Introduction: “The Old Maid” by Sarah Teasdale
“The Old Maid” by Sara Teasdale first appeared in her 1915 poetry collection titled Rivers to the Sea, is notable for its lyrical and delicate expression of emotions, often focusing on themes such as love, beauty, and the passage of time. “The Old Maid” particularly stands out for its poignant exploration of loneliness, unfulfilled love, and the societal expectations placed on women. The poem reflects the inner conflict of a woman who has remained unmarried, and through its vivid imagery and introspective tone, it highlights the quiet sorrow of lost opportunities and the weight of societal judgment.
Text: “The Old Maid” by Sarah Teasdale
I saw her in a Broadway car,
The woman I might grow to be;
I felt my lover look at her
And then turn suddenly to me.
Her hair was dull and drew no light
And yet its color was as mine;
Her eyes were strangely like my eyes
Tho’ love had never made them shine.
Her body was a thing grown thin,
Hungry for love that never came;
Her soul was frozen in the dark
Unwarmed forever by love’s flame.
I felt my lover look at her
And then turn suddenly to me, —
His eyes were magic to defy
The woman I shall never be.
Annotations: “The Old Maid” by Sarah Teasdale
| Line | Annotation | Literary/Rhetorical/Structural Devices |
| I saw her in a Broadway car, | The speaker sees an older woman in a public streetcar. “Broadway car” places the scene in an urban setting, suggesting modern life and anonymity. | Imagery (urban), Setting |
| The woman I might grow to be; | The speaker reflects on the woman as a possible version of her future self, which introduces a theme of self-comparison and fear of future loneliness. | Foreshadowing, Theme (self-reflection), Internal conflict |
| I felt my lover look at her | The speaker notices her lover looking at the older woman, signaling an emotional moment of tension and comparison between past and present. | Perspective shift, Tension |
| And then turn suddenly to me. | The lover’s gaze shifts back to the speaker, emphasizing a contrast between the speaker and the older woman, whom the speaker fears becoming. | Contrast, Shift in focus, Tension |
| Her hair was dull and drew no light | The description of the woman’s appearance as lifeless and dull enhances the contrast between her and the speaker. The imagery of “dull” hair symbolizes the lack of vitality or love in her life. | Imagery, Symbolism (lifelessness, dullness), Contrast |
| And yet its color was as mine; | The similarity in hair color reinforces the fear that the speaker could become like this woman, as if looking at a possible future self. | Parallelism, Irony (unexpected similarity), Foreshadowing |
| Her eyes were strangely like my eyes | The speaker notices the eerie similarity between their eyes, suggesting an emotional or spiritual connection despite their different life experiences. | Simile (strangely like), Foreshadowing, Symbolism (eyes as windows to the soul) |
| Tho’ love had never made them shine. | The older woman’s eyes are lifeless, having never been brightened by love, contrasting with the speaker’s present life, which is filled with love. This highlights a key theme: the emotional consequences of unfulfilled love. | Irony, Contrast, Theme (unfulfilled love), Symbolism (eyes as emotional state) |
| Her body was a thing grown thin, | The older woman’s body is described as frail and emaciated, emphasizing a life deprived of love and warmth, which has physically worn her down. | Imagery (thin body), Symbolism (lack of love affecting physical form), Alliteration (thin) |
| Hungry for love that never came; | The metaphor of hunger is used to describe the woman’s emotional starvation due to the absence of love. It conveys the deep yearning that was never satisfied. | Metaphor (hunger for love), Theme (desire for love), Symbolism |
| Her soul was frozen in the dark | The soul being “frozen” implies a permanent state of emotional coldness and isolation. The metaphor emphasizes the impact of a loveless life. | Metaphor (frozen soul), Symbolism (darkness), Theme (emotional isolation) |
| Unwarmed forever by love’s flame. | Love is portrayed as warmth or a flame, contrasting with the woman’s cold, loveless existence. The image of love as a “flame” is common and symbolizes passion and vitality, which this woman lacks. | Symbolism (love’s flame), Contrast, Imagery (warmth vs. cold) |
| I felt my lover look at her | The repetition of this line from earlier in the poem reinforces the ongoing comparison between the speaker and the older woman. It shows that the speaker is deeply troubled by the possibility of a future like this. | Repetition, Parallelism, Tension |
