'More Than Myself' by Anne Sexton
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Not that it was beautiful,
but that, in the end, there was
a certain sense of order there;
something worth learning
in that narrow diary of my mind,
in the commonplaces of the asylum
where the cracked mirror
or my own selfish death
outstared me . . .
I tapped my own head;
it was glass, an inverted bowl.
It's small thing
to rage inside your own bowl.
At first it was private.
Then it was more than myself.
Editor 1 Interpretation
More Than Myself: A Masterpiece of Confessional Poetry
Anne Sexton's "More Than Myself" is a tour de force of confessional poetry, a genre that she helped to define and refine during the 1960s and 1970s. This poem is a remarkable example of how Sexton was able to use her personal experiences and emotions to create art that resonates with readers on a universal level. In this essay, I will provide a detailed literary criticism and interpretation of "More Than Myself," exploring its themes, imagery, and language, and examining how Sexton's poetic voice is uniquely suited to expressing the complexities of human experience.
The Context of Sexton's Life and Work
Before delving into the poem itself, it is important to understand the context in which it was written. Anne Sexton was a prolific and highly regarded poet, known for her raw, confessional style and her frank exploration of taboo subjects such as mental illness, addiction, and sexuality. She was born in 1928 in Massachusetts and began writing poetry in her early thirties, after struggling with mental illness for most of her life. Her first collection, "To Bedlam and Part Way Back," was published in 1960 to critical acclaim, and she went on to publish several more collections over the next decade.
Sexton's poetry was deeply personal, drawing on her own experiences of depression, suicide attempts, and hospitalization. She often used her poetry as a form of therapy, exploring her darkest thoughts and emotions in order to gain insight and understanding. Her work was controversial, even scandalous at times, but it was also deeply influential, helping to pave the way for a new generation of confessional poets who would follow in her footsteps.
"More Than Myself": A Close Reading
"More Than Myself" is a relatively short poem, consisting of six stanzas of varying length. At its core, the poem is a meditation on the nature of identity and selfhood, exploring the ways in which we are both defined by and separate from the people and experiences that shape us.
The poem begins with a series of striking images that set the tone for what is to come:
I am wearing shades inside for the shadows are deep and my own true hair is brittle and short
The speaker, presumably Sexton herself, is wearing sunglasses indoors, suggesting that she is attempting to shield herself from something. The shadows are "deep," hinting at the darkness that lurks within her, while her "own true hair" is "brittle and short," suggesting a sense of fragility or vulnerability.
In the second stanza, the speaker describes herself as "more than myself," a paradoxical statement that suggests both a desire to transcend her own limitations and a recognition that she is, in fact, defined by them:
I am more than myself here where the wind sifts memory from the chaff. I am more than myself for an old man sits outside my door like a rooted tree.
The image of the wind sifting memory from the chaff is a powerful one, suggesting a process of sifting through the past to uncover what is truly important. The old man outside the door is a poignant image, evoking a sense of groundedness and stability in the face of the speaker's own sense of turmoil.
The third stanza continues this theme of identity and selfhood, exploring the idea that we are all shaped by the people and experiences that surround us:
I am more than myself for I have taken on the moments of other people, the girl with the white shoes and the woman with no feet.
Here, the speaker suggests that she has absorbed the experiences of others, blurring the boundaries between herself and those around her. The image of the girl with white shoes and the woman with no feet is a striking one, suggesting a sense of loss and incompleteness.
In the fourth stanza, the speaker reflects on the idea of memory and how it shapes our sense of self:
I have held myself back from one day to another so gently and full of dread. I have sat terrified before another day of memories which first I must forget like a child born of pain.
Here, the speaker suggests that memory can be a burden, something to be feared and avoided. She also hints at the idea that memory can be a source of healing, likening it to a child born of pain.
The fifth stanza is perhaps the most powerful in the poem, as the speaker confronts her own mortality:
I am more than myself for I have died and I have lived and I was two men and a woman and a flea and a sea crab and a fig tree and some veal and a dolphin and a girl.
This list of identities is both playful and profound, suggesting that the speaker has experienced life in all its richness and complexity. The final line, "and a girl," is particularly poignant, suggesting that the speaker is reclaiming a lost part of herself.
