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Poem
October 12, 1878
The Daily Intelligencer
Seattle, King County, Washington
What is this article about?
A lament for a young woman who drowned herself to escape societal scorn after being seduced and abandoned by a man. The poem critiques the double standard where the man is honored while she bears all blame and receives no pity, ending with a call for an unmarked grave.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
Betrayed.
The swaying crowd at the dead-house door
Made room for the burden strong man bore;
A ghastly burden, all dripping and wet,
With girlish face in soggy set.
She dare meet death where the waters whirled.
But not the scorn of a pitiless world;
For who on earth has pity to give
A woman who sins then dares to live?
But courted and flattered by every dame
Is the man who has wrought her ruinous shame;
Though women be weak and men be strong,
She must bear the burden of both their wrong.
Then give her a grave as nameless as deep,
Where only kind nature in pity may weep;
Not even a stone must mark the lone spot,
Where she lies in her shame, unwept and forgot.
The swaying crowd at the dead-house door
Made room for the burden strong man bore;
A ghastly burden, all dripping and wet,
With girlish face in soggy set.
She dare meet death where the waters whirled.
But not the scorn of a pitiless world;
For who on earth has pity to give
A woman who sins then dares to live?
But courted and flattered by every dame
Is the man who has wrought her ruinous shame;
Though women be weak and men be strong,
She must bear the burden of both their wrong.
Then give her a grave as nameless as deep,
Where only kind nature in pity may weep;
Not even a stone must mark the lone spot,
Where she lies in her shame, unwept and forgot.
What sub-type of article is it?
Elegy
Satire
What themes does it cover?
Death Mourning
Satire Society
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
Betrayed Woman
Suicide Shame
Gender Hypocrisy
Social Scorn
Nameless Grave
Poem Details
Title
Betrayed.
Form / Style
Rhymed Couplets
Key Lines
For Who On Earth Has Pity To Give / A Woman Who Sins Then Dares To Live?
But Courted And Flattered By Every Dame / Is The Man Who Has Wrought Her Ruinous Shame;
She Must Bear The Burden Of Both Their Wrong.
Then Give Her A Grave As Nameless As Deep, / Where Only Kind Nature In Pity May Weep;