The permissive objectification of womenThe poems "On Sharing a Husband" and "Cheap Things" illustrate the struggle of women to survive in a culture dominated by men. Both poems express a simple idea of ​​the objectification of women in two distinct cultures. Close investigation of the imagery and diction of both poems reveals the permissive nature of the objectification of women. Consistently, both poems do not hide the idea of ​​being objectified, but hide the idea of ​​a need for permissive objectification. Therefore, the poem describes that the permissive objectification of women was a means of survival in a male-dominated society. “On Sharing a Husband,” the first two stanzas are simple and reveal the mood of the speaker. “To hell with the fate that makes you share a man. One snuggles under cotton blankets; the other is cold. , illustrates the frustration the speaker experiences in her relationship with her male figure. The use of the word “screw” implies a sense of anger and resentment towards the cultural understanding of animal husbandry. The poet expresses the biased nature of a commitment to a man, responsible for several women. “One huddles under cotton blankets, the other is cold.” The poet implies that women were treated as commodities and not as individuals. Likewise, she suggests that the need for commitment arises from the need to survive in a society of ultimate dependence. “You try to hold on to it like a fly to rice, but the rice is rotten. You are a slave like the servant. The aversion to commitment is reiterated when the speaker compares her relationship to a fly stuck on rice. The imagery of a fly stuck to rice illustrates the weight of a relationship and dependence on necessities. Similarly, the ...... middle of paper ...... wise, the poet tries to emphasize how cheap women are. are considered because they permissively allow for objectification. The image of the golden lock suggests that material things are all that women want to continue being permissive. Likewise, the poet reiterates the “golden padlock” that separates him from other padlocks. In South Asian culture, the gold clock is usually used to lock valuable possessions. Therefore, the poet advocates that women be considered possessions and permissively objectified for their survival. Through image and diction, the poet shows the desperate nature of women and the reason why women are objectified in a permissive manner. Works Cited Ho Xuan Huong, “On Sharing a Husband.” “Backpack Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing.” Ed. XJ Kennedy and Dana Gioa. 4th ed. New York: Longman, 2012.455. Print