Anne Sexton's Poem 'Rumpelstiltskin'

Painting the Perfect Picture There is nothing more beautiful than the human language. Words that flow off of the tongue like honey and paint a van Gough picture in the mind brings readers to a place of tranquility. Anne Sexton’s Transformations reveals dazzling poetic elements to transform the Brothers Grimm fairytales into her own work of confessional poetry. Her poem entitled “Rumpelstiltskin” uses poetic elements such as similes and allusions to enhance the imagery of her poems and transform these short stories into her own work of confessional poetry. The use of similes and metaphors provide a strong poetic for writers. Anne Sexton sprinkles similes throughout her poetry in order for readers to better understand what she is trying
They are essentially used as imagery that draws attention to something that holds a particular message or reference. In “Rumpelstiltskin,” Anne Sexton uses allusions to depict different images for the reader and also to add her own confessional poetry to the original Brothers Grimm fairytales. One allusion that Sexton uses comes in her lead up to the poem, “Rumpelstiltskin.” She alludes to the former United States president, Harry Truman, to describe the dwarf as someone who lives inside us by saying: “he speaks up as tiny as an earphone / with Truman’s asexual voice” (Sexton, 17). Alluding to President Truman allows the reader to capture the dwarfs voice and also allows them to uncover some of Sexton’s own personal views of Truman. By alluding to Truman in the poem near words such as “monster” and “evil,” the reader can infer that Sexton did not have the greatest opinion about President Truman. She also describes his voice as being asexual, which also allows the reader to understand some of the sexual views that Sexton has about President Truman. Another allusion Sexton uses to describe the dwarf in “Rumpelstiltskin” says: “I have been exhibited on Bond Street” (Sexton, 17). Bond Street is an allusion to a popular shopping area in London that could have been a memorable place for Anne Sexton. By alluding to Bond Street, she is able to give the reader a better understanding of the dwarf’s emotions. Saying that he was exhibited on Bond Street indicates that he is so lonely that he would go as far as being bought in order to join a family. This allusion also allows us to understand some of the personal life of Anne Sexton. Using Bond Street as an allusion may display that she has a particular memory or influence that goes back to an experience at Bond Street. Allusions are powerful poetic elements that help an author create beautiful imagery as well as add to the