Many times in life it is easy to get wrapped up in daily checklists. Forgetting that there is more to life than what we think needs to be accomplished is easy to do. William Woodsworth produces a theme in "Nuns Fret Not at Their Convent's Narrow Room" that contradicts this way of living. He wants people to know that life cannot be walked through blindly. Woodsworth uses paradox by the examples he gives to create a sense of false happiness and pairs pleasant verbiage with rhyme to set a light but serious tone so the reader doesn't feel targeted.

The overall theme expressed throughout the poem is that there's more to life than people may see going through their everyday routines; it is okay to take a step back and have a time to find peace in the craziness of life. In "Nuns Fret Not at Their Convent's Narrow Room" Woodward uses the word "blithe" (5) to describe an example of this. There are two definitions for this word, one is simply happy or joyous and one refers to a more negative quality, the happy or carefree feeling of indifference toward something. Either definition would work, and being paired with happy, one would maybe infer the use of the first definition but collecting information and tone throughout the rest of the poem it seems more suited that the latter definition be used. This conclusion can be made where Woodward writes "In truth the prison, unto which we doom / Ourselves, no prison is . . ." (8-9) in these lines Woodward portrays people's lives, even though unique to each individual, as being a "prison" (8) or a confine to what it could be if we ditched the daily checklists we try to complete thus the further explanation of "Ourselves, no prison is . . ." (9). There is a solution to the problem of feeling trapped and suffocated by daily trials and it is finding something that gives them even just a brief moment of peace. When Woodward talks about this solution the speaker and Woodward become one. He wrote:

In sundry moods, 'twas pastime to be bound

Within the Sonnet's scanty plot of ground;

Pleased if some Souls (for such there needs much be)

Who have felt the weight of too much liberty,

Should find brief solace there, as I have found. (10-14)

The speaker talks about finding "brief solace" (14) or peace "Within the Sonnet's scanty plot of ground" (11) which is a type of poem and Woodward is indeed a poet. This correlation between Woodward and the speaker makes it all the more real of an issue. He is no longer pointing fingers, he is including himself in this sad reality of life, making it easier for the reader to relate. 

Next to the reoccurring theme, paradox also plays a big part in the poem "Nuns Fret Not at Their Convent's Narrow Room." The octave lines of the poem have no correlation to each other when looked at individually and at first glance it is easy to ask, what do any of these situations have in common? Then when picked apart individually they make even less sense. For example, "Nuns fret not at their convent's narrow room" (1) any normal person would be dissatisfied and uncomfortable with living in tight quarters. Then the next line "And hermits are contented with their cells" (2) has a similar context, because anyone not a hermit (someone living in solitude) would get stir crazy from the small living quarters. Woodward continues to list situations such as these, then the word blithe is used when he mentions the weavers. ". . . the weaver at his loom" (4) a typical visual placed with weavers is they sit hours on end at their looms, doing mindless work, which plays into the more negative use of the word blithe because even though it is placed after the word happy, it is more of an empty content rather than real joy. Woodward, in giving these examples, is trying to hint at the ruts of life that can easily trap us. Another use of paradox is "In truth the prison, unto which we doom / Ourselves, no prison is . . ." (8-9) through the word prison. Woodward first says truth is the prison but then says it is not. His point in this is to get the reader to understand that a lot of times the mind makes things up to be worse than they are. In this way we confine ourselves, which leads to not living life to the fullest.

Along with gaining the readers' trust by including himself in the entrapping of daily life, Woodward uses buoyant language and rhyme to give an easy going tone making the flash of reality he suggests less harsh. He does a good job of not pointing fingers in this poem which is hard to do when suggesting something so critical -- walking through life blindly is a scary thought. Life is so short how could we miss out on fully experiencing its greatness, but this is what Woodward is suggesting and he does it with such grace by the use of words "fret not" (1), "contented" (2), "happy" (5), "soar" (5), etc. They lighten the mood, as well as his use of rhyming makes which it easier and more enjoyable to read even with the harsh reality of the theme. 

The poem "Nuns Fret Not at Their Convent's Narrow Room" is an easy poem to glaze over. It can be even an almost fun reading experience at first because of the pleasant tone Woodward creates with his choice of buoyant words and the easy flow produced through its rhyme. He subtly implies the theme and calls people to pay more attention in their walk through life. To set aside time for peace, to make it a more enjoyable experience, instead of holding onto an artificial happiness. These realizations may be hard for people to grasp but Woodward addresses it thoroughly and politely by not criticizing the reader, making the message easier to absorb.

