Robert Lowell, in “To Speak of the Woe in Marriage,” tries to explain the point of view of the woman in an embattled relationship by using quotations to have her speak about her husband’s behavior.

Although I do believe that she is genuinely concerned for him, she is obviously very concerned about her own welfare as well. When she mentions that he might kill his wife, I believe that she is too scared to admit that it is she who might be killed. Many wives are stuck in relationships, wondering why their partners do the things they do to undermine the marriage. The feeling creates frustration which sometimes can lead to anger . The poem’s speaker reveals such frustration and anger when she wonders what makes him tick.

Apparently she does not see him as she once saw him. He seems only to go after what he wants, whether it be his wife or someone else. In the end, though, she prefers to have him home for even a while rather than not have him home at all.