"Poetry, the genre of purest beauty, was born of a truncated woman: her head severed from her body with a sword, a symbolic penis"

In this quote, feminist author Andrea Dworkin is using powerful imagery to communicate her thoughts on the genre of poetry. She explains poetry as the "purest appeal," suggesting that it is a form of art that is untainted and uncorrupted. Nevertheless, she also states that it was "born of a truncated female," suggesting that poetry has its roots in the oppression and violence versus females. The image of a woman with her head severed from her body with a sword symbolizes the silencing and objectification of ladies in society. Dworkin even more highlights this by describing the sword as a "symbolic penis," highlighting the patriarchal control and dominance over ladies's bodies and voices. In general, this quote highlights the complex and often troublesome relationship in between art and gender in society.