An Obstacle

Gilman’s poem has eight stanzas, and each stanza contains six lines (a sestet or sestine) that follow a consistent rhyme scheme, where the first, third, and sixth lines rhyme (ABCBDB). “An Obstacle” is a parable, or short story that teaches a lesson. The lesson of Gilman’s poem is how to overcome prejudice.

The first stanza introduces the speaker and the road she travels. The first line begins with “I” and ends with “mountain-path” (Line 1), setting up the relationship between these elements. The woman must “climb” (Line 1) the mountain, which can be literally read as an earthly structure and/or figuratively taken as any sort of struggle—including an emotional or psychological mountain.

The character of the speaker is also introduced in the first stanza. She is busy—has “many things to do” (Line 2), which include working on tasks for herself and her community. In other words, her tasks are not simply self-serving, but include assisting with “other people’s” (Line 4) business. This work is interrupted by “Prejudice” (Line 5), which Gilman intentionally capitalizes; this capitalization makes prejudice a proper noun and is the beginning of her personification of the intangible concept.

In the second stanza, Perkins Gilman develops the character of the speaker. Her singular stated concern is to complete her “work” (Line 7). She describes this work as being burdensome, or “quite a load” (Line 10), which could mean she must complete physically strenuous tasks, or that the tasks demand mental “strength” (Line 9). Also, she needs to complete the tasks in a timely fashion: They “could not wait” (Line 7). While she understands how to complete her work, she feels small in comparison with the “hulking Prejudice” (Line 11). This personification develops the theme of how prejudice is an obstacle in the speaker’s progression.

Stanzas three through six include at least four different methods of persuasion that the speaker uses to try to get “Prejudice” (Line 11) to move. The variety of rhetorical strategies included develops the theme of female intellect. In stanza three, the speaker first tries to persuade “Prejudice” (Line 11) by speaking “politely” (Line 13). This appeal to a sense of manners, or common courtesy, results only in Prejudice smiling. Etiquette does not convince him to move. It is notable here that the speaker begins to refer to Prejudice with male pronouns, as well, implying that it is some form of male or masculine prejudice impeding her momentum.

In stanza four, the next rhetorical strategy—or method of persuasion—the speaker uses is logical argumentation. She “reasoned quietly” (Line 19), indicating that she uses facts or other forms of logic. Despite her excellent arguments, which are compared to those of the Biblical Solomon, prejudice “sat there like a fool” (Line 24). This stanza develops the theme about overcoming obstacles by suggesting that prejudice is illogical.

In the fifth stanza, the speaker changes strategies; she tries to use embodied emotions and physical actions to persuade him. The speaker “flew into a passion” (Line 25), which indicates she leaves behind logic and reason. The speaker says she resorts to profanity and incomprehensible yelling, and even “pelted” (Line 27) him. Prejudice gets “mad” (Line 29) but does not move. While showing the woman’s many modes of communication, these tactics all still fail.

The speaker’s final attempt at persuasion in the sixth stanza is taking a humble posture and begging. The act of genuflection, or “kneeling” (Line 32), is associated with religious or courtly traditions requiring obeisance, or a physical representation of deference to a higher power. However, “begg[ing]” (Line 31) does not convince him to move. Gilman uses a simile to compare prejudice’s immobility with the “monument [...] at Bunker Hill” (Line 36). This granite monument commemorates the Revolutionary War and was dedicated shortly before Perkins Gilman was born.

The seventh stanza marks a turn, or change, in the direction of the poetic narrative. The speaker takes a moment to sit down and experience her emotions—she feels “helpless” (Line 37) and sad. As evening approaches and the speaker looks at nature, she becomes inspired to try another tactic. Her mindful moment leads to “sudden inspiration” (Line 41), developing the theme of nature’s power.

In the eighth and final stanza, the speaker stops personifying prejudice and acts as if he is a disembodied spirit. After standing back up and collecting her personal things—her “hat” and “stick” (Line 43)—as well as the items needed for her errands, she characterizes “Prejudice” (Line 11) as an “incubus” (Line 45), which is a male demon-spirit known for targeting women. This change in her perception is combined with a change of attitude; she acts indifferent, or with “an absent-minded air” (Line 46). Then, the speaker can walk “directly through [Prejudice]” (Line 47) and does not feel anything. Her free passage along the road represents overcoming prejudice by simply pretending it does not exist.