'The Twelve Dancing Princesses' by Anne Sexton
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If you danced from midnight
to six A.M. who would understand?
The runaway boy
who chucks it all
to live on the Boston Common
on speed and saltines,
pissing in the duck pond,
rapping with the street priest,
trading talk like blows,
another missing person,
would understand.
The paralytic's wife
who takes her love to town,
sitting on the bar stool,
downing stingers and peanuts,
singing "That ole Ace down in the hole,"
would understand.
The passengers
from Boston to Paris
watching the movie with dawn
coming up like statues of honey,
having partaken of champagne and steak
while the world turned like a toy globe,
those murderers of the nightgown
would understand.
The amnesiac
who tunes into a new neighborhood,
having misplaced the past,
having thrown out someone else's
credit cards and monogrammed watch,
would understand.
The drunken poet
(a genius by daylight)
who places long-distance calls
at three A.M. and then lets you sit
holding the phone while he vomits
(he calls it "The Night of the Long Knives")
getting his kicks out of the death call,
would understand.
The insomniac
listening to his heart
thumping like a June bug,
listening on his transistor
to Long John Nebel arguing from New York,
lying on his bed like a stone table,
would understand.
The night nurse
with her eyes slit like Venetian blinds,
she of the tubes and the plasma,
listening to the heart monitor,
the death cricket bleeping,
she who calls you "we"
and keeps vigil like a ballistic missile,
would understand.
Once
this king had twelve daughters,
each more beautiful than the other.
They slept together, bed by bed
in a kind of girls' dormitory.
At night the king locked and bolted the door
. How could they possibly escape?
Yet each morning their shoes
were danced to pieces.
Each was as worn as an old jockstrap.
The king sent out a proclamation
that anyone who could discover
where the princesses did their dancing
could take his pick of the litter.
However there was a catch.
If he failed, he would pay with his life.
Well, so it goes.
Many princes tried,
each sitting outside the dormitory,
the door ajar so he could observe
what enchantment came over the shoes.
But each time the twelve dancing princesses
gave the snoopy man a Mickey Finn
and so he was beheaded.
Poof! Like a basketball.
It so happened that a poor soldier
heard about these strange goings on
and decided to give it a try.
On his way to the castle
he met an old old woman.
Age, for a change, was of some use.
She wasn't stuffed in a nursing home.
She told him not to drink a drop of wine
and gave him a cloak that would make
him invisible when the right time came.
And thus he sat outside the dorm.
The oldest princess brought him some wine
but he fastened a sponge beneath his chin,
looking the opposite of Andy Gump.
The sponge soaked up the wine,
and thus he stayed awake.
He feigned sleep however
and the princesses sprang out of their beds
and fussed around like a Miss America Contest.
Then the eldest went to her bed
and knocked upon it and it sank into the earth.
They descended down the opening
one after the other. They crafty soldier
put on his invisisble cloak and followed.
Yikes, said the youngest daughter,
something just stepped on my dress.
But the oldest thought it just a nail.
Next stood an avenue of trees,
each leaf make of sterling silver.
The soldier took a leaf for proof.
The youngest heard the branch break
and said, Oof! Who goes there?
But the oldest said, Those are
the royal trumpets playing triumphantly.
The next trees were made of diamonds.
He took one that flickered like Tinkerbell
and the youngest said: Wait up! He is here!
But the oldest said: Trumpets, my dear.
Next they came to a lake where lay
twelve boats with twelve enchanted princes
waiting to row them to the underground castle.
The soldier sat in the youngest's boat
and the boat was as heavy as if an icebox
had been added but the prince did not suspect.
Next came the ball where the shoes did duty.
The princesses danced like taxi girls at Roseland
as if those tickets would run right out.
They were painted in kisses with their secret hair
and though the soldier drank from their cups
they drank down their youth with nary a thought.
Cruets of champagne and cups full of rubies.
They danced until morning and the sun came up
naked and angry and so they returned
by the same strange route. The soldier
went forward through the dormitory and into
his waiting chair to feign his druggy sleep.
That morning the soldier, his eyes fiery
like blood in a wound, his purpose brutal
as if facing a battle, hurried with his answer
as if to the Sphinx. The shoes! The shoes!
The soldier told. He brought forth
the silver leaf, the diamond the size of a plum.
He had won. The dancing shoes would dance
no more. The princesses were torn from
their night life like a baby from its pacifier.
Because he was old he picked the eldest.
At the wedding the princesses averted their eyes
and sagged like old sweatshirts.
Now the runaways would run no more and never
again would their hair be tangled into diamonds,
never again their shoes worn down to a laugh,
never the bed falling down into purgatory
to let them climb in after
with their Lucifer kicking.
Submitted by Emily
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Twelve Dancing Princesses: A Deep Dive into Sexton's Fairy Tale World
Anne Sexton's The Twelve Dancing Princesses is a classic poem that has been captivating readers for decades. The poem is a reimagining of the Grimm Brothers' fairy tale of the same name, and it tells the story of twelve princesses who are locked up in their room every night but still manage to go dancing with twelve princes. Sexton's version of the tale is a dark and twisted retelling that explores themes of repression, conformity, and the quest for freedom. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will explore Sexton's use of symbolism, imagery, and language to uncover the deeper meaning behind The Twelve Dancing Princesses.
Background
Before diving into the poem itself, it's important to understand the context in which Sexton was writing. Sexton was a confessional poet who often wrote about her own struggles with mental illness, abuse, and trauma. Her poetry was deeply personal and often explored themes of trauma, death, and the search for identity. The Twelve Dancing Princesses was published in 1971 as part of Sexton's collection Transformations, which was a series of retellings of classic fairy tales. Sexton's version of the story is a departure from the traditional fairy tale and explores darker themes than the original.
