Still to be Neat by Ben Johnson
Still to be Neat by Ben Johnson is a 2010 literary piece that addresses a rare topic, women’s use of art and make-up in conveying more superior personalities. The author occupies the man’s seat in this topic and tries to understand the females’ obsession with their outward appearance. While the song initially portrayed impersonation and the imperfection associated with it, the author addresses an important social topic that has continually shaped human interaction in current and previous societies.
Still, to be Neat, Ben Johnson considers the opinion of the man in a relationship where the woman has to maintain a given standard of appearance to impress the husband. The initial phrases “Still to be neat still to be dressed” and “as you are going to a feast” explicitly portray the lady’s desire to present an undeniable offer to the speaker by dressing as if heading to a feast (Johnson, lines 2 & 3). Nonetheless, the act does not sit well with the woman’s intended audience as he prefers the girls more simple and natural with regards to the outward beauty. The author’s claim that “They strike mine eyes, but not my heart,” is evidence that the speaker disapproves of cosmetic beauty but prefers simplicity and naturalists. Given the circumstances surrounding this song in the film Epicoene, it is probable that through the fake wife, Epicoene, concealed her true identity by playing a silent lady, and revealed her noisy nature, which Morose, her husband, disliked.
Despite the author’s intention to portray the unique features of women during the initial phases of marital relationships, the context of this literary device covers a broader spectrum of a social life than the author intends. The same is achievable through the author’s use of numerous literary devices including, irony and strategic wording, to portray the themes of self-justification and gender imbalance (Donahue, n.p). Through this poem, Johnson depicts society as a dynamic environment that seeks a specific set of attributes from each individual. However, it appears from the on-set that these outward attributes may not be acceptable by all persons, and this seeks to explain the broader concept of differences in perception. Additionally, the play wrongfully presents the woman as an instrument of pleasure. Accordingly, the women need to work their butts out to satisfy the men irrespective of their daily conflicting interests.
My option to choose this poem gains a partial impression from its ability to address a mostly neglected issue that specifically amounts to male dominance. The author considers terms of the practice of self-justification as destructive urgency to stay presentable among the females. Additionally, I adore the author’s use of irony as a literary tool to jog the mind of the reader. Accordingly, the poet nullifies the efforts of the wife to look presentable to her husband and seeks to establish a more natural outlook and dismisses the lady’s trials for confirmation. I also like the author’s perception of intrinsic features as the ultimate determinant of anyone’s personality. The author believes that one needs to hide their true identities or adopt newer traits to fit in a newer social setting. I believe that the author seeks to discourage this practice and promote the presentation of one’s true safe-worth.
Still to be Neat talks of a woman’s obsession with looks to the extent that she puts on make-up whenever stepping out even for the least audience. From the reader’s perspective, it is ironic that the woman’s perception of beauty is contrary to man’s thinking. The above project muses me due to the hidden role of women, which is to please man irrespective of the circumstances. The poem thus enables me to further my talk on the perceived roles of each gender.