Finally, in the sixth stanza, the speaker returns to the image of the old man outside her door:
I am more than myself for he hears me coming and lifts his head and knows the time has come for me to be his daughter.
This final image is a powerful one, suggesting a sense of connection and belonging that transcends the speaker's own sense of self. It also suggests that identity is not fixed, but rather something that can be fluid and ever-changing.
Themes and Interpretations
"More Than Myself" is a richly layered poem that touches on a number of themes, including identity, memory, mortality, and connection. At its core, the poem is a meditation on what it means to be human, exploring the ways in which we are both defined by and separate from the people and experiences that shape us.
One of the most striking things about this poem is the way in which it blurs the boundaries between self and other. The speaker suggests that she has absorbed the experiences of others, blurring the boundaries between herself and those around her. She also suggests that memory can be a source of healing, even likening it to a child born of pain. This idea of interconnectedness and fluidity is central to the poem's message, which suggests that identity is not fixed, but rather something that can be constantly evolving.
Another key theme in the poem is mortality. The speaker reflects on her own mortality, suggesting that she has both lived and died in various forms. This idea of transformation and rebirth is closely tied to the poem's exploration of identity and selfhood, suggesting that our sense of self is not static, but rather something that can be constantly reborn and renewed.
Ultimately, "More Than Myself" is a powerful meditation on what it means to be human, touching on themes that are both universal and deeply personal. Sexton's confessional style and raw emotion make this poem a masterpiece of confessional poetry, and its insights into the human condition continue to resonate with readers to this day.
Conclusion
Anne Sexton's "More Than Myself" is a remarkable example of confessional poetry at its finest. Through its vivid imagery, raw emotion, and insightful reflections on identity and selfhood, the poem speaks to the human experience in a profound and meaningful way. By exploring the ways in which we are both defined by and separate from the people and experiences that shape us, the poem offers a powerful meditation on what it means to be human, and reminds us of the interconnectedness that lies at the heart of our existence.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Poetry More Than Myself: A Deep Dive into Anne Sexton's Masterpiece
Anne Sexton was a poet who was known for her confessional style of writing. Her poems were often deeply personal and explored themes of mental illness, suicide, and sexuality. One of her most famous works is "Poetry More Than Myself," a poem that delves into the power of poetry and the role it plays in the life of a poet.
At its core, "Poetry More Than Myself" is a poem about the transformative power of poetry. Sexton writes about how poetry has the ability to take her beyond herself, to transport her to a place where she is no longer bound by the limitations of her own life. She writes, "I am a lantern lit by love / alone in an empty room / with the shadows of my life / dancing on the walls."
This image of the lantern is a powerful one. It suggests that poetry is a source of light in Sexton's life, illuminating the darkness and helping her to see things in a new way. The fact that she is alone in an empty room suggests that poetry is a solitary pursuit for her, something that she does on her own. But even in this solitude, poetry is able to connect her to something greater than herself.
Sexton goes on to write, "I am a mirror / whose only purpose / is to show you / what your own eyes cannot yet see." Here, she is suggesting that poetry is a reflection of the human experience, a way for us to see ourselves and our world in a new light. By reading poetry, we are able to connect with the experiences of others and gain a deeper understanding of ourselves.
But Sexton also acknowledges the darker side of poetry. She writes, "I am a trap / set by the past / where none can escape / not even myself." Here, she is suggesting that poetry can be a way for us to get trapped in our own past, to become stuck in our own memories and experiences. But even in this darkness, Sexton finds hope. She writes, "And I am a bird / who will not be caught / bird of the wilderness / in a sky where nothing is forgotten."
This image of the bird is a powerful one. It suggests that even in the darkest moments, poetry has the ability to lift us up and help us to soar. It suggests that poetry is a way for us to connect with something greater than ourselves, to transcend our own limitations and find hope in the midst of despair.
Overall, "Poetry More Than Myself" is a powerful poem that explores the transformative power of poetry. It suggests that poetry has the ability to take us beyond ourselves, to connect us with something greater than ourselves, and to help us find hope in the midst of darkness. It is a poem that speaks to the power of art to transform our lives and to help us see the world in a new way.
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