Symbolism and Imagery
One of the most striking aspects of The Twelve Dancing Princesses is Sexton's use of symbolism and imagery. The poem is full of vivid and often unsettling images that help to create a sense of unease in the reader. For example, the princesses are described as "pale as lilies" and "cold as snow," which creates a sense of otherworldliness and detachment. The image of the "silver knives" that the princesses use to cut through their bed curtains is also unsettling and suggests a violent undercurrent to the story.
Another important symbol in the poem is the underground kingdom where the princesses go to dance. This kingdom represents a space of freedom and escape from the repression of their daily lives. However, it's also a dark and mysterious place that is full of danger. The princesses must navigate a series of obstacles and challenges to reach the kingdom, which suggests that freedom is not easy to come by.
Language
Sexton's use of language in The Twelve Dancing Princesses is also significant. The poem is written in a conversational style that is both accessible and engaging. Sexton uses a mix of modern and archaic language to create a sense of timelessness and universality. For example, she uses words like "ye" and "prithee" alongside more modern phrases like "stuck on" and "buzz off."
Another interesting aspect of the language in the poem is the use of repetition. The phrase "each morning they arose" is repeated several times throughout the poem, which creates a sense of routine and monotony. This repetition emphasizes the princesses' desire for freedom and escape from their daily lives.
Themes
The central theme of The Twelve Dancing Princesses is the quest for freedom. The princesses are trapped in their room every night by their father, the king, who is trying to control their behavior and prevent them from dancing. However, the princesses find a way to escape their confinement and go dancing every night. This suggests that human beings have an innate desire for freedom and will find a way to escape repression and control.
Another important theme in the poem is the pressure to conform. The princesses are expected to behave in a certain way and to obey their father's rules. However, they are also aware of the social expectations placed on them as royal women. The fact that they go dancing every night suggests that they are rebelling against these expectations and trying to assert their own identity.
Finally, The Twelve Dancing Princesses is a story about the power of imagination and creativity. The princesses use their imaginations to create a world of their own, where they can dance and be free. This suggests that imagination and creativity are important tools for escaping repression and finding freedom.
Conclusion
The Twelve Dancing Princesses is a complex and multi-layered poem that explores a range of themes and ideas. Sexton's use of symbolism, imagery, and language creates a sense of unease and tension in the reader, while also conveying a message of hope and liberation. Ultimately, the poem is a powerful exploration of the human desire for freedom and the ways in which we can find it even in the most repressive of circumstances.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Twelve Dancing Princesses: A Tale of Feminine Rebellion and Freedom
Anne Sexton's The Twelve Dancing Princesses is a classic poem that tells the story of twelve princesses who sneak out of their castle every night to dance with twelve princes in a magical underground kingdom. The poem is a retelling of the Grimm Brothers' fairy tale, but Sexton's version is unique in its feminist perspective and its exploration of themes such as rebellion, freedom, and sexuality.
The poem begins with the king noticing that his twelve daughters' shoes are worn out every morning, despite the fact that they are locked in their room every night. He offers a reward to anyone who can solve the mystery, but no one succeeds. Finally, a soldier who is given a cloak of invisibility by an old woman is able to follow the princesses to their secret dancing place. There, he discovers that the princesses have been dancing with twelve princes every night, and he reports his findings to the king. The king is pleased to learn the truth, and he rewards the soldier by letting him choose one of the princesses to marry.
On the surface, The Twelve Dancing Princesses is a simple fairy tale about a mystery that is solved and a hero who is rewarded. However, Sexton's poem is much more than that. It is a powerful commentary on the oppression of women and the need for feminine rebellion and freedom.
The twelve princesses in the poem are trapped in their castle, locked in their room every night, and forced to obey their father's rules. They are not allowed to express themselves or to explore their sexuality. However, they find a way to rebel against their father's authority by sneaking out every night to dance with twelve princes in a magical underground kingdom. The princesses' rebellion is a symbol of the feminine desire for freedom and autonomy.
Sexton's poem also explores the theme of sexuality. The princesses' secret dancing place is a metaphor for a hidden world of sexual desire and pleasure. The princesses are not content with their mundane lives in the castle, and they seek excitement and adventure in the underground kingdom. The twelve princes represent the princesses' sexual partners, and their dancing is a symbol of sexual intimacy. The poem suggests that women have a right to explore their sexuality and to seek pleasure and fulfillment.
Another important theme in The Twelve Dancing Princesses is the power of sisterhood. The twelve princesses are not alone in their rebellion. They have each other for support and encouragement. They dance together, laugh together, and share their secrets with each other. Their sisterhood is a symbol of the strength and resilience of women. It is also a reminder that women need each other to fight against oppression and to achieve freedom.
Sexton's poem is also notable for its feminist perspective. The poem challenges the traditional gender roles and stereotypes that are often found in fairy tales. The princesses are not passive and helpless. They are active and rebellious. They are not waiting for a prince to rescue them. They are taking control of their own lives and seeking their own happiness. The soldier who solves the mystery is not a typical hero. He is not strong or brave. He is clever and resourceful. He is also willing to listen to the princesses and to respect their autonomy.
The Twelve Dancing Princesses is a powerful poem that celebrates feminine rebellion and freedom. It is a reminder that women have a right to explore their sexuality, to seek pleasure and fulfillment, and to rebel against oppression. It is also a call to sisterhood and solidarity among women. The poem's feminist perspective challenges traditional gender roles and stereotypes and offers a new vision of female empowerment. It is a timeless classic that continues to inspire and resonate with readers today.
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