A Work Of Artifice

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1970

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Summary

Background

Poem Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Themes

Patriarchy as Trickery

Patriarchy refers to the social system by which cis-gendered (and typically White) men hold most of the power in institutions, excluding women and gender (And racial) minorities. In “A Work of Artifice,” Piercy specifically explores the manner in which patriarchy operates. Instead of outright suppression, patriarchy also works through trickery, manipulation, and brainwashing, which is why it’s an age-old social system that continues to persist in contemporary times. The use of the word “artifice” in the poem’s title itself draws attention to the insidious nature of patriarchy. The theme is further reinforced by the poem’s ironic tone in which the narrator’s seemingly straightforward tone belies strong emotions. Moreover, the poem uses vocabulary from gardening to show that the idea of women as weak is cultivated from an early age.

The gardener “carefully” prunes and “whittles back” (Line 10) the bonsai tree, singing to it as he waters it, reassuring the tree it is safe. While care and safety have positive associations, in this context, they embody sinister hues. It becomes clear that the gardener is imprisoning the tree by stunting its potential with the pretext of keeping it safe. This is strikingly similar to the way patriarchy forces women into domestic roles. Fathers, husbands, and other men restrict women’s movement and police their bodies and thoughts under the guise of protecting them. Patriarchy implants ideas about what is masculine and feminine, coercing women into believing they are meant only for feminine roles. For instance, women are praised for delicate mannerisms and soft skin. However, to keep the skin soft, women have to avoid certain kinds of physical labor and pay a lot of attention to beauty rituals. Thus, the idea of “hands / you love to touch” (Lines 23-24) functions as a weapon of patriarchy. It is only by paying attention to the many and subtle mechanisms of subjugation that people can begin to dismantle patriarchy.

Artificial Beauty Standards

The bonsai tree is an extended metaphor for the stunted potential of women. But why does Piercy choose this particular symbol? The answer lies in the aesthetic appeal of the bonsai tree. Bonsais are grown for ornamental purposes and best thrive indoors. Thus, it can be inferred that aesthetic standards are one means by which patriarchy subjugates women. While it may seem that artificial beauty standards are a lesser evil when compared to more extreme anti-women practices such as discrimination at the workplace, domestic violence, and sexual abuse, Piercy draws attention to the fact that all these practices occur on a continuum. Women are taught from an early age that their worth depends on their desirability, which is why the speaker says, “With living creatures / one must begin very early / to dwarf their growth” (Lines 17-19). This early indoctrination tells women their self-worth depends on approval by men. Thus, women can be conditioned to put up with abusive behavior, harassment, and even violence.

Further, artificial beauty standards can be a way of brainwashing women; Piercy uses the practice of binding feet and curling hair in continuum with the phrase “the crippled brain” (Line 21). Because women’s energy and attention are diverted into appearing desirable at all times, their potential begins to be restricted. For instance, even in the 2020s—some 30 years after the poem was written—women spend far more money and time on beauty rituals than men.

The Subjugation of Women

“A Work of Artifice” is a feminist poem, written at the height of the American feminist movement of the 1970s. Keeping in mind the restrictive gender norms and sexism of the period, the poem addresses the systematic subjugation of women.

From the opening, the poem establishes that the subjugation of women involves stunting their physical, emotional, and mental growth. Women can potentially be as tall as the tree on the mountainside, but are praised for growing only “nine inches high” (Line 8). The gulf between the two quantities is demonstrative of the extent of women’s oppression. The tiny bonsai tree in the attractive pot immediately evokes the notions of women as desirable when they are pretty, delicate, and domestic.

Piercy builds upon this imagery through the gardener’s song, which tells the woman she is “small and cozy / domestic and weak” (Lines 13-14). The gardener also patronizingly refers to the tree as “little tree” (Line 15), assuring the tree it is lucky to have a pot in which to grow. This is a thinly-veiled allegory for a social system telling a woman she is lucky to have a nice home in exchange for her freedom. Within the poem’s historical context, this echoes what society might tell a homemaker unhappy with her role. Through feeding the woman such a narrative, the gardener ensures she feels indebted to him.

But the reader knows the truth is the tree does not really need the pot since it can grow in open soil. The gardener’s care—representing patriarchy—is thus an elaborate artifice to keep the woman homebound. One of the subtler aspects of this artifice is the economic subjugation of women. Because women are made to believe their role is domestic and that they will be harmed if they venture into the sphere of the larger world, they are denied opportunities to earn wages. The lack of money thus ensures they stay trapped in the domestic sphere.