Marie Curie
Nobel Prize–winning chemist and physicist Marie Curie is arguably the central focus of this poem. Though the speaker does not necessarily explore her scientific contributions in great detail, she does emphasize the physical toll that Curie’s studies took on her body. Marie Curie is described as being in purposeful denial about the source of her physical ailments late in life. These ailments include the cataracts in her eyes and her cracked and decaying fingertips. Despite the fact that Curie is described by her illnesses and body degradation, she is characterized as being remarkably strong, powerful, and resilient.
Speaker
The speaker uses this poem to share her views on power. Though the speaker does not divulge much about herself, she does make it very clear that she greatly respects Marie Curie and her incredible contributions to the scientific world—especially given that it was her work with radioactive material that led to her untimely death.
