Lines 14-25 of “Manet’s Olympia” from Morning in the Burned House, by Margaret Atwood. 14 But. Consider the body, 15 unfragile, defiant, the pale nipples 16 staring you right in the bull’s-eye. 17 Consider also the black ribbon 18 around the neck. What’s under it? 19 A fine red threadline, where the head 20 was taken off and glued back on. 21 The body’s on offer, 22 but the neck’s as far as it goes. 23 This is no morsel. 24 Put clothes on her and you’d have a schoolteacher, 25 the kind with the brittle whiphand. The poem “Manet’s Olympia” was published in 1995 by Margaret Atwood as a part of Morning in the Burned House. It describes the 1863 painting "Olympia” by Édouard Manet. The painting depicts a woman, Olympia, naked and confident in herself and her sexuality. While the standard for paintings in the 1860s did include naked women, they were often depicted as shy or reserved. It was Olympia’s attitude of confidence and defiance that disturbed the public. Lines 14-25 of "Manet’s Olympia", a poem written by Margaret Atwood, utilize vivid imagery to describe Olympia, who reclaims her identity through her sexuality in a male-dominated society.  Atwood details Olympia reclaiming her sexuality through vivid imagery of her body, conveying the importance of female confidence in a male-dominated world. Atwood describes Olympia’s body as “unfragile” and “defiant” illustrating her bold personality (15, Atwood). "Olympia" was painted in the 1860s. Her bold personality contrasts the societal expectations for women in a world dominated by men. It conveys the message that women should not be shy, reserved, and submissive to men, but instead defiant to their unreasonable and unequal standards. Rather than submit to their demands, women should defy them, and rise to equality. This message is still just as prevalent today, as women continue to struggle for both equality and equity. This message proves important and relevant to me, as a woman who wishes to pursue a career in STEM, a traditionally male-dominated field. It is important that, as women, we defy unreasonable societal expectations and continue to go for equity and equality.  Atwood further illustrates Olympia’s bold personality as she describes her “pale nipples/staring you right in the bull’s-eye.” (lines 15-16, Atwood). Atwood brings the viewer’s attention directly to Olympia’s nipples, which are inherently sexual. By doing this, it reverses the power dynamic. Rather than shame Olympia for her sexuality and giving the viewer power and control; Olympia is given the power and control to reclaim her sexuality through her boldness. The viewer is left feeling shameful, rather than lustful. It conveys that women utilize their sexuality to take back the power and control from men, and the importance of women reclaiming this power. It is important to the identity of a woman and her autonomy to have this control over herself, her sexuality, and her body.  Olympia’s “body’s on offer”, as she exposes herself, “but the neck’s as far as it goes” (lines 21-22, Atwood). This illustrates Olympia’s autonomy over herself and control of her sexuality. Olympia decides to put her body on offer and expose herself, it is not a decision that a man, or anyone else made for her. However, “the neck’s as far as it goes” (22, Atwood), conveying that it is only her body exposed. Her head, or her mind is not exposed for anyone else to see. She keeps the most important part of herself private and hidden from the rest of the world. Despite appearing so exposed to the world, she is more private and personal.  Atwood illustrates the way Olympia is dressed, communicating the idea that how a woman dresses does not define her or her abilities. Olympia is described in her nakedness, however, Atwood claims that you could “put clothes on her and you’d have a schoolteacher”, conveying the idea that what a woman wears does not define her or her abilities (line 24, Atwood). A schoolteacher is described as proper, and someone who would have a “brittle whiphand” and is more formal (line 25, Atwood). It is the opposite of what Olympia is described to be: naked, “unfragile”, and “defiant” (line 15, Atwood). By drawing this contrast, Atwood brings up the idea that, even though Olympia is sexual here, a woman’s sexuality does not define her. Even though Olympia is sexual, she is also proper and formal. Her naked appearance does not define her or her capabilities.  Atwood details the “black ribbon/around her neck”, separating Olympia’s mind from her body (lines 17-18, Atwood). Atwood uses the black ribbon, one of the few articles of clothing Olympia is wearing, to separate Olympia’s mind and body. Her body is displayed and exposed to the world, but her mind is kept hidden. This contrast between what Olympia chooses to expose and hide conveys the importance of a woman’s choice and her autonomy over her body. The black ribbon is also used to cover “a fine red, threadline, where the head/was taken off and glued back on” (lines 19-20, Atwood). This red threadline further separates Olympia’s head, or her mind from her body. Despite her body being so exposed, her mind is not. Her head/mind is separated from her exposed body.  In conclusion, Margaret Atwood utilizes vivid imagery in the poem “Manet’s Olympia” to describe Olympia as she reclaims her identity through her sexuality in a male-dominated society. Manet painted Olympia to challenge the idea that women needed to be submissive, shy, and reserved. Atwood further illustrated these ideas through her imagery of Olympia and characterizing her as a woman who is confident in reclaiming her sexuality. These themes continue to remain prevalent in today’s society, as women continue to struggle to remain confident in claiming their identities.