She rose to His Requirement－dropt 1
The Playthings of Her Life
To take the honorable Work
Of Woman, and of Wife－
If ought She missed in Her new Day, 5
Of Amplitude, or Awe－
Or first Prospective－Or the Gold
In using, wear away,
It lay unmentioned－as the Sea 9
Develop Pearl, and Weed,
But only to Himself－be known
The Fathoms they abide－
The Playthings of Her Life
To take the honorable Work
Of Woman, and of Wife－
If ought She missed in Her new Day, 5
Of Amplitude, or Awe－
Or first Prospective－Or the Gold
In using, wear away,
It lay unmentioned－as the Sea 9
Develop Pearl, and Weed,
But only to Himself－be known
The Fathoms they abide－
(F.857/J.732)
[1] She:: Hester Prynne, the protagonist of The Scarlet Letter (1850) by Nathaniel Hawthorne. His:: Arthur Dimmesdale, Hester's lover.
[1, 2] dropt, Playthings:: Hester sacrificed the playthings of her life.
[3, 4] honorable Work Of Woman, Wife:: to serve her lover and daughter.
[5] new Day:: the days she wore the scarlet letter A in her bosom.
[6] Amplitude, Awe:: what she had lost in her new life.
[7] Prospective:: the action of looking out (OED B.n. 3).
[10] Pearl:: name of Hester's daughter, "Her Pearl!—for so had Hester called her." Weed:: a black garment worn in token of bereavement (OED 6); indicating Hester whose life was like a widow.
[11] Himself be known:: Arthur Dimmesdale knew the secret.
[12] they:: Hester and Arthur.
