The Weight of Too Much Liberty?

Adrienne Rich's "Diving Into The Wreck" and William Wordsworth's "Nuns Fret Not At Their Convent's Narrow Room" both discuss recurring issues of gender roles in society, and contain points of agreement and disagreement as to what traditional 'gender roles' in society are. To define gender roles: perceived behavioral 'norms' associated with males and females; attitudes and behaviors that classify a person's stereotypical identity (i.e. men go out to work, women stay at home to cook/clean). Both of these poems challenge the limited roles of women and combat the stereotypical roles of men, but in different styles and with different arguments.

The General Ideas:
Wordworth's "Nuns Fret Not At Their Convent's Narrow Room" is written in a sonnet form. The general idea of the poem says that too much freedom could lead to frustration or in his case, writer's block. In perspective of gender roles, he could be saying that women and men should stick within their gender roles because there is a "freedom in limitation" -- that is, working within 'societal assigned' gender roles could be beneficial. One must ask him/herself: Has s/he ever felt the weight of too much liberty? Perhaps an expectation to live up to gender roles even, and what happens when people fail to do so?
Rich, on the other hand, uses symbolic imagery in "Diving Into The Wreck" to show her journey as a girl transitioning into a feminist idealist. The general idea shows a young woman growing up, having to take a 'dive' into the 'wreck' of society (society being very corrupt, very perverse and seen as a wreck) as opposed to continuation in her naive world. Spatially, Adrienne Rich conveys images that go from her on the surface of the water until she gets to the very dark depths, ultimately emerging as a "mermaid whose dark hair streams black" and a "merman in his armored body." Essentially, she is saying she has emerged as a strong feminist with both the qualities of males and females.
Now in contrast with Wordsworth's "Nuns Fret Not.." poem, Rich's "Diving.." poem stretches the boundaries of constraints and promotes liberty in thinking. Rich challenges Wordsworth's ideals on basic gender roles and says that she is better off with the best attributes of men and women, as noted by the mermaid. Then, her final idea is this: a little androgyny rather than definite gender roles may surpass as a bit more realistic, or maybe even better.

Writing Styles:
William Wordsworth writes his poem in a strict 14-line sonnet rhymed in iambic pentameter (?). The style of writing adds to his message of liberty within constraint. Also note the title of the poem and its reference to a female figure -- "Nuns Fret Not At Their Convent's Narrow Room." Also, a reference to maids is suggested too working on a wheel -- could be a spinning wheel, machine wheel, or a pottery wheel. However, he goes to mention that the weaver is working at his loom, suggesting a man working at a machine. Yet, they are both described as happy with their positions.
Adrienne Rich writes her poem in a free-flowing manner that flows from ideas to the next, and contains an element of time within her writing. She talks about a journey and uses descriptive imagery while submerging to show her slow descend into the wreck - much different than how Wordsworth describes his poetry. Among her line breaks in "Diving Into The Wreck," Rich pays particular attention on creating a struggling journey in her poem, showing a gradual realization that she has to dive into the wreck to come out as a better individual.

a "Theory of Relativity:"
--I'm not sure if we're allowed to stretch the meaning of poems this far, so I'm including this part as a tentative paragraph until I can get Andrew's permission. --

To some degree, Wordsworth and Rich's poems are applicable to the 21st century styles of thinking in the United States. Given the economic downturn, both sexes are experiencing a shift in social roles as both men and women are losing more jobs, and I feel that Wordsworth and Rich are also commenting on possibilities and the "what ifs" of today. Freedom to roam far from home and go out to work may be restricted, and men and women are going to have to make a transition from a far-away job from home to domesticity. Perhaps Wordsworth argues a potential return to our natural planted ground and finding delight in that (natural planted ground being the 'normal' assumed gender roles). Yet, on the other hand, supporter of Rich's poem calls to snide feminists who interpret this statement as a try to stifle them into homes, and perhaps interpret this as an even more vital opportunity to speak out. So, reacquaint or resist?