Forbidden Speech
The poem explores the theme of censorship and the suppression of individual thought and expression. It argues that humanity's greatest progress is made through the free exchange of ideas, and that suppressing speech leads to stagnation and ignorance. The speaker asserts that even if an idea seems radical or unpopular, it should be allowed to be expressed, as it may hold a kernel of truth that can benefit society.
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox · First published 1887 · Genre: Poetry, Romance, Drama · 292 words
First lines
The passion you forbade my lips to utter Will not be silenced. You must hear it in The sullen thunders when they roll and mutter: And when the tempest nears, with wail and din, I know your calm forgetfulness is broken, And to your heart you whisper, "He has spoken."
All nature understands and sympathises With human passion. When the restless sea Turns in its futile search for peace, and rises To plead and to pursue, it pleads for me. And with each desperate billow's anguished fretting. Your heart must tell you, "He is not forgetting."
What this Textopian page supports
Forbidden Speech is listed on Textopian as a poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, dated 1887 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Date: 1887 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Romance, Drama, Nature, Philosophy
- Length: 292 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Forbidden Speech by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
- Unrest by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Discontent by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Im Nobody by Emily Dickinson
- The Breaking Of Chains by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- I Too by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Reuben Pantier by Edgar Lee Masters
Genres
- Poetry — The text is structured in verse and employs poetic devices such as rhyme and meter.
- Romance — The central theme revolves around unspoken love and passionate emotions.
- Drama — The intense emotional expressions and dramatic imagery suggest a dramatic tone.
- Nature — Frequent references to natural elements like the sea, storms, and winds to convey emotions.
Tags
Poetry · Social Commentary · Feminism · Free Speech · Censorship · Personal Freedom · Individuality · Nonconformity · Rebellion · Societal Critique · Philosophical · Psychological Insight