SORROW AND REMORSE IN ANNE SEXTON’S POETRY

Faten Hammoud

Abstract


Readers and critics alike responded to Anne Sexton's confessional poetry in conflict during the 1950s and 60s. Because of the authentic way in which her poems delve into emotions, some critics had a positive opinion of her poetry. However, some critics contended that Sexton's writing was tainted by her emotions rather than being poetry in the traditional sense. The nature of emotion in poetry and its importance are assessed by the critics in each scenario. Emotions, in fact, secure the sense and meaning of the poetry in a sense-making manner. This essay argues that Sexton's use of emotion to convey her feelings about particular events is evident in her poetry. Through an analysis of her poetry, one can discern the ways in which her individual emotions shaped the overall structure of the poem as well as the shaping spirit and cognitive dimension of emotion. This essay examines the feelings of regret and grief found in Anne Sexton's poetry and shows how these feelings explain the things that happened in her life and give her poems meaning and logic. It makes the case that the emotion found in Sexton's poetry is based on assessments and judgments the woman has made about things that have happened in her life. Sexton considered these events and her feelings about them with awareness and intelligence.

 

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Keywords


Anne Sexton; confessional poetry; emotions; regret; grief

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejls.v5i1.490

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