The River Merchant's Wife: A Letter

How does the author use foreshadowing in The River Merchant's Wife: A Letter?

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In the opening lines of the poem, the wife recalls her childhood when her husband was simply a playmate, a companion. The first line gives a vivid picture of the wife as a child. The use of the passive tense, making bangs the subject, helps create the world from a child's perspective, not actively involved in decisions about what to wear or how to look. This creates both a clear physical portrait, as well as indicating the passivity of childhood with its lack of involvement in things other than play. Notice that the second line begins "I played." This also foreshadows the lack of input she will have in her marriage.

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The River Merchant's Wife: A Letter