This idea is further reiterated when one takes into consideration Neruda’s use of the word body, a word which is repeated throughout the poem. “Body” in itself implies many different individual parts coming together in unison to form one full functional being. It can be said that in this poem in particular the body serves as an extended metaphor, coming to represent the people of Chile. However it is imperative to note the distinction Neruda draws between the people of Chile and the country of Chile itself. Neruda’s active choice to refer to the “body of a woman” rather than the woman itself shows that he appreciates the people that constitute the country rather than the country on its own. This could thus be seen as Neruda’s way of distancing himself from the politically tarnished view of Chile and thus seeking to draw attention to the Chileans people instead. Yet in taking this argument into consideration it is still apparent the Neruda is deliberately ambiguous in his choice of title. By doing so he subsequently universalises the concept so that it can be taken either literally as a physical “body of a woman” or as a representation of other countries, perhaps in a similar state to Chile. So although the poem can be seen as having a significant relation to Chile, Neruda’s fatherland, it isn’t necessarily specific to Chile.
Neruda then goes on to create a state of melancholy in relation to his country, seen in the third stanza of the poem. Yet he sustains that he will remain faithful to his country: “But the hour of vengeance falls, and I love you.” The use of the word “hour” to represent a relatively short period of time could be reference once again to the political instability of his country. Within the space of one year, two forms of government were overtaken through a military coup. Thus the “vengeance” of the newer government seeking to overthrow the old could be Neruda’s way of depicting the violence, which is in itself an inevitability when such things occur. Coupled with Neruda’s personification of “vengeance” depicting it as falling, the reader is able to see such military coups as occurring suddenly, as is the very nature of falling. Despite all of this though Neruda still “loves” his country. Yet he is expressing his love only “I love you”. Although it could be argued that Neruda is inadvertently expressing the views of others in his country, this doesn’t seem to be his primary intention in this verse. Conversely it appears the verse’s main intention is to display the emotions of Neruda, as if he isn’t actively seeking to be the voice of “Chile”.
However we can see that Neruda’s aim is not to solely lament upon the state of Chile as he does bring exclusive attention to the people of Chile at some point. Neruda seems to upset at the waster of potential he sees within his country. “Body of skin, of moss, of eager and firm milk”, these qualities in themselves create a fertile almost earthly image. “Eager and firm milk” is of significant importance as it related to the reader that the “body” is eager it is willing change to occur. Moreover milk provides a sense of nurturing, a possible reference to the countries great fertile land. This thus highlights the potential that the country has and on the part of the reader further emphasises the fact that it is being wasted. Adding on to this Neruda then juxtaposes these images of hope for the country with the melancholy views of the Chileans: “Oh you voice, slow and sad!” It is apparent that Neruda is visibly perturbed by the sadness of his people, highlighted poignantly through the use of the word “oh”. Here in particular he really implores the audience to examine the voices of the Chileans. He even allows the reader to pause and reflect upon the voice signified by his use of the comma after voice. By doing so Neruda ensures that the reader hears clearly the literal voice of the people. Just like him the people are “sad”, indicative of the fact that they too are disheartened by the lack of political change.
Yet despite all of this, in the final stanza Neruda then takes the title of the poem and changes it giving the poem a more optimistic tone to end upon. He uses personal pronouns as a means of conveying his pride in being part of Chile “Body of my woman, I will persist in your grace.” Here he takes possession of his country as it is literally described as being his, giving the poem an heir of patriotism. Nonetheless the reader gets a sense that Neruda’s patriotism is not wanted by all in the country, owing to the use of the word “persist”. This indicates a type of struggle whereby Neruda’s consistency in trying to be the voice of his country by highlighting his view on matters results in the annoyance and aggravation of others. This ultimately shows that Neruda is not wanted. With historical knowledge it is possible to presume that here Neruda is inadvertently trying to show those in power in Chile that he will continue to voice his views on Chilean matters, despite animosity from the government. This could have inadvertently made him the “voice of Chile” for many Chilean as Neruda ability to express their views openly to the world would have given them a sense of liberation. Even so, in this verse in particular it doesn’t feel that this is Neruda’s true intention. He is once again using his poetry as a means of conveying how he feels primarily, yet in the process he reflects the views of other Chileans.
To conclude it is evident that Neruda does indeed publicise the views of Chileans including himself. Yet the question lies in whether or not this is his sole intention, or whether this is just something that Neruda ends up doing as a result of expressing his own views. Neruda is deliberately ambiguous throughout “Body of a Woman”; this thus allows individual readers to adopt a more personal connection with the poem as they find meaning that resonates with them.