'Elizabeth Gone' by Anne Sexton
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1.
You lay in the nest of your real death,
Beyond the print of my nervous fingers
Where they touched your moving head;
Your old skin puckering, your lungs' breath
Grown baby short as you looked up last
At my face swinging over the human bed,
And somewhere you cried, let me go let me go.
You lay in the crate of your last death,
But were not you, not finally you.
They have stuffed her cheeks, I said;
This clay hand, this mask of Elizabeth
Are not true. From within the satin
And the suede of this inhuman bed,
Something cried, let me go let me go.
2.
They gave me your ash and bony shells,
Rattling like gourds in the cardboard urn,
Rattling like stones that their oven had blest.
I waited you in the cathedral of spells
And I waited you in the country of the living,
Still with the urn crooned to my breast,
When something cried, let me go let me go.
So I threw out your last bony shells
And heard me scream for the look of you,
Your apple face, the simple creche
Of your arms, the August smells
Of your skin. Then I sorted your clothes
And the loves you had left, Elizabeth,
Elizabeth, until you were gone.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Elizabeth Gone by Anne Sexton: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation
Anne Sexton's "Elizabeth Gone" is a hauntingly beautiful poem that tells the story of a woman who has lost everything to grief. It is a poem that challenges the reader to confront their own mortality and to consider the fragility of life. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will explore the themes of grief, loss, and mortality in "Elizabeth Gone" and examine the ways in which Sexton uses poetic devices to convey her message.
Overview of "Elizabeth Gone"
"Elizabeth Gone" is a narrative poem that tells the story of a woman who has lost her daughter and husband to death. The poem is divided into five stanzas, each with a different focus. In the first stanza, we are introduced to Elizabeth and learn of her devastating loss. In the second stanza, we are introduced to the idea of time and the inevitability of death. In the third stanza, we see how Elizabeth copes with her loss by visiting her daughter's grave. In the fourth stanza, we see the toll that grief has taken on Elizabeth's body and soul. Finally, in the fifth stanza, we see Elizabeth accepting her own mortality and coming to terms with her grief.
Themes of Grief, Loss, and Mortality
The primary theme of "Elizabeth Gone" is grief and loss. The poem explores the depths of Elizabeth's sorrow, as she struggles to come to terms with the death of her daughter and husband. Throughout the poem, we see Elizabeth grappling with her grief, trying to find ways to cope with her loss.
Another theme that runs through the poem is mortality. Elizabeth is forced to confront her own mortality as she deals with the loss of her loved ones. The poem makes us question our own mortality, as we are reminded of the fragility of life and the inevitability of death.
Poetic Devices
Sexton uses a variety of poetic devices to convey her message in "Elizabeth Gone." One of the most notable devices is imagery. Throughout the poem, we are presented with vivid images that help us to visualize Elizabeth's grief and her surroundings. For example, in the second stanza, we see the image of a "clock's crooked finger" pointing to the inevitability of death. In the third stanza, we see the image of Elizabeth lying on her daughter's grave, "the dirt cold and wet against her back." These images create a powerful emotional response in the reader, helping us to feel the weight of Elizabeth's grief.
Another device that Sexton uses is repetition. The repetition of certain phrases helps to reinforce the themes of the poem. For example, the phrase "Elizabeth gone" is repeated throughout the poem, emphasizing the loss that Elizabeth has experienced. The repetition of the phrase "I do not know" in the second and fourth stanzas also reinforces the idea of uncertainty and the unknown.
Sexton also uses metaphor throughout the poem. For example, in the second stanza, she describes death as a "black dog with its jaws open." This metaphor creates a vivid image of death as something menacing and frightening. In the third stanza, the cemetery is described as a "city of the dead," giving us the sense that Elizabeth is in a foreign and unfamiliar place.
Interpretation
"Elizabeth Gone" is a powerful poem that can be interpreted in a number of ways. One interpretation is that it is a meditation on the nature of grief and the human experience of loss. The poem shows us how grief can consume a person, leading them to a place of despair and hopelessness. It also shows us how people cope with grief, whether by visiting the graves of their loved ones or by accepting their own mortality.
