Carole Satyamurti , a poet and sociologist cleverly weaved the plight of ordinary women in I Shall Paint my Nails Red : women who are seen as a mere background of the society- neglected and lost in the mundane of her existence . While it is easy to discern that I Shall Paint my Nails is nothing but the showcasing of a woman’s vanity seeking attention, a closer look at the poem would reveal a deeper and multi-layered analysis of women.
In essence, Carole Satyamurti’s I Shall Paint my Nails Red was able to show the different roles and interpretations of women of herself, to her daughter , to her lover , the society and to life- that painting her nails red symbolizes a departure from her customary role in to show an intelligent , interesting and valuable person capable of so much more than her ordinary routines . It is a declaration of a woman’s importance
The color red is interpreted in poetry as a figure of speech for passion , anger and strong emotions . In this light, Satyamurti used this color to depict a seemingly humorous and trivial poem into one that speaks of a woman’s importance. In the first line “because a bit of color is a public service (line 1 ” Satyamurti departs from the convention that public service is about service , the economy and production .
Essentially, the poem recognizes that it is not only men who are components of production and economics that can perform public service but also women who provide not only entertainment but beauty and compassion . This is affirmed in her second line when Satyamurti declared that “because i am proud of my hands (line 2 ‘ connoting that her hands that are used to do household chores are also important . By painting it red , Satyamurti calls attention to the role of women in the society and in the family- that while they are not being paid for work they do every day of their lives , it should not be neglected . Thus, being proud of one ‘s hands and putting a red paint on it declares that the woman is aware of her economic and sociological role and significance
On the other hand , the third and fourth lines of the poem points to the theme of strength and empowerment in women . In the line “because it will remind me I ‘m a woman (line 3 ” and “because I will look like a survivor ” the woman is declaring that being a woman means being brave and strong . Thus, by re-affirming her gender identity , the person in the poem is also recognizing that women in general possess strength of characters . Furthermore , because the color red symbolizes intense emotions , it evokes attention thereby , reminding us that women are not ordinary
Carole Satymurti’s “I Shall Paint my Nails Red” is a wonderful poem which I found myself closely relating to. I feel that in this poem she reflects many sides of a woman’s life. It may be understood to have two separate messages, the direct and the hidden message. Satymurti does this through showing both the complexity of a woman’s life, and the simplicity that also exists within. At first glance, “I Shall Paint My Nails Red” gives a more obvious and direct amusing message in which she states different reasons why she would paint her nails red. Each line puts the reader in a different situation which may even be applied to our own daily lives. Satymurti does this by using every day examples and using them to suggest often absurd reasons for her to paint her nails red, adding a bit of comedy throughout the poem. Underlying each idea, however, Satymurti implies a deeper message about women and the many roles that they play in society, and the way that they view themselves.
The first idea Satymurti suggests in the poem is, “Because a bit of colour is public service”. Here, she is implying that in painting her nails red she is in fact doing others a favor. This line makes me think of a woman loading her groceries onto the cash register before paying, showing off her bright red nails and provoking a smile on the cashiers face. She seems to believe that anywhere she were to go with these red nails, the world would see them and appreciate them. Underlying this main idea however, I feel that Satymurti is trying to portray the fact that women are constantly fulfilling others needs. As mothers, wives, lovers, and even working women in society, women often feel that we must make everyone around us happy.
The following line states, “Because I am proud of my hands”. This idea suggests that she feels she is beautiful and is proud to show that off. However, the line may also mean that she is tough and is proud of her own hard work, as hands are often related to manual labor and work. Although not so common at the time the poem was written, today this woman may be portrayed as even a single mother (As she later talks about a daughter, and even a lover, but no husband) trying hard to take care of her family, working to raise them and provide for them. Despite her hard work, this woman is still woman and lacks the rough hands of a man. She paints her nails like every other woman, and is proud of her hands for all the work they have accomplished her.
The line that follows, “Because it will remind me I’m a woman” refers back to the line preceding it. Here one may first simply think that by looking down at her hands and nails she will, again, feel beautiful and feel and remember that she is a woman. Looking past that simple first glance, this line goes back to a woman’s hard work and the tasks that she must accomplish every day with her responsibilities. In all the everyday stress, a woman often forgets that she is also beautiful and that she is a woman. Despite all her hard work, she is still delicate and most importantly, she must still take care of herself.