| And then turn suddenly to me, — | The dash at the end of the line creates a pause, suggesting the significance of this moment. The lover’s sudden shift of attention implies reassurance, as if he dismisses the comparison between the two women. | Caesura (dash), Tension, Resolution |
| His eyes were magic to defy | The lover’s gaze is described as “magic,” indicating that his love has the power to protect the speaker from the fate of becoming like the older woman. The word “defy” suggests that love transcends time and circumstances. | Metaphor (eyes as magic), Symbolism (lover’s eyes), Theme (love as transformative power) |
| The woman I shall never be. | The final line is a resolution of the internal conflict. The speaker declares with certainty that she will not become like the older woman, implying that her love will prevent her from leading a life of loneliness and despair. | Resolution, Irony, Symbolism, Finality |
Literary And Poetic Devices: “The Old Maid” by Sarah Teasdale
| Literary/Poetic Device | Example from the Poem | Explanation |
| Alliteration | “Her hair was dull and drew no light” | The repetition of the consonant sound “d” in “dull” and “drew” creates a soft, flowing sound that enhances the sense of lifelessness in the woman’s appearance. |
| Anaphora | “I felt my lover look at her / And then turn suddenly to me” | The repetition of “I felt” at the beginning of two lines emphasizes the speaker’s awareness of her lover’s actions, heightening the emotional tension. |
| Caesura | “And then turn suddenly to me, —” | The dash creates a pause in the line, allowing the reader to reflect on the significance of the moment when the lover looks back at the speaker. |
| Consonance | “Her hair was dull and drew no light” | The repetition of the “l” sound in “dull” and “light” contributes to the melancholic tone of the poem. |
| Contrast | “Her eyes were strangely like my eyes / Tho’ love had never made them shine” | The comparison between the speaker’s vibrant life and the older woman’s lack of love underscores the difference in their emotional experiences. |
| End-stop | “Hungry for love that never came;” | The use of a semicolon to close the line creates a full stop, emphasizing the emotional weight of unfulfilled desire. |
| Enjambment | “Her body was a thing grown thin, / Hungry for love that never came” | The continuation of the sentence across lines reflects the woman’s ongoing, unresolved yearning for love, mirroring her emotional state. |
| Foreshadowing | “The woman I might grow to be;” | This line hints at the speaker’s fear of becoming like the older woman in the future, establishing the central tension of the poem. |
| Imagery | “Her hair was dull and drew no light” | Vivid descriptions appeal to the senses, portraying the older woman’s physical and emotional state as lifeless and cold. |
| Irony | “Her eyes were strangely like my eyes / Tho’ love had never made them shine” | Although their eyes look the same, the older woman’s have never been illuminated by love, contrasting with the speaker’s current experience of love. |
| Metaphor | “Her soul was frozen in the dark” | The soul being “frozen” in darkness suggests emotional coldness and isolation, symbolizing a life devoid of love. |
| Parallelism | “I felt my lover look at her / And then turn suddenly to me” | The repetition of structure in these lines creates a rhythm that highlights the emotional shift from fear to reassurance. |
| Personification | “Her soul was frozen in the dark” | The soul is described as if it could experience physical states like freezing, attributing human characteristics to abstract concepts. |
| Repetition | “I felt my lover look at her / And then turn suddenly to me” | The phrase “I felt my lover” is repeated, emphasizing the speaker’s heightened awareness and concern about her future. |
| Rhyme | “Her hair was dull and drew no light / And yet its color was as mine” | The end rhyme of “light” and “mine” creates a pleasing sound pattern that enhances the flow of the poem. |
| Simile | “Her eyes were strangely like my eyes” | The direct comparison using “like” establishes a connection between the speaker and the older woman, symbolizing shared physical traits but divergent life paths. |
| Symbolism | “Her hair was dull and drew no light” | The dull hair symbolizes the older woman’s lifelessness and lack of love, contrasting with the speaker’s current vibrancy. |
| Tension | “I felt my lover look at her / And then turn suddenly to me” | The emotional strain between the speaker’s fear of becoming like the older woman and the lover’s reassuring gaze creates dramatic tension. |
