16 pages • 32 minutes read
The Secretary Chant
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Background
Historical Context
Marge Piercy is a lifelong feminist, which is often reflected in her written work. At the time of “The Secretary Chant[’s]” publication, second-wave feminism was at its height and Piercy was involved in the movement. As opposed to first-wave feminism that focused on voting and property rights for women around the turn of the 20th century, second-wave feminism of the 1960s and 70s was characterized by an interest in women in the workplace, sexuality, the family, and more generally social and legal issues stemming from oppressive patriarchal structures. The influence of this movement is evident in Piercy’s poem, which uses an office setting as a way to explore issues of gender discrimination, womanhood, and the conflicts of objectification and becoming lost in one’s job.
In more of a personal historical context, this poem takes on increased meaning, as Piercy worked as a secretary and switchboard operator while living in Chicago. Piercy’s poetry often contains autobiographical elements, which would seem true even within the metaphorical world of “The Secretary Chant,” as two specific jobs she held are named.
Literary Context
Though Piercy lived in New York City during the 1960s and early 70s, her work bears no relation to the major school of poetry at the time—the New York School. The New York School poets of the first and second generation were focused on the synergy between poetry and the visual arts, finding ways to unpack political and other topics through the lens of art and everyday life. Piercy, on the other hand, remained a political poet outside the bounds of any one school of poetics. Her poetic influences are clear, though, as the women’s movement appears to be a major motivator for her work. Additionally, glimmers of Emily Dickinson, who Piercy notes as a literary influence, appear within “The Secretary Chant.”
The tone of “The Secretary Chant” suggests self-awareness and provides a wry observation as to the plight of women in the corporate world, offering a more nuanced political perspective rather than one intended to mobilize individuals to action. Relative to Piercy’s body of work, the poem is aligned with her canon, angling for the political but always from a personal, almost autobiographical, perspective.
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By Marge Piercy
