Internal Criticism

Poem that Concluded Lowell Women Workers' 1834 Petition to the Manufacturers

Let oppression shrug her shoulders,
And a haughty tyrant frown,
And little upstart Ignorance,
In mockery look down.
Yet I value not the feeble threats
Of Tories in disguise,
While the flag of Independence
O'er our noble nation flies.


Questions for Internal Criticism:

1) What sort of language is used in this poem? Is it the sort of language one might expect of a mill worker?

2) How do the mill workers represent their employers?

3) How does the language that the mill workers choose to represent their employers and themselves draw the lines between them?

4) Why are certain words capitalized? Is there a consistent pattern at work here?

5) Is this a personal or impersonal poem? Why does the word "I" appear only once?

6) What is the tone of the poem? Is it the tone of a weak person speaking to a stronger one?

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