| Tone | The overall tone of the poem is melancholic and introspective. | The tone is reflective and somber, as the speaker contemplates her future and compares herself to an older, loveless woman. |
| Volta | “His eyes were magic to defy / The woman I shall never be.” | A shift in the poem occurs here as the speaker moves from fear to reassurance, marking a turning point in her internal emotional journey. |
Themes: “The Old Maid” by Sarah Teasdale
- Loneliness and Isolation: One of the central themes of “The Old Maid” is the deep sense of loneliness and isolation experienced by the older woman in the poem. Her physical appearance, particularly her “hair was dull and drew no light” and her “body was a thing grown thin,” suggests that her life has been drained of vitality and warmth due to a lack of love. The phrase “her soul was frozen in the dark” further emphasizes this theme, as it portrays her as emotionally and spiritually isolated, untouched by affection or companionship. This loneliness is not just physical but emotional, suggesting a lifetime spent without meaningful connection, a fate the speaker fears.
- Fear of Unfulfilled Love: The poem explores the speaker’s fear of living a life without love, which is symbolized by the older woman. The speaker recognizes a reflection of herself in the older woman—”Her eyes were strangely like my eyes / Tho’ love had never made them shine”—and is terrified that she, too, might end up unloved and alone. The fear of unfulfilled love looms over the speaker, creating a tension between her present state of being loved and the possibility of a future devoid of it. This theme resonates with the universal human anxiety of missing out on love, intimacy, and connection, which can leave a person feeling emotionally starved.
- Aging and Regret: The theme of aging and regret is highlighted by the juxtaposition of the older woman with the speaker, who is still young and loved. The older woman’s physical decline—”Her body was a thing grown thin”—and her emotional desolation imply that she has lived a life marked by missed opportunities for love and companionship. The older woman’s fate is a possible future for the speaker, and this recognition stirs in her a deep sense of dread. The poem hints at the regret of growing older without having experienced the emotional fulfillment of love, and it speaks to the societal pressures women often feel about marriage and companionship.
- The Power of Love: In contrast to the older woman’s loveless existence, the speaker finds solace and reassurance in her lover’s gaze. His eyes are described as “magic to defy / The woman I shall never be,” suggesting that his love has the power to protect her from the same lonely fate. The theme of love’s transformative and protective power is central to the speaker’s emotional journey in the poem. The presence of love brings vitality and warmth to the speaker’s life, in stark contrast to the frozen, loveless state of the older woman. This suggests that love can provide meaning, purpose, and emotional fulfillment, shielding the speaker from the despair of isolation and loneliness.
Literary Theories and “The Old Maid” by Sarah Teasdale
| Literary Theory | Application to “The Old Maid” | References from the Poem |
| Feminist Literary Theory | This theory examines the societal roles and expectations placed on women, particularly the fear of becoming an “old maid” or an unmarried woman. The poem critiques how a woman’s worth is often tied to her relationship with men and love. | “The woman I might grow to be” reflects the fear of becoming an unloved, unmarried woman, a stereotype that society often imposed on women who did not marry. |
| Psychoanalytic Theory | Focuses on the inner emotional conflict within the speaker, particularly her fear of becoming like the older woman, whom she sees as a reflection of a possible future self. The poem can be seen as an exploration of the speaker’s anxieties and unconscious fears. | “Her eyes were strangely like my eyes / Tho’ love had never made them shine” suggests a psychological projection of the speaker’s own fears about love and aging. |
| Marxist Literary Theory | This theory could be applied to explore class and societal expectations, particularly how the older woman’s lack of beauty and love is tied to her perceived value in society. The poem subtly critiques how women’s social worth is often linked to their relationships with men. | The line “Her soul was frozen in the dark / Unwarmed forever by love’s flame” reflects how emotional fulfillment, particularly through love, is a form of societal capital. |
Critical Questions about “The Old Maid” by Sarah Teasdale
- How does Teasdale use imagery to portray the emotional state of the older woman?
