A Strange Little Gypsy

A Strange Little Gypsy points toward the lack of purpose in a girl who has yet to find her place in society. Campana compares this stage in a girl’s life to a gypsy as to conceive the idea of a societal nomad and to give a sense of why he slanders her. At first, Campana shows weakness towards this girl’s appearance. “…your eye is glittering/Is too beautiful, your eye damns me.” (97).  Campana forgets the reality of this girl’s state when her eyes manipulate his soul, he gets tempted by the idea of showing sympathy as her eyes break him down. But Campana is afterwards hit by the reality of this girl’s true state, one without purpose to herself and those around her. So why does Campana find this state so appalling, worthy of slander and humiliation? Campana sees a girl who fails to associate with social norms as devilish. “Poor child how I slander you/Because you have tragic hair/And you dress in red and do not smell.” (99). The state of her appearance, dressed in red, outlines Campana’s belief this girl is possessed.  If she is not in touch with the ordinary, church going, respectful woman, the she can only be described as possessed. “What taste will your worthless tears have?” (99).  Even in her attempts at repentance this girl ‘s true soul is visible, her ugly feet a mirror of the devil’s. She has broken her ties to God and her chance to successively repent, her tears of no use. This poem surfaces the idea that Campana believes in male superiority.