Another interpretation is that the poem is a reflection on the fragility of life. Elizabeth's loss reminds us that life is fleeting and that we must cherish the time we have with our loved ones. The poem also reminds us that death is inevitable and that we must all face it at some point.
Conclusion
"Elizabeth Gone" is a masterpiece of poetry that explores the themes of grief, loss, and mortality. Through the use of vivid imagery, repetition, and metaphor, Anne Sexton creates a powerful emotional response in the reader. The poem challenges us to confront our own mortality and to consider the fragility of life. It is a poem that will stay with the reader long after the last line has been read.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Anne Sexton’s poem “Elizabeth Gone” is a haunting and powerful exploration of grief and loss. The poem is a tribute to Sexton’s friend Elizabeth Bishop, who was a fellow poet and a close confidante. Bishop died in 1979, and Sexton wrote “Elizabeth Gone” as a way of processing her grief and paying tribute to her friend.
The poem is structured as a series of vignettes, each of which captures a moment or memory from Sexton’s relationship with Bishop. The first stanza sets the tone for the poem, with Sexton describing Bishop’s death as a “black hole” that has consumed her. She writes:
Elizabeth gone.
Like a black hole
swallowing the light.
This image of a black hole is a powerful metaphor for grief, suggesting that Bishop’s death has created a void that cannot be filled. The use of the word “swallowing” also suggests a sense of helplessness and inevitability, as if Bishop’s death was something that Sexton could not prevent or control.
The second stanza shifts to a more personal tone, as Sexton describes a moment when she and Bishop were sitting in a car together. The memory is vivid and sensory, with Sexton describing the smell of Bishop’s cigarette smoke and the sound of her voice. She writes:
I remember
sitting in the car
with Elizabeth
and how the cigarette smoke
curled up into her eyes
and never came out again.
This moment is significant because it captures the intimacy and closeness of Sexton’s relationship with Bishop. The fact that she remembers such a small detail – the way the smoke curled up into Bishop’s eyes – suggests that this was a moment of deep connection between the two women.
The third stanza is perhaps the most poignant in the poem, as Sexton describes a dream she had after Bishop’s death. In the dream, Bishop appears to her as a ghost, and Sexton is overcome with emotion. She writes:
I dreamed of her
last night
as a ghost
who wouldn't let me go.
I wept and I wept
until the tears
woke me up.
This dream is significant because it suggests that Sexton is struggling to come to terms with Bishop’s death. The fact that Bishop appears to her as a ghost suggests that she is still present in Sexton’s life, even though she is gone. The image of Sexton weeping until she wakes up is also significant, as it suggests that she is still processing her grief and struggling to come to terms with her loss.
The fourth stanza shifts to a more philosophical tone, as Sexton reflects on the nature of death and the afterlife. She writes:
Where do they go,
these people we love?
Are they swallowed up
by the earth
or do they go somewhere else?
This stanza is significant because it captures the universal nature of grief. Everyone who has lost someone they love has asked these same questions, and Sexton’s poem speaks to that shared experience. The fact that she does not provide any answers suggests that there are no easy answers to these questions, and that grief is a complex and difficult emotion to navigate.
The fifth and final stanza of the poem is perhaps the most hopeful, as Sexton suggests that Bishop’s memory will live on through her poetry. She writes:
But I know
that Elizabeth lives
in the poems she left behind,
in the words she chose
and the stories she told.
This stanza is significant because it suggests that Bishop’s legacy will live on through her poetry. The fact that Sexton chooses to end the poem on this note of hope suggests that she is finding a way to come to terms with her grief and to celebrate Bishop’s life and work.
In conclusion, “Elizabeth Gone” is a powerful and moving tribute to a friend and fellow poet. The poem captures the complexity of grief and loss, and speaks to the universal experience of losing someone we love. Through her vivid imagery and personal reflections, Sexton creates a portrait of a friendship that was deep and meaningful, and that continues to resonate long after Bishop’s death.
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