Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Louise Gluck's "Abishag" centers around a woman of the same name, mentioned in the Bible as the maiden chosen to care for David in his old age. The poem divides itself into two parts, each presenting a phase of Abishag's life. Through these verses, Gluck explores themes of agency, fate, love, and the confluence of choices and societal norms that shape a woman's life.

In the first section, Abishag narrates how she was selected to serve David. The stanza depicts the urgency of the situation; David is dying, and there's a tangible acknowledgment of his impending mortality. The dialogue between Abishag and her father encapsulates the dynamics of familial obligation and expectation. "How much have I ever asked of you," her father inquires, and she responds, "Nothing." This exchange is an acknowledgment of both her compliance and the unspoken demands often placed on women. The depiction of Abishag's self-image offers a complex portrait. She perceives her face as "featureless," yet acknowledges her braid, a traditional sign of femininity. Her self-perception contrasts sharply with the external evaluation: "She has the look of one who seeks / some greater and destroying passion."

The second section delves into a recurring dream wherein Abishag is asked to "choose among my suitors." The dream captures the ambiguity surrounding agency and choice for women, especially in a context where their 'choices' are predefined by male authorities. She listens to the suitors, not for three syllables, the "Abishag," but for two: "my love." Herein lies the dichotomy of Abishag's existence; her life story might be chronicled by others in the context of her duty to David, but in her inner world, she grapples with matters of love and agency. Her declaration, "if it is my own will / binding me I cannot be saved," speaks volumes about her constrained freedom.

The haunting complexity of this poem is in how it reveals that Abishag's choices are never truly her own. Even in her dream, she finds it hard to differentiate between the suitors. She thinks she chooses "chiefly in weariness," implying the fatigue that accompanies the illusion of choice, particularly for women in traditional societies. The final lines - "But they were not alike / and to select death, O yes I can / believe that of my body" - are especially poignant. Abishag understands the gravity of her decisions, but her circumstances have molded her into someone who could "select death," not out of a morbid desire but possibly as a form of liberation or final assertion of agency.

Gluck masterfully weaves a narrative that encapsulates the tension between societal expectations and individual longings. "Abishag" serves as a testament to the labyrinthine inner worlds of historical or mythological figures who are often viewed through narrow lenses. The poem challenges readers to reflect on how the complexities of choice and agency have been both historically and culturally nuanced, particularly for women.

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