ENG10,TeacherJeanilleCogtas
ThirdQuarterLiteraryAnalysisPaper
17March2022
OnParentalAbuse
JeanilleCogtas’sonnet,Cursed,waspublishedyearsago.Inthesonnet,thespeakertells aboutthechild’ssufferingwithhiscontrollingparents.Goingthroughsomuchpainwasdifficult butwhatitgavehimwaswisdomtofaceobstaclesthathecouldfaceinhislife.Withoutovertly sayingit,thesonnetdemonstratesthethingsthatachildexperienceswithabusiveparents.The sonnetrevealstheactualityofthechild’slife.Thechild’sexperiencesmadehimwiserandwiser, whichhelpedhimovercomeit.
“Iwondernomore,Iacceptminepain”,Intoday'sgeneration2outof10children experiencebeingabusedbytheirparents.However,thechildinthesonnetacceptedhisparents’ treatmentofhiminthismanner.Nomattertheproblemslifemaythrowathimattheendofthe dayhelearnedhislessonsthroughthepainheexperienced.Heisaninspirationtochildrenwho arealsolivinginanabusivehousehold.Hisparentsfailedtomakehimfeellovedandtomake hischildhoodworththememoryhewillcherishwhenhegrowsolder
ThissonnetisatraditionalsonnetwithanIambicPentameterwhichhas10syllablesper line;5iambs.Whichhasatraditionalshakespeareanrhymeschemealternating (ababcdcdefefgg).
The speaker of this sonnet is that of a child, a child who seems to have a harsh lifethus affecting the tone of his to be much moredepressingandlowertoneandhasalesslivelytoneas opposedtochildren’stonewhoshouldbehappy.
The speaker of this sonnet is that of a child,achildwhoseemstohaveaharsherlifedue to his authoritarian parents and does not even bother even with pain he just accepts itthoughin the end he seems to accept andiswisernow Thetoneofthechildismuchmoredepressingthan a normal child would be and it gives off a sad tone, one of those which has suffered quite a bit andhasnotmuchtocareabout.
Like a lot of other sonnets this sonnet contains the exposition, metaphor, twist, and a couplet. The exposition exposes how the child lives with his motherandwhoisanauthoritarian mother does not give him much freedom. The metaphor, despite being in pain and is gonna be taken away, he accepts his fate and it may be much better as he may be given a chance of freedom or stay in this path. Thetwististhatthepathhehaschosenisamuchmorepainfulpath as he isalonenowwithnoonewithhim.Thecoupletclosesthesonnetbythechildrealisingthat thepainisnotacurseasthepainheexperiencediswhatledhimtoattainwisdom.
The poet seems to arguethatauthoritarianfigures,especiallyparentswillhaveanegative effect on the child and will have negative thoughts on the parents Andthusthepoetconcludes
that the child will then go on a path different from whattheparentswantandthatdespite being painfulismuchbetterandtheyusethatpaintogainexperienceandattainwisdom.
Line 1 and 2, in this line it shows that the child is not yet ready to face the world. Most children who have been abused by their parents find it tough to embrace reality.Andwhat’sthe cause for this? They were left with emotional and physical scars as a result of the terrible emotionalandphysicalabusetheysuffered.
Line 3 and 4, in this lineitshowsthatratherthanenjoyingthewarmweather,hechooses to sleep in warm covers. Hechosetoobeyhiscruelparentsratherthanlivinghislife.Itcouldbe thought that as the child was believing that he had to do what his parents wanted him to do, which is something that children are expected to do since their parents are their parents, but in thesonnet,obeyinghisparentsisthesameasallowingthemtoabusehim.
Line 5 and 6, you can just imagine the cyclops as just a being who takes people’s freedoms and grants them new ones. As it is stated in the future lines that the child after being takenaway,goesonadifferentpathandfindsanewfreedom.
