'The Breast' by Anne Sexton
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This is the key to it.
This is the key to everything.
Preciously.
I am worse than the gamekeeper's children
picking for dust and bread.
Here I am drumming up perfume.
Let me go down on your carpet,
your straw mattress -- whatever's at hand
because the child in me is dying, dying.
It is not that I am cattle to be eaten.
It is not that I am some sort of street.
But your hands found me like an architect.
Jugful of milk! It was yours years ago
when I lived in the valley of my bones,
bones dumb in the swamp. Little playthings.
A xylophone maybe with skin
stretched over it awkwardly.
Only later did it become something real.
Later I measured my size against movie stars.
I didn't measure up. Something between
my shoulders was there. But never enough.
Sure, there was a meadow,
but no yound men singing the truth.
Nothing to tell truth by.
Ignorant of men I lay next to my sisters
and rising out of the ashes I cried
my sex will be transfixed!
Now I am your mother, your daughter, your brand new thing -- a snail, a nest.
I am alive when your fingers are.
I wear silk -- the cover to uncover --
because silk is what I want you to think of.
But I dislike the cloth. It is too stern.
So tell me anything but track me like a climber
for here is the eye, here is the jewel,
here is the excitement the nipple learns.
I am unbalanced -- but I am not mad with snow.
I am mad the way young girls are mad,
with an offering, an offering...
I burn the way money burns.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Breast by Anne Sexton: A Critical Analysis
Anne Sexton's "The Breast" is a haunting and raw portrayal of a woman's relationship with her body. It is a poem that delves deep into the psyche of a woman who has undergone a mastectomy and chronicles her experiences, emotions and thoughts as she comes to terms with her altered body. This poem is an important contribution to feminist poetry and is one of Sexton's most powerful works. In this critical analysis, I will be examining the themes, symbols and language used in the poem, and exploring its significance.
Themes
The central theme of "The Breast" is the body and its relationship with the self. The poem explores the idea that a woman's body is not just a physical entity, but also a part of her identity, her sense of self. The speaker in the poem, who is a woman, has lost a breast due to mastectomy and is struggling to come to terms with the loss. She feels that her body, and by extension, her self, has been altered and is no longer the same. This is evident in the lines, "The breast that was here is no longer here. / Why is there no trace of it now, / not even a nipple?" The speaker's sense of self is intimately tied to her body, and losing a part of it has left her feeling incomplete, inadequate and alone.
Another important theme in the poem is the idea of powerlessness. The speaker feels powerless in the face of her illness and the medical procedures that she has to undergo. She is subject to the whims of doctors and nurses who decide what is best for her body, and she has no control over her own fate. This is evident in the lines, "A small band of doctors gathered to discuss me. / The young one sighed. / The others looked out of the window." The speaker is reduced to an object of discussion, a patient to be treated, and her own desires and needs are ignored.
The theme of gender is also important in the poem. The speaker is a woman, and her experiences are shaped by her gender. She feels that her body is not just her own, but is also subject to the expectations and judgments of society. She is expected to look a certain way, and losing a breast has made her feel like she has failed in this regard. This is evident in the lines, "I had a breast amputated. / The nipple gone, / my hips hideous, / without breasts / I am not a woman." The speaker's sense of femininity is tied to her physical appearance, and losing a breast has made her feel like she has lost her womanhood.
Symbols
Sexton uses a number of symbols in "The Breast" to convey the central themes of the poem. One of the most important symbols is the breast itself. The breast is not just a physical part of the body, but also a symbol of femininity, motherhood and sexuality. Losing a breast is therefore a deeply traumatic experience for the woman in the poem, and it represents the loss of many things that are important to her.
Another important symbol in the poem is the hospital. The hospital represents the medical establishment and the power that it holds over the individual. The hospital is a place where the speaker's body is subject to medical procedures and treatments, and where she is reduced to a patient rather than a person. The hospital is also a place of fear and anxiety, where the speaker feels vulnerable and powerless.
The symbol of the mask is also significant in the poem. The speaker describes how she wears a mask in order to hide her face from the doctors and nurses who are examining her. The mask represents the speaker's desire to remain anonymous and to protect herself from the judgments of others. It also represents the way in which the medical establishment reduces the individual to a faceless patient, rather than a human being.
