An Analysis of The Ache of Marriage

An Analysis of "The Ache of Marriage" In "The Ache of Marriage," Denise Levertov attempts to explain the pain this marriage experiences. It is a pain that affects both emotional and physical states of being. Levertov describes the pain as if someone were reading her thoughts. Through Levertov's use of non-conventional form, the theme of the pain of marriage and overcoming that pain jumps from the page. The author divides the poem into two parts. …

…of happiness because the marriage centers on pain. Levertov writes "The Ache of Marriage" as if someone were speaking. Her angst filled words flow similar to natural human speech just like a conversation. This poem does not use periods or any specific rhyming pattern making the ideas short and precise. The form is important because the temptation to be sing-songy is eliminated. Because the poem is written in free verse, the mood glooms with despair.