- Teasdale employs vivid imagery throughout “The Old Maid” to depict the older woman’s emotional desolation and lack of vitality. The lines “Her hair was dull and drew no light” and “Her body was a thing grown thin” create a stark visual picture of a woman whose physical appearance reflects an inner emotional barrenness. The dullness of her hair symbolizes the absence of passion or life, and her thin body suggests emotional starvation—”Hungry for love that never came.” The consistent use of cold and dark imagery, such as “Her soul was frozen in the dark,” enhances the sense of emotional isolation, painting a vivid picture of a woman who has never been warmed by love. The use of such imagery allows the reader to feel the weight of the woman’s loneliness, serving as a metaphor for the emotional void in her life.
- What role does societal expectation play in the speaker’s fear of becoming the older woman?
- The poem addresses the societal pressures placed on women to find love and avoid becoming an “old maid.” The speaker’s fear of becoming like the older woman—”The woman I might grow to be”—reflects societal anxieties about unmarried women being seen as unfulfilled or unsuccessful. During the time the poem was written, women’s identities were often tied to their relationships with men, and the prospect of remaining single could lead to social stigma. The speaker’s acute awareness of this possibility suggests that her fear is not just about emotional loneliness but also about how society would perceive her. The contrast between her vibrant love life and the older woman’s loveless existence reflects the pressures women face to attain romantic relationships to be considered complete or valuable members of society.
- How does the poem explore the concept of identity through the speaker’s internal conflict?
- “The Old Maid” presents a deep internal conflict within the speaker as she grapples with the potential of becoming like the older woman. The line “Her eyes were strangely like my eyes” suggests that the speaker sees parts of herself in this woman, yet she is terrified of adopting her fate. This internal conflict is heightened by her lover’s presence, whose gaze seems to reassure her—”His eyes were magic to defy / The woman I shall never be.” This conflict illustrates the tension between who the speaker is now, someone who is loved, and who she fears becoming, someone who is unloved and forgotten. The poem raises the question of how much of one’s identity is shaped by external circumstances like love and relationships, and how much is an inherent part of the self. The speaker’s fear reveals an underlying anxiety about losing her sense of identity if she were to live a life without love.
- How does the poem comment on the nature of love and its transformative power?
- Throughout the poem, love is depicted as a transformative force that can either bring life or leave one emotionally cold in its absence. The older woman’s loveless existence is described as physically and emotionally draining—her body is thin, her soul is “frozen in the dark,” and she remains “unwarmed forever by love’s flame.” Love, in this context, is portrayed as a flame that can warm and give life, and its absence leads to an existence devoid of vitality. On the other hand, the speaker’s life is filled with love, as her lover’s gaze has the power to “defy” the fate of becoming like the older woman. The poem suggests that love is essential for emotional warmth and fulfillment, as it can ward off the coldness of loneliness and provide a sense of purpose and identity. Teasdale’s portrayal of love’s transformative power underscores the emotional consequences of both having and lacking love in one’s life.
Literary Works Similar to “The Old Maid” by Sarah Teasdale
- “Spinster” by Sylvia Plath: This poem explores a woman’s detachment from romantic relationships and her preference for solitude, reflecting themes of independence and societal expectations similar to Teasdale’s depiction of loneliness in “The Old Maid.”
- “Mirror” by Sylvia Plath: Plath’s poem discusses aging and self-perception, much like how “The Old Maid” addresses the fear of growing old and unloved, with both poems focusing on the reflection of time and identity.
- “When You Are Old” by W.B. Yeats: Yeats reflects on aging and lost love, similar to how Teasdale’s poem presents the fear of becoming someone who has never experienced true romantic fulfillment.