Line 7 and 8, shows how his parents are treating him differently, how his parents abuse him. Abusive parents don't care in the slightest about how or what their children think of what they're doing as long as they convince themselves that they're doing it for their children's sake. Things like this can happen for a variety of reasons, one of which is that the parents may be goingthroughadifficultperiodandareventingtheirfrustrationsonthechild.
Line 9, in this line it shows that he is doubting if he is truly free, is he truly free if heis free from his parents? Or is he not yet freed because despite being free from his parent’s physically Thethoughtsofhisparent’smaystilllinger,andhewondersifheistrulyfree.
Line 10, inthislinehefinallyrealiseswhat hashappenedtohimandithasansweredhis questions if he is trulyfree.ThemarkofCainhasnumerousimplicationsbetweendifferentsects of Christianity and Judaism. The mark of Cain is seen as an omen, a sign that one should not approach the one who bears the mark and Cain was barred from civilization. Or as a divine protection for Cain to avoid premature death. Though in this particular sonnet it could mean to interpretitasthattheboyisbarredfromcivilizationandundying.
Line 11, in this line it confirms hisfeelingsinline10,he,whoseekedfreedomisnowon a path in which he is free and not. He has the mark of Cain that will make people avoid him, though on the flip side no one will disturb him. It is like a monkey’s paw, he wishes to be free, andheisgrantedfreedomthoughheisalone.
Line 12, simplyshowsthatthechildacceptsthepainandwondersnomore,hewillthink no more and hewillbearthepainandwillgothroughwithitandhopetobesomeonebetter.The paininwhichhewillusetorise.
Line 13 and 14, in this line, it indicates how the child learns to be strong and wise. He learned how to wipe his tears from the tears he shed. Growing up with violent parentsmoulded himintotheperson heisnow,andhehasgainedwisdomasaresult.
This sonnet is a cautionary tale for parent’s and how their actions may in turn harm the child and turn away from them. The sonnet shows the parent’s strict nature and overall authoritarian attitudetowardsthechildandleavingthechildscarred.Thechildinthissonnetwas doubtful if he was truly free ifheisnotchainedtohisparents,ashisparent’sthoughtslingeron. And he even bet onanuncertainfreedomaslongashewouldbefree.Thoughthechildgrowsto be truly free from his parents and has gained wisdom and experience as a result of overcoming hispainandsuffering.
We should heed the sonnet’s warning and lesson to ensure that our future generations may not suffer asmuch.Someparentsmayviewpunishmentasagoodthingandasanextension of their love, but their child may not view it as suchandespeciallywhensaiditisnotexplained on why they arepunished.Andbarringthechildfromevengettingouttoplayisnotsomethinga mother should do especially as the 1st lineIassumealludestohimnotevengoingoutsideasthe child’smothercalls.
This sonnet is recommended for all children who are subjected to violence from their parents or others. This sonnet may serve as inspiration for them to grow stronger and wiser. Knowinghowtomanageaproblemwell,andmoreimportantly,havingwisdom.
This sonnet isalsorecommendedforallparentswhomistreattheirchildren.Suchparents must understand that simply because they are the child’s parents, they have the right to
physically abuse them.Theyneedtorealisethattheirchildrenareinpainaswell,andthissonnet
is a fantastic way to let them know how much anguish the child is experiencing. How the child handled the circumstance while also showing respect for his parents by not fighting back, not becomingirritated,andmore.
WorksCited
Cogtas,Jeanille.(2022,March9). “Cursed: A Shakespearean Sonnet”
Retrievedfromhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Bvad2BMnaI healthychildren.(2022,March16). “Child Abuse and Neglect: What Parents Should Know”.
Retrievedfrom Mroczek,Eva.(n.d). “Mark of Cain”.Retrievedfrom
https://www.bibleodyssey.org/people/related-articles/mark-of-cain StudyCorgi.(2021,July21). Jacobs’s “The Monkey’s Paw” Literary Analysis.
Retrievedfromhttps://studycorgi.com/jacobss-the-monkeys-paw-literary-analysis/