Gail Godwin's A Sorrowful Woman

A Sorrowful Woman was written by Gail Godwin an American novelist and short story writer. She wrote this short about a young woman who seem to be depressed and wanted nothing to do with her husband and son, because she felt overwhelm from her duties of being a wife and a mother. She tried different roles within the home, like writing poetry, but none made her feel satisfied (Pg.39). She was secluded from the rest of the world. In spite of the fact that she tries on numerous roles none of these appear to fulfill her; she attempted these identities like trying on outfits, then disposed of them. Her failure to discover any part that really fulfills her presumably adds to her general feeling of vulnerability and proceeded with withdrawal from her family and, undoubtedly, whatever is left of the world. Since she can't locate a specific part that suits her, she attempts not to have any role at all; the coldness and disengagement of the pale white room makes it appear that she is attempting to rid herself of her previous life. From reading the story we can tell that the young wife has a creative side she tried writing poetry among other things, but being secluded cause her to suppress her creative energy. In some culture a woman’s role is to be a house-wife and mother. It would seem that the husband does not want the young wife to experience

This narrative demonstrates the expected position of women in society. Today, women have a very different role in society than they did a century ago. Now, it is common to see mothers and wives who are professionals, working for the government or in public service, and at the same time fulfilling their role in their homes. This is a result of a reformation that took place in the 19th and 20th centuries, where women whose only task and purpose was to be in the house craved for more opportunities in