"Living in Sin" by Adrienne Rich I Poem Analysis

What is the relationship between our inner selves and the outside world? Adrienne Rich explores this question in "Living in Sin" through the mind of a woman having an affair, who cannot bring herself to want to better surroundings because she feels thoroughly depraved. Watch to find out more!

[@Axolotl-Cookie121]

I like your interpretation, and I really like the poem. When I first read it I thought she was living in sin with a literal milkman. Milkman used to deliver milk early in the morning, when it was cool, to prevent spoilage. Delivery routes were short for the same reason and by 5 am he would be finished his (say) 3 your delivery route. They delivered 7 days a week. They didn't get paid much, thus the studio . She regrets her decision at 5 am when she wakes to hear him come up the stairs but by the end of the day has once again resigned herself to her mediocre life, not caring enough to even clean the studio. A poem about a stuck life.

[@Voltage343]

Haha this was so interesting loved it my college class is pretty cool

[@AnneRedtom]

I've never thought of the poem being a declaration of an affair I've always read the it as a un married couple living together which where I'm from was considered a "sin" and the man still scruffy is uninterested in putting the time into the relationship and she become almost like a mother/maid for him and the milk man coming up the stairs is the dreaded next day of reality. i did really like the alternative take and is making me question the poem and my prior knowledge

[@johnwatts219]

On the last couple of lines, perhaps the daylight is the realisation (shock/horror) of her having the affair striking at her? I'm not too sure, quite difficult lines like you say but I quite like them nonetheless. Thanks for your analysis, you convinced me this really is a good poem!