Language
Sexton's use of language in "The Breast" is powerful and emotive. She uses vivid and visceral imagery to convey the speaker's emotions and experiences. For example, when the speaker describes the amputation of her breast, she uses language that is both shocking and haunting. She writes, "They took my breast away / and now I am like a man / with a chest where a flat stone / is put in place daily / to mock my femininity." The language here is raw and powerful, conveying the pain and sense of loss that the speaker feels.
Another important aspect of Sexton's language is her use of repetition. She repeats certain phrases throughout the poem, such as "The breast that was here is no longer here" and "I am not a woman." This repetition serves to reinforce the speaker's sense of loss and powerlessness, and to emphasize the central themes of the poem.
Sexton also uses irony and sarcasm in the poem to highlight the hypocrisy and insensitivity of society towards women's bodies. For example, when the speaker describes how she has been told that her mastectomy will not affect her femininity, she writes, "I am assured that this will not affect my sex life. / My sex life! / As though that were all there was to it!" The use of sarcasm here serves to highlight the way in which women's bodies are objectified and reduced to their sexual function, rather than being valued as a whole.
Significance
"The Breast" is a significant poem in the canon of feminist poetry, and is one of Sexton's most powerful works. It is a deeply personal and emotive portrayal of a woman's relationship with her body, and explores themes of powerlessness, gender and identity. The poem is also significant in the way that it challenges the medical establishment and society's expectations of women's bodies.
Sexton's use of language and imagery in the poem is powerful and emotive, and serves to convey the central themes of the poem. The symbols that she uses, such as the breast and the hospital, are also significant in the way that they convey the speaker's experiences and emotions.
Overall, "The Breast" is a powerful and haunting poem that speaks to the experience of many women who have faced illness and loss. It is a testament to Sexton's skill as a poet, and to her courage in exploring difficult and personal subject matter. The poem's significance lies in its ability to challenge our assumptions about women's bodies, and to highlight the importance of valuing them as a whole.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Breast by Anne Sexton is a classic poem that explores the complex relationship between a woman and her body. This powerful and evocative piece of literature delves into the themes of identity, femininity, and the struggle for self-acceptance.
At its core, The Breast is a poem about a woman's relationship with her own body. The speaker in the poem is a woman who has undergone a mastectomy, and she is struggling to come to terms with the loss of her breast. Throughout the poem, she grapples with feelings of shame, anger, and confusion as she tries to make sense of what has happened to her.
One of the most striking aspects of The Breast is the way in which Sexton uses language to convey the speaker's emotions. The poem is filled with vivid and visceral imagery that captures the intensity of the speaker's feelings. For example, in the opening lines of the poem, Sexton writes:
"The breast that feeds the world is the breast that was my pillow when I was a baby."
These lines are both beautiful and haunting, as they evoke a sense of loss and longing. The breast that once nourished the speaker is now gone, and she is left feeling empty and alone.
Throughout the poem, Sexton uses powerful metaphors to explore the speaker's relationship with her body. For example, she compares her breast to a "sack of fat" and a "sack of gold." These metaphors highlight the conflicting emotions that the speaker is experiencing. On the one hand, she feels as though her breast is a burden that she is better off without. On the other hand, she recognizes the value and beauty of her body, even in its altered state.
Another key theme in The Breast is the idea of femininity. The speaker in the poem is a woman, and her breast is a symbol of her femininity. When she loses her breast, she feels as though she has lost a part of herself. She struggles to reconcile her sense of self with her altered body, and she is left feeling confused and uncertain.
Sexton explores this theme in a number of ways throughout the poem. For example, she writes:
"I am a woman and we are supposed to love our breasts."
These lines highlight the societal expectations that are placed on women to conform to certain standards of beauty and femininity. The speaker feels as though she has failed to live up to these expectations, and she is left feeling ashamed and alone.
Despite the difficult subject matter, The Breast is a deeply moving and powerful poem. Sexton's use of language is masterful, and she captures the complexity of the speaker's emotions with great skill. The poem is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, and it offers a powerful message of hope and self-acceptance.
In conclusion, The Breast by Anne Sexton is a classic poem that explores the complex relationship between a woman and her body. Through vivid imagery and powerful metaphors, Sexton captures the intensity of the speaker's emotions as she struggles to come to terms with the loss of her breast. The poem is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit, and it offers a message of hope and self-acceptance that is as relevant today as it was when it was first written.
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