The one
thing that really popped out at me in this poem was the sudden
all-capitalization of words such as HE, HIM, and HIS in lines 56-65. It reminds
me of the Bible where God’s name is always written in all caps as an extra
emphasis. In all likelihood, Brooks chose to do this in order to demonstrate
the power the husband has over the wife’s life and the fear and dread that he
instills in the wife. She is to the point when she can barely think about him
as a person anymore, seeing him more as a vengeful god-figure who is to be
feared and who she must prove her worth to in order just to survive.
Also by
doing that with those words, it separates what how and what the wife thinks and
does from the husband. “HE had mastered for the trial” (63) implies that
perhaps the wife does not agree with the crime he committed and the things that
he says or does. By capitalizing the word he, it emphasizes his part in his
crimes and separates it from her. It further makes her as much as the victim of
this man’s violence as the boy mentioned earlier in the poem.
The capitalization also caught my eye. Not to mention line 83 which capitalizes HAND. I found this to be particularly important, symbolizing the power her husband has over her and her family, as well. Moreover, the hand may also symbolize her husbands say and actions related to the case. I did not know the historical background to the poem, since it was my first time reading it, but as mentioned in class, the mechanics of the poem make a significant difference.
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