Cassie Shultz
Close Reading
3.27.13
Words: 554
Everyone knows a hypocrite; someone who says one thing but acts completely different.
Such is what the reader will find in this poem from the collection of E.E. Cummings’ “Tulips
and Chimneys”. For in this poem, through the use of imagery, diction, and rhythm, Cummings
draws up and rebukes the image of hypocritical women.
The diction used is throughout this poem is not grandiose, but does use words that are not
incredibly simple, either. One such word that inspires the thought of intelligence to the reader is
‘Cambridge’. A word that comes up often in this poem, Cambridge is the name of a university
town in England; it is usually attributed to people, commodities, etc that are from or associated
with the town. Because Cambridge is known firstly for their university, the people there are
assumed to be very intelligent, thus the ‘Cambridge ladies’ are smart women from Cambridge.
Continuing through the poem, the definitions of “coyly” and “bandy” also need to be
determined. Coyly means to be quiet or shy, but another definition puts it as disdainful or
haughty. Bandy originally refers to striking a ball back in forth, as in tennis or another sport. But
the poem is attributing the word to women gossiping -which goes back and forth, like a ball about other people. From the two definitions of coyly, as well at the definition of brandy, one can
come to the conclusion that the women were quietly gossiping disdainfully about “Mrs. M and
Professor D”. Interestingly, the names “Mrs. M and Professor D” are not names at all, but
merely letters. This may be to hide the identity of the people from the readers, or because they
are just names that represent numerous people the Cambridge ladies have talked about.
In regards to the rhythm, when reading the poem, the reader may have difficulty finding a
beat at which to read the poem. Each line has a different amount of syllables, of which there
seems to be no real patter of stressed and unstressed. This brings an interesting dynamic to the
poem, as the Cambridge ladies are seen as doing housewife stuff – going to church, knitting, and
gossip- all very regular and habitual. This poem, on the other hand, is anything but regular in
rhythm. It could be that the speaker wished to make the poem sound like gossip, or to purposely
contrast and bring to the reader’s attention that what the Cambridge ladies are doing is regular.
The illustration of hypocritical women is further encouraged through the imagery in
certain lines. The women are described at the “church’s protestant blessings” – good church
goers- in one line, but in one soon after, they’re knitting “for the is it Poles?” giving evidence
that although they do ‘good things’, they are too caught up in the “scandal of Mrs. M and
Professor D” to care. Another phrase that gives evidence to this fact, is the simile that the
“Cambridge ladies do not care….if…the moon rattles like a fragment of angry candy.” Using the
word candy gives the impression that the moon is something sweet. It is then contrasted with the
harsh word “anger” which brings an interesting contrast to the line. From the imagery, diction,
and rhythm, one can see the clear representation of hypocritical women, the despise set toward
them.
Works Cited:
"bandy, v.". OED Online. March 2013. Oxford University Press. 26 March 2013
<http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/15178?rskey=PZoK5U&result=4&isAdvanced=false>.
"Cambridge, n.". OED Online. March 2013. Oxford University Press. 26 March 2013
<http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/26659?redirectedFrom=Cambridge>.
"coyly, adv.". OED Online. March 2013. Oxford University Press. 26 March 2013
<http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/43559?isAdvanced=false&result=2&rskey=An4XfA&>.