'The Fury Of God's Good-bye' by Anne Sexton
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One day He
tipped His top hat
and walked
out of the room,
ending the arguement.
He stomped off
saying:
I don't give guarentees.
I was left
quite alone
using up the darkenss.
I rolled up
my sweater,
up into a ball,
and took it
to bed with me,
a kind of stand-in
for God,
what washerwoman
who walks out
when you're clean
but not ironed.
When I woke up
the sweater
had turned to
bricks of gold.
I'd won the world
but like a
forsaken explorer,
I'd lost
my map.
Anonymous submission.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Fury of God's Goodbye: A Dissection of Anne Sexton's Masterpiece
Anne Sexton is an iconic poet who is renowned for her remarkable works that examine life's various complexities. One of her most riveting poems is "The Fury of God's Goodbye," which is a masterpiece that delves into the darker side of life. In this essay, I will provide a detailed literary criticism and interpretation of this classic poem, and explore its themes, structure, and language.
Background Information
Before diving into the poem's analysis, it is important to understand the context in which it was written. "The Fury of God's Goodbye" was published in 1962 as part of "To Bedlam and Part Way Back," a collection of Sexton's early works. It is widely considered to be one of her most emotionally charged poems, and it is notable for its raw and vivid imagery.
The poem is written in free verse, which is a form of poetry that does not have a fixed structure or rhyme scheme. This allows the poet to experiment with language and create a unique style that reflects the poem's themes and emotions.
Themes
At its core, "The Fury of God's Goodbye" is a poem about loss, pain, and the search for meaning in a world that can be cruel and unforgiving. The poem explores the theme of abandonment, as the speaker feels abandoned by God and struggles to make sense of this loss.
The poem also touches on the theme of mortality, as the speaker contemplates the inevitability of death and the fear of what comes after. The poem's title itself is a reference to death, as "God's Goodbye" can be interpreted as the moment of death and the fury that accompanies it.
Another key theme in the poem is the search for identity and self-worth. The speaker is searching for a sense of purpose and meaning in life, but feels lost and directionless.
Structure
As mentioned earlier, "The Fury of God's Goodbye" is written in free verse, which allows Sexton to experiment with language and structure. The poem is divided into six stanzas of varying lengths, and there is no fixed rhyme scheme or meter.
The lack of structure in the poem reflects the speaker's own sense of disorientation and confusion. The poem flows freely, moving between different ideas and images, much like the speaker's own thoughts and emotions.
Language
One of the standout features of "The Fury of God's Goodbye" is its use of vivid and powerful imagery. Sexton employs a range of metaphors and symbols to convey the poem's themes and emotions.
For example, in the opening lines of the poem, Sexton writes:
"I am the girl of the village gazing at the pale stars: the shape of a white night marching below the horizon."
Here, the speaker is compared to a girl gazing at the stars, which symbolizes her search for meaning and purpose in life. The "white night marching below the horizon" represents death, which is always present and looming in the background.
Throughout the poem, Sexton uses powerful images to convey the speaker's emotions. For example, she writes:
"Let the god of your stiffnecked lineage clean up your mess. Let him pull the plug. You are beyond the need of him."
Here, the speaker is rejecting the idea of God and religion, as she feels abandoned and alone. The image of "pulling the plug" is a metaphor for death, which the speaker sees as the only way to escape her pain and suffering.
Interpretation
At its core, "The Fury of God's Goodbye" is a poem about the search for meaning and purpose in life. The speaker is struggling to make sense of her pain and suffering, and is searching for a way to find peace and happiness.
The poem is notable for its raw and emotionally charged language, which conveys the speaker's sense of despair and hopelessness. Through powerful imagery and metaphors, Sexton creates a vivid and haunting portrait of a soul in turmoil.
Ultimately, "The Fury of God's Goodbye" is a deeply personal and introspective poem that speaks to the universal human experience of pain and loss. It is a testament to Sexton's skill as a poet, as she is able to convey complex emotions and themes with striking clarity and precision.
Conclusion
In conclusion, "The Fury of God's Goodbye" is a masterpiece of modern poetry that explores themes of loss, pain, and the search for meaning in life. Through powerful imagery and raw language, Anne Sexton creates a haunting portrait of a soul in turmoil, and speaks to the universal human experience of suffering.
The poem's lack of structure and free-flowing style reflect the speaker's own sense of disorientation and confusion, and the vivid imagery and metaphors convey complex emotions and themes with striking clarity and precision.
Overall, "The Fury of God's Goodbye" is a testament to Sexton's skill as a poet, and is a powerful and moving work that continues to resonate with readers today.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Fury of God's Goodbye: A Poem of Despair and Redemption
Anne Sexton's "The Fury of God's Goodbye" is a haunting and powerful poem that explores the themes of despair, redemption, and the search for meaning in a world that seems devoid of hope. Written in Sexton's signature confessional style, the poem is a deeply personal reflection on the author's struggles with mental illness, addiction, and the existential crisis that often accompanies such afflictions.
At its core, "The Fury of God's Goodbye" is a poem about the search for meaning in a world that seems to offer none. The speaker of the poem is a woman who has been "tossed like a weed" by the winds of fate, and who has come to the realization that there is no divine plan or purpose to her suffering. She has lost faith in God, and in the idea that there is any meaning to be found in her pain.
The poem is divided into three sections, each of which explores a different aspect of the speaker's journey towards redemption. In the first section, the speaker describes her descent into despair and hopelessness. She speaks of the "black dog" of depression that haunts her, and of the "fury" that consumes her as she struggles to find a way out of her darkness. She describes herself as a "ghost" who has lost touch with reality, and who is trapped in a world of pain and confusion.
In the second section of the poem, the speaker begins to find a glimmer of hope. She speaks of a "light" that shines in the darkness, and of a "voice" that calls out to her from beyond the void. She begins to see that there may be a way out of her despair, and that she may be able to find meaning and purpose in her suffering.
The final section of the poem is a powerful meditation on the nature of redemption. The speaker describes herself as a "broken vessel" that has been shattered by the storms of life, but that has been made whole again by the grace of God. She speaks of the "fire" that has burned away her pain and her despair, and of the "love" that has healed her wounds and given her new life.
Throughout the poem, Sexton uses powerful imagery and metaphor to convey the speaker's journey towards redemption. The "black dog" of depression is a vivid and haunting image that captures the speaker's sense of hopelessness and despair. The "fury" that consumes her is a powerful metaphor for the anger and frustration that often accompany mental illness and addiction. And the "light" that shines in the darkness is a symbol of hope and possibility, a sign that there may be a way out of the speaker's pain and suffering.
Overall, "The Fury of God's Goodbye" is a deeply moving and powerful poem that speaks to the human experience of suffering and redemption. It is a testament to the power of language and poetry to capture the complexity and depth of human emotion, and to offer a glimpse of hope and meaning in a world that often seems devoid of both. Sexton's poem is a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always the possibility of redemption and renewal, and that the human spirit is capable of enduring even the most profound of sorrows.
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