetic dive is an assertion that the past, though shattered and submerged, can be reclaimed and rewritten through an unflinching gaze and a willingness to challenge received narratives. As Adrienne {{harvtxt|Rich|1979}} herself stated in ''On Lies, Secrets, and Silence'', “When a woman tells the truth, she is creating the possibility for more truth around her” (187). In this collection, Rich’s truth-telling extends not only to her own journey but to the collective experience of all those silenced by history.}}<br />
 By: [[w:Adrienne Rich|Adrienne Rich]] ([[w:Diving into the Wreck|{{date|1973}}]])}}
 <div style="display: flex; justify-content: center; padding: 25px 0 25px 0;">
@@ Line 113: / Line 113: @@
 |}</div>
-==Notes==
+{{Notes1
-{{Reflist}}
+  | citations=1
+  | works=
-==Works Cited==
-{{refbegin}}
 * {{cite book |last1=Gilbert |first1=Sandra M. |last2=Gubar |first2=Susan |date={{date|1979}} |title=The Madwoman in the Attic: The Woman Writer and the Nineteenth-Century Literary Imagination |url= |location= |publisher=Yale UP |ref=harv }}
 * {{cite book |last=Ostriker |first=Alicia |date={{date|1986}} |title=Stealing the Language: The Emergence of Women’s Poetry in America |url= |location= |publisher=Beacon Press |ref=harv }}
 * {{cite book |last=Rich |first=Adrienne |date={{date|1979}} |title=On Lies, Secrets, and Silence: Selected Prose 1966-1978 |url= |location=New York |publisher=W. W. Norton |ref=harv }}
 * {{cite book |last=Walker |first=Cheryl |date={{date|1982}} |title=The Nightingale’s Burden: Women Poets and American Culture Before 1900 |url= |location= |publisher=Indiana University Press |ref=harv }}
-{{refend}}
+}}
 {{1993}}
 [[Category:12/1993]]
 [[Category:Adrienne Rich]]

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