I went to Boston fully expecting to be arrested - arrested by a polizia created by a government that my ancestors rebelled to establish.

Edna St. Vincent Millay’s quote, "I went to Boston fully expecting to be arrested - arrested by a polizia created by a government that my ancestors rebelled to establish," reflects her deep sense of irony and frustration with the state of American government. Millay, known for her progressive political views and advocacy for civil liberties, points out the contradiction between the revolutionary ideals that led to the founding of the United States and the authoritarian tendencies she perceives in the modern government. She highlights the irony that the police force (or polizia) enforcing the laws is part of a system established by the very government her ancestors fought against during the American Revolution.

The origin of this quote likely stems from Millay's active involvement in political and social causes, particularly during the early 20th century. As a poet and activist, Millay was outspoken about issues such as civil rights, free speech, and the role of government in suppressing dissent. Her remark could have been made in the context of one of her protests or encounters with law enforcement, reflecting her disillusionment with the government's use of power to control and suppress its citizens, especially in ways that seemed at odds with the ideals of freedom and liberty.

Millay's statement also reflects her frustration with the growth of government power and the role of law enforcement in maintaining order through methods she viewed as oppressive. The police force, once intended to protect freedom, now appears to Millay as a tool for enforcing a system that she sees as betraying the original goals of the American Revolution. She implies that Americans, rather than living in a land of freedom, have come to accept a system of control that mirrors the very tyranny they once fought against.

In essence, Millay’s quote serves as a critique of the state of American governance in her time, where she perceived a disconnect between the nation’s founding ideals and the reality of governmental authority. She expresses a sense of irony and disillusionment, using her expectation of being arrested as a symbol of how far the government had strayed from its revolutionary roots in terms of individual freedoms and personal rights.