Judith Wright was a prominent Australian writer known for her poetry, criticism, and activism. Originally published in the 1966 collection The Other Half, "Eve to Her Daughters" presents the biblical Eve as a speaker addressing her daughters (the modern women of the mid-20th century) concerning the original sin and fall from grace, as well as the values put forth in the modern world.
In the poem, Eve speaks freely to her female posterity concerning the circumstances of adjusting to modern earthly life and of her relationship with her husband, Adam. Adam's hubris and obsession with figuring out the mechanism of things has replaced his faith in God, and Eve examines both her own faults and the faults of her husband.
Metaphysical issues are a concern in Wright's work, though as time went on her political activism became more of a theme in her writing. The collection The Other Half, as suggested by the name, deals with duality and reconciliation. Feminist ideas can be found in "Eve to Her Daughters," which criticizes the destruction brought about by violence and entitlement in the modern world. This poem can be read as a call to action for modern women to participate in leadership roles and address the issues in today's world.