- “The Solitary Reaper” by William Wordsworth: Wordsworth’s poem highlights the theme of isolation, centering on a solitary woman reaping in the fields, akin to the solitude and emotional distance depicted in “The Old Maid.”
- “Eleanor Rigby” by Paul McCartney (The Beatles): Though this is a song rather than a poem, its focus on loneliness and an unloved, forgotten woman echoes the themes of isolation and emotional neglect present in Teasdale’s poem.
Representative Quotations of “The Old Maid” by Sarah Teasdale
| Quotation | Context | Theoretical Perspective |
| “I saw her in a Broadway car, / The woman I might grow to be;” | The speaker sees an older woman and reflects on her potential future, expressing fear of becoming unloved and alone. | Feminist Theory: The societal expectation for women to marry and avoid becoming an “old maid” is critiqued here. |
| “Her hair was dull and drew no light” | The speaker describes the older woman’s lifeless appearance, symbolizing the emotional desolation of living without love. | Psychoanalytic Theory: The woman’s physical appearance mirrors the emotional coldness that results from a life without love. |
| “Her eyes were strangely like my eyes / Tho’ love had never made them shine.” | The speaker notices a physical similarity between herself and the older woman, but contrasts their emotional experiences. | Identity Theory: This line emphasizes the fear of a future self shaped by circumstances outside the speaker’s control, like love. |
| “Her body was a thing grown thin, / Hungry for love that never came;” | The older woman’s body reflects the emotional starvation caused by a life without love, using the metaphor of hunger. | Marxist Theory: The deprivation of love is linked to the lack of social or emotional capital, highlighting class and emotional inequality. |
| “Her soul was frozen in the dark” | The woman’s soul is described as emotionally dead, reinforcing the coldness and isolation she has endured. | Psychoanalytic Theory: This metaphor suggests a frozen, emotionally repressed inner life, echoing Freud’s theory of repression. |
| “I felt my lover look at her / And then turn suddenly to me;” | The speaker feels reassured by her lover’s gaze, contrasting her future with that of the older woman. | Feminist Theory: The reliance on male validation to avoid becoming socially ostracized or emotionally isolated is emphasized here. |
| “His eyes were magic to defy / The woman I shall never be.” | The speaker finds comfort in her lover’s eyes, feeling that his love will protect her from a lonely future like the older woman’s. | Psychoanalytic Theory: The lover’s gaze serves as a defense mechanism against the speaker’s deep-seated fear of aging and isolation. |
| “The woman I might grow to be;” | Repeated to highlight the speaker’s anxiety about becoming like the older woman, unloved and emotionally cold. | Feminist Theory: The internalized fear of societal judgment and becoming an “old maid” underlines the societal pressure on women. |
| “Unwarmed forever by love’s flame.” | The older woman is described as having never experienced the warmth of love, reinforcing her emotional and spiritual coldness. | Romanticism Theory: The symbolism of love as a flame reflects the Romantic ideal that love is essential to emotional fulfillment. |
| “Her soul was frozen in the dark / Unwarmed forever by love’s flame.” | The final image of the older woman as emotionally frozen and devoid of love emphasizes the central theme of isolation. | Existential Theory: The lack of love and connection leads to a meaningless existence, highlighting existential loneliness. |
Suggested Readings: “The Old Maid” by Sarah Teasdale
- KILCUP, KAREN L. “Embodied Pedagogies: Femininity, Diversity, and Community in Anthologies of Women’s Writing, 1836–2009.” Legacy, vol. 26, no. 2, 2009, pp. 299–328. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25679710. Accessed 18 Oct. 2024.
- Lanigan, Alice Marie Philomena. The lyricism of Sarah Teasdale. Diss. Boston University, 1941.
- Teasdale, Sara. Helen of Troy And Other Poems. Graphic Arts Books, 2021.
- Pagani, Maria Pia. “Eleonora Duse and the Poetic Debut of Sara Teasdale.” Învăţământ, Cercetare, Creaţie 8.1 (2022): 317-332.