The Convention
The novel revolves around a romantic triangle involving a young woman who is torn between her love for a wealthy and socially prominent man and her passion for a poor but talented artist. The story explores themes of social class, morality, and the constraints placed on women during the late 19th century. Through the protagonist's struggles, the novel critiques the societal conventions that restrict individual freedom and creativity.
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox · First published 1895 · Genre: Poetry, Feminist Literature, Social Commentary · 637 words
First lines
FROM the Queen Bee mother, the mother Beast, and the mother Fowl in the fen, A call went up to the human world, to Woman, the mother of men. The call said, ‘Come: for we, the dumb, are given speech for a day, And the things we have thought for a thousand years we are going at last to say.'
Much they marvelled, these women of earth, at the strange and curious call, And some of them laughed, and some of them sneered, but they answered it one and all, For they wanted to hear what never before was heard since the world began- The spoken word of Beast and Bird, and the message it held for Man.
What this Textopian page supports
The Convention is listed on Textopian as a poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, dated 1895 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: 1895 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Feminist Literature, Social Commentary, Allegory, Fantasy
- Length: 637 words
- Structure: 1 section, 7 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Convention 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
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Convention?
- How does this poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Poetry first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Englishman by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- False by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Autres Temps by Edith Wharton
- Souls Belated by Edith Wharton
- The Crystal by Josephine Daskam Bacon
- Noblesse Oblige by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Genres
- Poetry — The work is written in verse form with a rhythmic and lyrical quality.
- Feminist Literature — The themes focus on women's roles, autonomy, and critique of societal norms.
- Social Commentary — The narrative critiques human behavior and societal structures through the voices of animals.
- Allegory — The story uses animals and their behaviors to symbolize and critique human society.
Tags
Romance · Fiction · Novel · American Literature · Women Authors · 19th Century · Social Commentary · Marriage · Love Triangle · Infidelity · Deception · Society Life