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Unit 12

The poem 'The Old Woman' by Joseph Campbell reflects on the beauty and struggles of aging, particularly focusing on the sacrifices made by mothers. Through vivid similes, the poet compares the aged woman's face to a white candle and the dim light of the winter sun, symbolizing her spiritual enlightenment and the toll of her hard work. Ultimately, the poem conveys a sense of loss and stillness as the old woman finds herself alone, with her thoughts stagnant like water under a ruined mill.

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260 views2 pages

Unit 12

The poem 'The Old Woman' by Joseph Campbell reflects on the beauty and struggles of aging, particularly focusing on the sacrifices made by mothers. Through vivid similes, the poet compares the aged woman's face to a white candle and the dim light of the winter sun, symbolizing her spiritual enlightenment and the toll of her hard work. Ultimately, the poem conveys a sense of loss and stillness as the old woman finds herself alone, with her thoughts stagnant like water under a ruined mill.

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Tariq_Furqan
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Unit- 12,

The Old Woman,


BY JOSEPH Campbell

Introduction of the poet:

The Poet, Joseph Campbell was born in 1906 in White Plains, New York America. He is
considered a well-known American writer and poet. The poem “The Old Woman” is one of his
famous poems. He describes the beauty of an aged face and appreciates the efforts of mothers
while they bring up their kids.

Stanza 1
As a white candle
In a holy place,
So is the beauty
Of an aged face.
Paraphrase (Stanza/Quatrain-1) : In the first stanza the poet, Joseph Campbell, compares the aged face
of an old woman to a white candle. He uses simile for this comparison. He says that the old woman is
like a white candle which is placed in a holy place (shrine). According to the poet the aged face of the old
woman is like the beauty of the white candle which is placed there in the shrine. She is spiritually
enlightened, and she is peaceful, and she gives others light by her experiences.

As the spent radiance


Of the winter sun,
So is a woman
With her travail done.
Paraphrase (Stanza/Quatrain-2): The poet in the second stanza compares the dim face of the
old woman to the spent radiance (dim light) of the winter sun. He describes that the dull and
weak face of the old woman is the sign of her struggle and hard work, while bringing up her
kids. The poet is giving tribute to all mothers because of their effort to educate and look after
their children while ignoring her own health and putting others before her own needs. But now
in her old age she has lost her intensity and health.
Her brood gone from her,
And her thoughts as still
As the waters
Under a ruined mill.
Paraphrase: This is the last stanza/quatrain of this poem. The poet, Joseph Campbell, says that
the grown-ups son/daughter are no more living with their mother (the old woman). The old
woman has stopped thinking now. The poet uses simile again here and says that the thoughts
of the old woman are stopped like the still water under a tumbledown (broken) mill. The old
woman had dedicated her life to her children and her whole life was woven around their needs.
But now with them gone she has nothing to do and so her thoughts are like the stagnant water
under the ruined mill.

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