Eavan Boland's Daphne With Her Thighs In Bark

A mythological story can express a valuable message to its readers, advising them to choose a certain path when making decisions and to stray away from what can harm them. It can also give an artist, whether it is a painter or a poet, the inspiration to express their intake of what was given to them. The expression can show support of a character’s decision, show sadness towards a character’s place in the myth, or relate the myth to a real-life occurrence. When poet Eavan Boland was reading Book 1 of Ovid’s Metamorphosis, she wanted to express a different meaning of the story of Daphne by writing “Daphne with her Thighs in Bark”. She did this by using a feminist approach while looking back at Daphne’s fate.
Before going into the poem, let’s have a look at the background of where Boland got her sources for the masterpiece. In Ovid’s Metamorphosis Book 1, many mythical tales captivate the

Once the reader reaches line fifteen, it is evident that Boland tied Daphne’s attempted escape from Apollo into her poem. We then wonder how the narrator broke free; she continues with “The trees reached out to me, I silvered and I quivered. I shook out my foil of quick leaves” (Boland, lines 20-23). The narrator explains how she kept running and didn’t call out to end the misery of running; she proceeds to talk of her freedom by saying “I shall be here forever, setting out the tea, among the coppers and the branching alloys and the tin shine of this kitchen; laying saucers on the pine table” (Boland, lines 26-31). Towards the end of the poem, Boland tells her “sister”: “Save face, sister. Fall. Stumble. Rut with him. His rough heat will keep you warm. You will be better off than me, with your memories” (Boland, lines 32-36). In translation, the narrator says: “Go ahead, stay trapped with the choice you have made, I’ll just continue living my life the way I want