AnneSextonpoems
“TheAddict”
ComparethistoSylviaPlath’s“Insomniac”
“IlikethemmorethanIlikeme”–speakerlikesthepillsmorethananythingelse
AnneSextononceaskedherpsychiatristifshecouldbeaddictedwithoutcausing
harm.
“Selfin1958”
Wearingmasks
Playingarole
Mrs.Rombauer(authorofTheJoyofCooking)
Sheisn’treallyliving,justgoingthroughthemotions
“Rumpelstiltskin”
Sextonrewrotefairytalesfromafeministperspectivebecauseshewantedtounveil
theuglytruthstheycontainedtoquestionthedeadlinessofsocialconstructions—
thepowerrelationsbetweenthesexes—theoppressionofwomen.Heroutlookon
women’sliberationwasnotoptimistic,butatleastshewaswillingtotacklethe
issues.Thesepoemsdealwiththe“truesituation”ofwomenduringthe1950sand
1960sandunderminethefalsepromisesoftheclassicalfairytales.
“Sylvia’sDeath”
SextontoldaninterviewerthatsheandPlathoftentalkedaboutsuicide:“Sylviaand
Iwouldtalkatlengthaboutourfirstsuicide,indetailandindepth—betweenthe
freepotatochips.Suicideis,afterall,theoppositeofthepoem.SylviaandIoften
talkedopposites.Wetalkeddeathwithburned-upintensity,bothofusdrawntoit
likemothstoanelectriclightbulb,suckingonit.Shetoldthestoryofherfirstsuicide
insweetandlovingdetail,andherdescriptioninTheBellJarisjustthatsamestory”
(parisreview.org).
SextonisangryandjealousofPlath’ssuicide.
“AllMyPrettyOnes”
Bothofherparentsdiedin1959.Ingoingthroughtheirphotos,sherealizesthere
arenophotosofher.
Sheisnotattached:“Ilockthemintotheirbookandthrowthemout”
Doesshereallyforgivethem?